Quietly, State Dept. Turns Over American Islands to Russia, Others

NewsMax ^ | May 8, 2000 | Stephan Archer

[Beck_isright]

Quietly, State Dept. Turns Over American Islands to Russia, Others

In recent years several U.S. islands have been ceded to Russia and other countries, without congressional approval or public debate.

These islands, many uninhabited, are significant because they hold potential mineral, gas, oil and fishing rights – not to mention potential strategic military value.

So where exactly are these disputed islands?

The Arctic islands, which lie west of Alaska and north of Siberia, include the islands of Wrangell, Herald, Bennett, Jeannette and Henrietta.

The islands in the Bering Sea make up the westernmost point in Alaska’s Aleutian chain and include Copper Island, Sea Otter Rock and Sea Lion Rock. These islands together have more square mileage than the states of Rhode Island and Delaware combined.

Though the United States had staked claim to these islands for more than a century, the State Department has been anxious to turn them back to Russia.

The tranfer would have gone unnoticed were it not for State Department Watch, a Washington-based group that monitors State Department acitivities.

Retired U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Carl Olson, who heads State Department Watch, recently checked with the Census Bureau, asking if it had plans to count the inhabitants of these disputed islands in the current census.

Olson was stunned by the response he received from the Census Bureau.

"Census Bureau officials were informed by the U.S. Department of State that these islands remain under the jurisdiction of Russia," wrote Kenneth Prewitt, director of the Census Bureau in a letter to Olson.

"Without confirmation and appropriate documentation from the Department of State to the contrary, the Census Bureau cannot include these islands as part of the State of Alaska," Prewitt concluded.

Americans Become Russians

Olson notes that the Census Bureau, with the approval of the State Dept., has just stripped Americans of their citizenship.

Consider the inhabitants of Wrangell Island, the largest of eight disputed islands – five lying in the Arctic Ocean and three in the Bering Sea.

Geographically speaking, the island’s inhabitants would also be citizens of the state of Alaska since no other American state comes even close to the proximity of the islands.

But if anyone desired to visit Wrangell Island, they would be greeted not by the Stars and Stripes waving proudly in the brisk air but by a Russian military tower.

According to Olson, the islands including Wrangell have 18 Russian soldiers and one officer and 50 to 100 inhabitants.

Olson insists these people have been made to endure foreign occupation by the Russian military and believes the U.S. government should do something about taking the islands back.

NewsMax.com contacted Mark Seidenberg, a former senior traffic management specialist within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and asked him if he believed the United States should pursue its sovereignty on the islands. Seidenberg, without hesitation, said "yes."

U.S. Territory for Long Time

U.S. claims for these islands are strong.

When the United States purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867, the impending treaty included all of the Aleutian Islands, including Copper Island, Sea Otter Rock and Sea Lion Rock.

A number of years later, in 1881, U.S. Captain Calvin L. Hooper landed on Wrangell Island and claimed it for the United States. One of the landing party was famed explorer John Muir.

Also in 1881, the U.S. Navy claimed Bennett, Jeannette and Henrietta islands for the United States. Later that century, the British gave up their claim to Herald Island, allowing the Americans to take it over.

Claims of these islands, however, didn’t become an important issue between the former Soviet Union and the United States until the 1970s, when the concept of international fishing zones 200 miles from national coastlines went into affect.

With both the Soviet Union and Alaska having coastlines within a much closer proximity than the needed 400-mile buffer zone, a maritime boundary had to be established.

Secret Transfer

The resulting U.S.-U.S.S.R. Maritime Boundary Treaty was passed by the Senate and ratified by former President George Bush in 1991. Russia, however, never ratified the treaty because its leaders complained that the U.S.S.R. didn’t benefit enough from it.

Nevertheless, former U.S. Secretary of State Jim Baker and the Soviet Union’s Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze signed a secretive executive agreement the year before that bound both governments to the treaty.

Currently, Russia is demanding hundreds of millions of pounds more fishing rights from the United States that would undermine the Alaskan fish industry and, subsequently, the state’s economy.

