We've already lost the battle of the Arctic...

Thanks to Joe for the link!

via Business Insider...

As the Arctic warms, Russia is positioning itself to become the dominant player in a resource-rich and strategically positioned region.

In order to capitalize on the oil and gas under the Arctic seabed and exploit new shipping routes as ice cover recedes, Moscow is undertaking a major military upgrade of its northern coast and outlying archipelagos. Its new bases — which include search-and-rescue stations, ports and airstrips, and military headquarters — are meant to project Russian hard power into an emerging strategic frontier.
The map shows exactly where Russia is building its bases, and reveals the continent-wide scope of Russia's militarization of its northern coast. And it shows how intense Russia's Arctic focus is compared to that of its neighbors and rivals.

Here.

Wow.  Maybe I'm just looking at things the wrong way, but from my chair it seems that China is winning in the Pacific...ISIS has fought the "alliance" to at least a standstill (giving a huge benefit of the doubt)....Ukraine is just a festering mess that's going to be more pain than its worth.....

And Russia is making moves to corner the Arctic.

What should we do?  How about having the Army form an Arctic Infantry Brigade?  Buy an allotment of BVS-10's, run unit leaders thru the British Marine Mountain Leaders Course (to have a cadre of experts to pass along those skills) and start doing some real deal (meaning actually beneficial) joint training with Finland, Poland, Canada to blunt this move.

Somehow we've fallen into short range planning while our enemies are making long range plans.

Establish national goals for defense.  Chart it out for the long term.  Adjust it to changing realities.  Uncouple it from tech and focus on objectives....and catch up with these bastards.  They're playing chess while we're licking windows.

Sidenote:  The Navy and Marines don't get a free pass on this either.  Notice how many bases are on islands?  Running detachments of Marines aboard Coast Guard Icebreakers and a new category of Navy ships that can somewhat handle arctic ice might be in order.