Treaty Could Bring U.S. Undersea Riches (Really? At what cost?)

NewsMax.com ^ | Sunday, September 16, 2007 8:38 PM | Chris Gonsalves

[foxfield]

This article states that

The United States stands to gain nearly 300,000 square miles of additional ocean holdings, including an estimated 400 billion barrels of untapped undersea oil and gas, experts say.

It goes on to say that it

could make the 1849 Gold Rush and the Texas oil boom seem trivial by comparison. Not surprisingly, U.S. oil and gas companies support ratification.

[foxfield]

What gives? I'm having a hard time squaring this article with various threads that I have seen on FR earlier this year. I hear this treaty is coming up before the Senate for a vote on or about September 27, 2007. Am I missing something?

[353FMG]

“The United States stands to gain nearly 300,000 square miles of additional ocean holdings..”

We can only gain 300,000 square miles of ocean holdings if they belong to someone else at this time. Who is the owner now?

Take the 300,000 square miles and tell the world to dare take it away from us. Oops, I forgot - we have become a bunch of kneepad-wearing sissies. We want to be LOOOVED, right?

[edcoil]

Don’t gain anything unless you can do something with it. Why get 300,000 more when we cannot drill or mine what we already have.

[Gay State Conservative]

I wonder if there’s any connection between this and a stunt that the Ruskies recently pulled in the Arctic Ocean which,I read,could net them trillions and trillions of dollars worth of oil and gas from disputed territories.

[foxfield]

This is much bigger than just the Russians. It's the United Nations!!! Take a look at these articles at aim.org:

• Will Senator McConnell Take on the U.N.'s Seasick Lawyers?
• Paradise LOST
• Will a U.N. Navy Defend America?

There are at least three other threads in FR -- I am trying to find them. Also, articles cited above link to other relevant information. I am trying to refresh my memory on this whole issue. As I recall, there is a pretty steep downside for the USA if this thing gets ratified.

[353FMG]

Why not accept 300,000 square miles if you can take it. Never mind what you plan to do with it. Someday we MAY get a government with common sense and enough brass that realizes that the most efficient form of energy is still CRUDE OIL!!!

[foxfield]

Oops – sorry about the bad links in my previous post. Give these a try: aim.org:

• Will Senator McConnell Take on the U.N.'s Seasick Lawyers?
• Paradise LOST
• Will a U.N. Navy Defend America?

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

Can anyone tell me what the candidates think of LOST?

[Signalman]

What good is it if we get all of this potential oil? The Democrats won’t allow us to drill anyway.

[Teflonic]

“Claims and disputes will be resolved by arbitration panels established by the treaty.” Why should the U.S. delegate decision-making authority to international bodies?

[RegulatorCountry]

Why should the U.S. delegate decision-making authority to international bodies?

Because it passes the "global test?"