Russia Stakes Claim to North Pole
 

This is kind of an interesting story actually

[url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/russia/article/0,,2113289,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=12]Kremlin lays claim to huge chunk of oil-rich North Pole | Russia | Guardian Unlimited[/url]

Re: Russia Stakes Claim to North Pole
 

LOL...this is so ridiculous. They should just stop with all this b.s. and invade it, point all their missile arsenal at the entire planet and say "We claim the North Pole, anyone have a problems with that?"

Re: Russia Stakes Claim to North Pole
 

Even if there was some geological bridge that connected the countries...

It's nobodies land.

I'm curious to what the backlash will sound like, and how far the world will go to stop them should they choose to ignore it.

Re: Russia Stakes Claim to North Pole
 

why does it always have to be about the money?

Re: Russia Stakes Claim to North Pole
 

Who is going to stop them? Nobody. Why? Simple their Northern borders are in the Arctic Circle anyway, the North Pole is virtually their backyard. They can probably tap the oil fields under there without even leaving Russian waters, and even if they did it is too far north for anyone to do anything about it. Putting it in football terms, it is a big homefield advantage for Putin and co. Meanwhile China is outflanking us in Latin America and Africa with goodwill gestures, etc, while Iraq is making us look like a bunch of arrogant idiots. In the not so distant future we are going to get totally screwed. Remeber if Russia totally drops the dollar for the Euro as one of their reserve currencies, with Europe dependent on Russian oil, the rest of Europe will b e compelled to do the same and tank our economy. Russia has a lot of natural resources, and more importantly has a lot of gold, which we don't. Also they have hedged their resrve currencies into more of a basket of currencies configuration meaning they have insulated themselves fairly well against a dollar crash. The Russians, along with their Chinese allies can in essence "nuke" our economy and still be relatively functional with their own.

Re: Russia Stakes Claim to North Pole
 

I'm sure this will play a large part in not allowing Russia there:
"Under international law, no country owns the North Pole. Instead, the five surrounding Arctic states, Russia, the US, Canada, Norway and Denmark (via Greenland), are limited to a 200-mile economic zone around their coasts."

What sucks is that given our tendancy to chase after countries with oil, this could be a huge problem.

Re: Russia Stakes Claim to North Pole
 

they already tried this is 2001. i doubt it'll work much better for them this time.

Re: Russia Stakes Claim to North Pole
 

[QUOTE=That Guy;323078]they already tried this is 2001. i doubt it'll work much better for them this time.[/QUOTE]

I don't recall them trying back then...what happened back then?

Re: Russia Stakes Claim to North Pole
 

[quote=jsarno;323087]I don't recall them trying back then...what happened back then?[/quote]

they went to the UN and were laughed at more or less.

Re: Russia Stakes Claim to North Pole
 

[QUOTE=That Guy;323348]they went to the UN and were laughed at more or less.[/QUOTE]


Wow, I can't believe I don't recall this. I must be getting old.

Re: Russia Stakes Claim to North Pole
 

[quote=That Guy;323078]they already tried this is 2001. i doubt it'll work much better for them this time.[/quote]


I dont think it will be as bad it might be a little better.

Re: Russia Stakes Claim to North Pole
 

At first when I read this title I thought it said Russia Stakes Claim to Pole. I was thinking that those Vodka drinking guys were a little off base. But um, yeah, never mind.

Re: Russia Stakes Claim to North Pole
 

I want to know what Santa thinks about all this. I'd like to get his take on it.

Re: Russia Stakes Claim to North Pole
 

[quote=Lady Brave;323431]I want to know what Santa thinks about all this. I'd like to get his take on it.[/quote]

The Kremlin is now on the naughty list along with the Taliban.

Re: Russia Stakes Claim to North Pole
 

[QUOTE=Lady Brave;323431]I want to know what Santa thinks about all this. I'd like to get his take on it.[/QUOTE]

He has to wear an ushanka now