Putin's treaty trap

Washington Times ^ | September 2, 2007 | Cliff Kincaid

[Tailgunner Joe]

The Russian ploy was old-style disinformation that shows President Vladimir Putin hasn't forgotten his old KGB days. As part of his effort to resurrect Russia as the superpower it was during Soviet times, he sent an expedition to the Pole to stake a claim.

In fact, Russian scientists have themselves conceded the Americans were there first, in 1908 and 1909, depending on which American team one believes actually physically reached the Pole. They even planted an American flag there. U.S. nuclear-powered Navy submarines traveled under the Pole in the 1950s, also claiming the territory for America. All this is a matter of official and public record, though the U.S. State Department does not seem to recognize it.

But when Russia staked a claim there in August, the American explorations were quickly forgotten and supporters of UNCLOS suddenly declared Russia would get the Arctic riches unless we quickly ratified the treaty. This claim is as bogus as the Russian expedition.

As to what the Russians actually did on their North Pole visit, we saw photos and video of Russian mini-subs and a Russian flag on a seabed. But it is not at all clear any of this occurred under or near the Pole. Russian television channel Rossiya aired the footage, only to have it backfire when a 13-year-old Finnish boy noticed the subs looked like those in James Cameron's movie about the Titanic. Reuters used the Russian TV clips, later acknowledging they were of the search for the Titanic and had nothing to do with the North Pole visit. ...We do know Rossiya came under the control of Mr. Putin's regime when he installed Alexander Zdanovich, spokesman for the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), as deputy director of the company that runs the channel.

[processing please hold]

BTTT.

Place marker for later today.