State Department admits US troops face Arctic gear problems

State Department admits US troops face Arctic gear problems Julia Nesheiwat, nominee for US Ambassador-at-Large for the Arctic, said Washington still lacks the necessary capabilities in the regionWASHINGTON, September 17. /TASS/. The US State Department has acknowledged that Washington faces problems equipping American service members for operations in the Arctic. Speaking at her confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Julia Nesheiwat, nominee for US Ambassador-at-Large for the Arctic, said Washington still lacks the necessary capabilities in the region. "The biggest, I think, challenge for us in the United States and for our Arctic allies is to have those capabilities [in the Arctic]. Whether it's the icebreakers, having the technology, the innovation, the support - I mean, even the cold-weather gear. Having participated in some of the military exercises, I noticed even our own troops were needing to use, for example, Norwegian uniforms and boots just to deal with the cold weather," she said. Nesheiwat previously served as a US Army military intelligence officer and completed tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. She left military service with the rank of captain and later worked at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. She is married to former US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, who has served as US Permanent Representative to the United Nations since September last year. Nesheiwat also stressed that Russia holds a dominant position in the Arctic. "They continue to dominate in the region, controlling access through the Northern Sea Route," she said. 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