[8note]

the end strategy is controlling trade between europe and china. the NW passage and eventually the arctic ocean will be opening.

the US shares its current control with russia for these new trade routes, but it wants to be able to unilaterally decide what china can do at sea. thus it needs control that isnt shared with russia or europe.

its the same thing with panama, the US needs to recapture control to ensure that china cannot ship through without US permission

[brandon272]

Whatever the U.S. feels it needs to do in that regard can be accomplished with the current arrangement. It doesn’t need to invade or unilaterally annex or violate international law.