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RE: Chile's antarctic claim.
This comes on the heals of the UK announcement last week that they were renewing their antarctic claim. The Argentines are sure to follow, then all of the other countries. Thus does the Antarctic Treaty start to unwind.
Meanwhile, the US or the USSR are in the process of pulling out of one arms control treaty after the other. Not to mention the US all but trashing its compliance with both the Geneva Conventions and the UN Charter.
It looks like the first part of the 21st century is going to see the progressive un-doing of the entire system of treaties so painstakingly crafted over the last part of the 20th century.
Peak Treaties.
This is what the BBC said about the British claim:
The claim, which the spokeswoman stressed is still being prepared in advance of a May 2009 United Nations deadline, could extend Britain's stake for Antarctic waters by more than 1 million sq km (386,000 sq miles) and is permitted under the Law of the Sea Convention.
"This has been under consideration for many years," the spokeswoman said of the move, which she said will not affect the more recent environmental protections put into the Antarctic Treaty in 1991.
"It would be a claim in name only, we wouldn't act because doing any mineral exploitation contravenes the treaty."
So it seems that rather than going against the current treaty, this round of claims is just preparing for the next treaty within the UN.
Another viewpoint is that polar/deepwater oil exploitation will be much more expensive than current fields. Capital investments, including government incentives, will not be made unless there is clear title (i.e. ownership). The polar regions and the vast deepwater ocean floor cannot be exploited while held in common.
I think that it is a mistake to conflate the territorial claims with arms control treaty pullouts.
Slippery Slope,
Anything can be done by treaty, including exploiting resources that are held i common. What would be the best possible outcome would be for the nations of the earth to unite and dedicate the proceeds from development to a common world goal, such as providing renewable electricity and access to the internet to the 1.6 billion people who currently lack electric energy. This would enrich the whole earth
Bob Ebersole
Bob, are you suggesting a communal action by and for the people of the earth? Personally I think that is a great idea but I doubt it will fly on Pennsylvania Ave or Wall St. The 'new' America, like gilded age America, cannot stand the thought of any idea the least bit socialistic (cooperative). As we sit here typing our dear political and economic leaders are doing all in their power to dismantle the remnants of FDRs legacy. Since their attempts to privatize social security and medicare/caid did not fly they will simply inflate the dollar to the point that these programs will be meaningless...Then they will be able to claim that since the programs are meaningless they should be scrapped in favor of _____ ...fill in the blank.
River,
That pendelum swing is over, we are on the return.
But kids these days haven't been educated in acting communally. So we need to make suggestions and remind them that its a possibility.
Bob Ebersole
I think you're certainly tapping the nail on the head here... most people in the 15-35 range (and many in the 35-45 range) just seem to have no schooling, or life experience, in working together or helping each other. It is quite shocking.
Now this is relevant to growing up in the UK, but the US cannot have been THAT different...
I guess I grew up with parents who were born and grew up just after the war, and grandparents who were part of that "greatest generation". As a result I grew up with stories of rationing (which was only phased out as my parents were younger), and pulling together. There was a communal spirit that sort of faded...
--
All these memories will be lost in time
like tears in rain
The United States is a failing empire. When the state provides no value to the nation the state's currency collapses. I'm not talking about the dollar, I'm talking about goodwill on the part of the citizens. Bush has burned 80% of the electorate to the point where they'd be happy to see him cuffed, stuffed, and set adrift in hopes the North Atlantic Drift will carry him to the Hague. While he is a lightning rod it is the bankrupt ideology he represents that so irritates the people.
Assuming they don't completely crash the economy and put us into martial law so we can continue to thrive under Great Leader's marvelous decision making the citizens of this country are going to clean house in 2008, perhaps handing the presidency as well as a two thirds majority in both houses to the Democratic party. They're only a different flavor of the same problem, mind you, but with constant heat and voter involvement they'll move. A good bit of that heat will come from the triumvirate of PO, AGW, and ARM scam, and perhaps we get another New Deal.
or
the political establishment, corporate media et al will take the PO, AGW and ARM scam resultant problems and blame them on the Democrats causing a quick shift back...
the interests against a new New Deal are much more powerful and entrenched than before IMHO
--
All these memories will be lost in time
like tears in rain
After Stephen Colbert goes on to landslide the state of South Carolina in the primaries (both Republican and Democratic tickets, of course), perhaps he'll register for the other states primaries and sweep the nation.
IMO people are going to be surprised. The socially responsible form of business in western Europe worked for a long time, but it will soon collapse in many countries due to the mass of unemployable third world immigration.
This is why the left is so rabid for immediate implementation of their agenda, the leaders are smart and know exactly that soon their model will be shown to be a utter failure.
It is very simple, one can not have half the people producing and half the people using. Once a critical mass of users is achieved, the producers in ever larger numbers will take the easy way out and join the users.
This is the real tragedy in our country, we have not reached Peak users.