紐時賞析／北極威脅日增 加拿大恐需靠攏美國

加拿大北極維多利亞島的一座北方預警系統站。紐約時報

As Arctic Threats Rise, Canada May Need to Lean on the U.S.

北極威脅日增 加拿大恐需靠攏美國

The Canadian and American flags could be seen billowing at a distance in the all-white Arctic landscape — the Maple Leaf visibly lower than the Stars and Stripes.

在一片純白的北極景觀中，遠遠就能看見加拿大與美國國旗隨風飄揚—楓葉旗明顯低於星條旗。

The asymmetry had a simple explanation. Flags across Canada, including this one in the hamlet of Cambridge Bay in the Canadian High Arctic, were flying at half-staff to mourn the recent mass killing at a school in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia.

這種不對稱的原因其實很簡單。包括位於北極高地劍橋灣的這面國旗，加拿大各地都降半旗致哀，悼念卑詩省滕伯勒裡奇一所學校日前發生的大規模殺戮事件。

But its symbolism, however unintended, was a reminder of Canada’s increasingly uncomfortable situation in its Arctic region: Unable to defend it by itself, Canada remains dependent on the United States, whose president has repeatedly threatened to annex it and who has also set his eyes on Canada’s Arctic neighbor, Greenland.

然而，這樣的畫面即使並非刻意安排，仍象徵加拿大在北極地區日益尷尬的處境：加拿大無法單獨防衛該區域，仍仰賴美國；但現任美國總統不僅多次威脅要將加拿大納入版圖，還將目光投向其北極鄰居格陵蘭。

It wasn’t always like that.

情況並非一直如此。

Between the two flags, a large green signboard indicated that it was the site of a North Warning System radar station belonging to the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, the North American air defense system led jointly by the United States and Canada. A large white dome housing a radar could be seen at a distance behind the flags — the same kind of white domes that dot some of the remotest corners of Canada’s Arctic as part of the defense system.

在兩面國旗間，一塊綠色告示牌顯示此地爲北方預警系統雷達站，隸屬於北美防空司令部，也就是由美國與加拿大共同主導的北美空防體系。國旗後方遠處可見一座白色雷達圓頂—這類圓頂遍佈加拿大北極最偏遠地區，是整體防禦系統一部分。

NORAD is a binational military organization, but the United States has always been the bigger partner. It built and financed much of the defense system, contributing the bulk of NORAD’s budget. While NORAD’s commander is a U.S. general, a Canadian serves as the deputy commander.

NORAD雖是雙邊軍事組織，但美國始終是主導的一方。多數防禦設施由美國建造出資，並負擔大部分預算。該組織由美國將領擔任司令，副司令由加拿大派任。

Today, experts believe that the North Warning System would be incapable of detecting new Russian hypersonic missiles that fly at low altitudes. Canada is building a so-called Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar system that can spot threats at far greater distances, as part of NORAD’s modernization.

如今專家認爲，北方預警系統已無法偵測低空飛行的新型俄羅斯極音速飛彈。加拿大正建置所謂「北極超視距雷達系統」，可在更遠距離偵測威脅，作爲NORAD現代化的一環。

Russia continues to build up its military capacity in the Arctic, and China is pushing into the region as a self-described “near-Arctic” nation. Canada may have no choice but to get even closer to the United States, even as Prime Minister Mark Carney puts forward economic and military policies to make Canada less dependent on its southern neighbor.

俄羅斯持續強化在北極的軍事部署，中國也以「近北極國家」自居，積極進入該區域。在此情勢下，即使總理卡尼提出希望降低依賴美國的經濟與軍事政策，恐怕加拿大仍不得向美國靠攏。

President Donald Trump has pressed Canada to join a “Golden Dome” defense shield to shoot down advanced intercontinental missiles coming over the Arctic — making it completely clear who would be the junior partner. Joining would cost Canada $61 billion, he said, or nothing if Canada became the 51st state.

美國總統川普施壓加拿大加入「金穹」系統，以攔截經由北極來襲的先進洲際飛彈—這也清楚顯示雙方誰是次要夥伴。川普表示，加入該系統將花加拿大610億美元；若成爲美國第51州，則免費。

文／大西哲光，譯／國際中心

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