Vanguard Magazine

46 APRIL/MAY 2021 www.vanguardcanada.com THE LAST WORD and inclusivity. A more effective approach would be to ask "why would Russia want to participate in a collective Arctic security forum given their superior military Arctic stance" or "how can Russia further gain militarily as member of a Western- domi- nated Arctic security organization"? One potential response to such questions might be that Russia wishes to get ahead of NATO involvement in the Arctic (and in a collective security forum in particular). There is nothing that Putin and the Krem- lin despise more than NATO. The orga- nization remains Russia's primary global security adversary. A collective Arctic se- curity forum that has anything to do with NATO is a total non-starter for Russia. They do not have to, and will not, accept such conditions. Again, there is no forum without Russia. Any thinking otherwise indicates entrenched Western bias. More- over, NATO is not in any position to par- ticipate in a collective regional forum even if it wanted. NATO is a highly political or- ganization. Of the thirty members, only a handful are concerned with Arctic security. Some U.S. defense officials suggest that reinvigorating the previous ASFR organiza- tion or NCHoDs offers an obvious solution to the perceived need for a collective Arctic security forum, which leads to the second fundamental challenge: the presumption that Russia will thankfully join a traditional, Western-established and led organizations. The security circumstances have signifi- cantly changed for the Arctic since these two mechanisms played a useful function. The safe assumption of a collective forum would seem to involve the ability to pursue decision-making with regard to conduct of military entities within the Arctic, such as rules for contact and interaction in the maritime environment, as well as opportu- nities to deconflict issues or even collabo- rate between adversaries. ASFR is a two-star level organization, and thus incapable of performing such a function. The NCHoDs, at the four-star level, could more readily provide decision-making authority. Howev- er, past activities lacked the kind of purpose and intent that is now needed. The coop- erative and competitive nature of the Arctic affords actors the opportunity to build off best practices and successes, including the Arctic Council as a model process. Current Arctic security circumstances allow for mili- tary diplomacy to take on an elevated role, with greater purpose in support of decision making and confidence building. Many commentators think a new or- ganization is unnecessary, and the Arctic states can simply revitalize one of the pre- vious forums or create a combination of both. While this may be true, a whole new purpose is required, and either organiza- tion would resemble its previous version in name only – hence the idea for a new organization and purpose, such as the Arc- tic Security Cooperation Forum (ASCF). Again, going back to arguments, however, why would Russia want to rejoin the pri- or, traditional Western-led organizations? These mechanisms did work very well pre- viously – for the West. Recent assumptions about Russian in- volvement in a collective Arctic security forum are consistently underpinned with Western bias, similar to traditional ap- proaches of interacting with northern Indigenous people. Regarding Russia, es- pecially as it finds itself in an increasingly assertive international position, the West needs to more effectively think about is- sues from Russian perspectives. Otherwise, Russia might blindside the West with re- quirements it would need to participate in any Arctic security forum. The author would like to thank Whitney Lackenbauer for providing valuable commentary and editing during article development. This piece was originally published on October 16, 2020 on the North American and Arctic Defence and Security Network (NAADSN) webiste and reprinted here by permission. Troy Bouffard is the Director of the Center for Arctic Security and Resilience (CASR) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF). He is a Defense Contractor for NORAD- USNORTHCOM and the Alaskan Com- mand, as well as a Network Coordinator for the North American and Arctic Defence and Security Network (NAADSN). Soldiers from the Second Royal Newfoundland Regiment board a CH-147F Chinook helicopter in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories during the field portion of Operation NANOOK-NUNALIVUT on March 3, 2021. Photo: DND Participants are briefed during Operation NANOOK-NUNALIVUT 2019 in Resolute, Nunavut. Photo: NATO

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