ninme

WaPo - Canada-Denmark ties get icy over Arctic isle

A barren desert island in the High Arctic populated only by seals and the occasional polar bear is at the center of a diplomatic tiff between otherwise friendly Canada and Denmark after Canadian Defense Minister Bill Graham quietly set foot on the disputed land last week.

Hans Island, a round frozen outcrop in the middle of the Kennedy Channel that separates Greenland from Canada’s Ellesmere Island, is claimed by both Arctic nations.

The Danish Foreign Ministry issued an official note of protest to Canada’s ambassador in Copenhagen on Monday after learning of Mr. Graham’s decision to personally “invade” Hans Island and reinforce Canada’s claim over it.

Hehe.

I love that Canada “last year made a show of force by staging its largest-ever military exercises in the Arctic, called Operation Narwhal 2004″ over an island too small to appear on maps but, “researchers say the Arctic is warming so quickly that the rich natural resources of the area will be open for exploitation within a few decades.” So, Canada is better than us because they’re so good at preventing climate change, but they’re willing to start a war with an ally over a rock in the middle of the arctic because they’re hoping for climate change. Interesting.

Anyway, the Kongelige Danske Marine (Royal Danish Navy) seems bigger than the Royal Canadian Navy. Besides, these days I like them better.

Curtsy: Wheat & Weeds.