The consequence of these efforts is that notwithstanding the public statements of peace and cooperation in the Arctic issued by the Arctic states, the strategic value of the Arctic is growing. [...] The intersection of a melting ice cover, the promise of vast resource wealth, and the need for new maritime boundaries has resulted in unprecedented interest in the Arctic.8 At the heart of almost all of these stories is the concern over the security of the region. [...] THE MILITARIZATION OF THE ARCTIC Of all of the world’s oceans, the Arctic Ocean and its surrounding region is the last to receive any attention by the world’s navies. [...] In the summer of 1940 the German auxiliary cruiser, the Komet, sailed from Germany to the Pacific Ocean by transiting this route, the first warship to use the northern path.15 The Japanese invaded and held two Alaskan islands in an effort to draw the Americans away from their attack on Midway Island. [...] On the basis of an anticipated increase in international activity in the region due to climate change and resource development, the document stated, “(t)he demands of sovereignty and security for the Government could become even more pressing as activity in the North continues to rise.”32 This anticipated increase in foreign interest in the region corresponds with the need to act.