“What about the rest of the North?” asked McGeorge Bundy, President of the Ford Foundation, back in the 1970s while considering yet one more grant to help the troubled Native Americans of Alaska. The initial reaction of a young staffer asked to research the question was that the boss was making some reference to the Civil War.

That was not his point, nor was he talking about the global contrast between rich and poor nations, described as the “North-South Divide.” Instead, Bundy referred to the Arctic, where nations share problems. As usual, though not always, he was right.

Today, melting polar ice encourages both commercial investment and nationalism. Neither the Obama nor Trump administration has given priority to Arctic developments, but that does not change the hard reality that important challenges are underway.

In that context, the apparently casual reference to buying Greenland by President Donald Trump is useful in drawing attention to northern latitudes. Denmark is sovereign over the territory of Greenland.

President Barack Obama visited Alaska four years ago, but the trip was essentially pro forma. This is unfortunate, especially since the United States chaired the Arctic Council, an important multilateral body consisting of Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia and Sweden along with the U.S.

Historically Britain has led in global geography, joined long ago by the United States. Now Russia is spearheading organizing a region where their stake is vital. These include major international investment conferences.


Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 put a freeze on Moscow’s relations with other Arctic nations and the wider international community. The Arctic Forum event indicates warming relations for Moscow with close neighbors.





Simultaneously, Eisenhower underscored military dimensions. He skillfully combined science cooperation with attention to national defense. In August 1958, the new nuclear submarine Nautilus made the first undersea voyage to the North Pole, certain to impress - and intimidate - Soviet government leaders.
