Russia’s Claim Under Polar Ice Irks American

[flashl]

Source: NY Times

Last August, a team of Russian scientists and legislators trekked to the North Pole and plunged through the ice pack into the abyss, descending more than two miles through inky darkness to the bottom of the ocean.

There, explorers planted Russia’s flag and, upon surfacing, declared that the feat had strengthened Moscow’s claims to nearly half the Arctic seabed. The ensuing global headlines fueled debate over polar territorial claims.

But that wasn’t the whole story. The heroes of the moment did not mention that the dive had American origins.

Alfred S. McLaren, 75, a retired Navy submariner, would like to set the record straight and, as he puts it, “acquaint the Kremlin with the realities” of recent history and international law.

NY Times

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/19/world/europe/19arctic.html?_r=1&ref=washington&oref=slogin

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Did you notice that the challenge did not orginate from Washington? So, we are winning the race to space, but not here on earth to the Arctic?

[Deny and Shred]

1. Reminds me of Eddie Izzard in Dress To Kill

He joked that the British Empire claimed their colonies simply by planting flags. The American Indians didn't have a flag, so 'The New World,' therefore, is British.
Later, when talking about the British actors who make up the Empire council in Star Wars, "Sir, it's the Rebels, they're here, on the Death Star."
The commander's response : "Did they bring a flag?"

Create a problem, then profit from that problem. Didn't Hitler fool Hindenburg into granting him the Chancellorship by convincing him that he, Adolph, was the only one who could restore order. The chaos was caused by Brownshirts, under his orders, of course.

The US creates more greenhouse gases that the rest of the world, so the Arctic may soon be navigable. The US wants to profit from it, and resents Russia's claim. Oh the irony.

[flashl]

2. It seems that the 'free market' is going to handle this

Arctic Oil & Gas Corp. to Create a Series of Strategic Exploration-Drilling- Development Alliances

LAS VEGAS, NV--(Marketwire - February 19, 2008) - Arctic Oil & Gas Corp. (PINKSHEETS: AOAG), a petroleum exploration company, will develop its share of the extensive "Arctic Commons" claims of what may be one of the greatest oil and gas discoveries in history. The Company expects its legal claims to a portion of the prospect to be developed in partnership with both major integrated oil companies and large independent exploration companies.

Prospects to be explored in the arctic seabed are expected to far surpass the greatest nearby discovery, which is Alaska's Prudhoe Bay. The United States has produced over 12.8 billion barrels of oil from this area, which was discovered in 1968. The Wall Street Journal estimated that over 400 billion barrels of oil may be found and produced within the "Arctic Commons." The largest potential oil-gas sedimentary basins are adjacent to secure US Alaska and Canadian territories.

For the world's major independent oil companies, the Arctic Commons Claim represents a unique long-term opportunity to carve out an entire nation-sized remote frontier basin region for oil companies to operate in with lower taxes and imposts, possibly for centuries.

Arctic Oil & Gas Corp. will create a series of strategic exploration, drilling and development alliances in order to locate and develop the oil and gas resources within the Commons. The Company's management expects to finalize and announce a series of financial partnerships in the near future to provide the wherewithal to develop and drill the "Arctic Commons."

Arctic Oil and Gas Reserves Expected to One Day Exceed Alaska's Prudhoe Bay

[Supersedeas]

3. Halliburton and the Secretary of State may take issue with that too

the Oil Tanker, Condi Rice, is enroute to Russia to set the record straight