Capt. Barry Sheehy CD. ——Bio and Archives--January 8, 2025

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The Trump Administration is serious about bolstering the Defense of North America from the Panama Canal to the Arctic Ocean. Some have suggested this is a reincarnation of the 19th century Monroe Doctrine but that is a facile interpretation of the facts. We are a long way from the blustering of President Monroe in 1823. The world has turned over many times since. Trump’s instincts on defense of North America are sound and rooted in a desire to avoid war. Yes, avoid war. Hear me out.

The US has always viewed itself as protected from invasion by two oceans. American involvement in both World Wars was a matter of choice. But that world has changed, especially in the past decade. China has asserted itself on the world stage and is not disguising its regional and global ambitions, boldly proclaiming “red lines” not to be crossed.

Meanwhile in the north, Russia has come to dominate the high Arctic with a series of bases supporting an immense fleet of ice breakers and ice capable vessels. The Russian Federation has nearly 40 ice breakers, many of them nuclear, and a “Northern Fleet” of over 30 surface vessels and submarines; all supported by a sophisticated network of Arctic naval bases. It is an astonishing strategic apparatus for an economy not much larger than Canada. But unlike Canada, Russia takes its sovereign frontier seriously.

Suddenly, we see China exerting its influence in the Arctic, despite having no Arctic shoreline and not being a member of the Arctic Council (Canada, USA, Denmark........

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