When I headed the U.S. Southern Command a decade ago, I took a trip to the Brazilian military's jungle training site near Manaus in the Amazon River basin. I spent time both in the jungle with Brazilian troops and on the river, meeting with some of the 300 indigenous groups that populate the region, which spans nine South American nations.
I came to understand that Brazilian pride in controlling much of the rain forest is palpable and well-deserved. Now, of course, that pride is being challenged by the 60,000 fires spotted there this year. The recent Group of Seven summit set off a heated international conversation about how to contain the fires. Brazil is being harshly criticized by leaders around the world — French President Emmanuel Macron in particular.
The Amazon is not just a vast body of water — it is the beating heart of a vast rainforest that supplies as much as 6 percent of the world's oxygen, and is home to perhaps 2 million distinct species. Let's be clear, because of climate change, the burning rainforest affects the entire world. As the planet warms, weather patterns become less predictable, and increasingly destructive storms ensue. Melting ice at both the North and South Poles is causing rising sea levels.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.