A wealth of petroleum and natural gas hang in the balance as well.

When NewsMax.com contacted the State Department for an explanation, a spokesman said he wasn’t aware of any issue involving the Wrangell Islands and the U.S. government and that it was his belief that the islands have been recognized as a part of Russia since the 1800s. During the course of the interview, the State Department official asked if he was being "put on."

Even though now recognizing Russian jurisdiction over the islands, the State Department had testified at the June 13, 1991, treaty hearing that the maritime boundary agreement "does not recognize Soviet sovereignty over these [five Arctic] islands."

Enraged by the turnover of Alaska’s sovereign land, Rep. John Coghill Jr. of that state’s legislature sponsored House Joint Resolution 27, which beseeches the Department of State to inform the Alaska Legislature of any decisions regarding the maritime agreement.

The resolution further points out that setting a maritime boundary between Alaska and Russia is a "constitutional issue of states’ rights."

One of the issues over these islands and the surrounding waters are the fishing rights of Alaskan fishermen. Oil, of which Alaska has the largest national reserves, may also be abundant in the disputed territory.

Military Value

Olson notes the area's strategic value as well.

Beneath the icy waters around the islands, submarine warfare has taken place in the past between the former Soviet Union and the United States. The ice is now one of the last places for submarines to hide. The islands could also be hosts to vital facilities tracking hostile government movements.

"Everybody knows that the shortest distance between the U.S. mainland and Asia is the polar route, giving easy access to aircraft and whatever else," Olson explained. "And the Asian mainland doesn’t just consist of Russia. It includes China."

More American Islands Lost

Olson adds that the Arctic islands are not the only American islands the State Dept. has been giving away without congressional approval or treaty.

In recent years four American Pacific Islands – Washington, Fanning, Makin and Little Makin – have been ceded to the island nation of Kiribati without a treaty.

"Lost” islands include Nassau Island in the Pacific Ocean and Bajo Nuevo and Serranilla Bank in the Caribbean Sea. The islands became American territory under the Guano Act in the late 1800s.

Regarding these three lost islands, the Census Bureau's Prewitt, in a letter dated March 15, stated, "With respect to Nassau Island, Bajo Nuevo, or Serranilla Bank, the Department of State has not informed the Census Bureau that claims to these islands have been certified."

In addition to the abandonment of the islands is the loss of all resources within a 200-mile economic zone of each island. As is the case with most of the Arctic islands, the economic zones around each of the islands may be more important than the islands themselves.

[Beck_isright]

I reposted this old story because it is becoming an issue again. Apparently W is going to give away some more islands and reduce the fishing grounds of the fisherman up there by an estimated 300,000,000 lbs. of potential catch.

A friend of mine who is part owner of a fishing boat turned me on to this story. He's an ex-Vietnam vet and in his email to me, told me that the current administration is getting ready to turn over even more US territory to the Russians. The Eskimos on those islands in the story, by the way, did not get a chance to vote or offer to relocate to other parts of Alaska. They are now Russian citizens. The residents of the islands in discussion now, will not be allowed to vote either. Food for thought people. As I get more news on this, I shall post it.

[Southack]

No, citizenship doesn't change one eskimo to Russian from American.

This is an old Guanno Islands wives tale.

The U.S. issues temporary sovereignty to islands covered in bird guanno that are claimed by miners (guanno is useful in making black powder, or at least it was useful a century ago).

But when the mining stops, the U.S. guarantee on soveriegnty for the island ends.

And "island" is perhaps too strong a word. These are basicly large rock outcroppings.

Makes for great fear-mongering in the tabloids, though!

Congrats on falling for it.

[Eala]

What the...??? I'd never heard of this!!!! Thanks for the re-post.

[Beck_isright]

So basically speaking, ceding territory used by our fishing fleets in Alaska is okay with you? Oh, I forgot, you're a bushbot.

[sphinx]

Wrangel Island is part of Siberia. Go look at a map. I've never looked up the others, but my understanding is that the governing international law dates back to 19th century navigational agreements that (quite sensibly) split the Bering Straights between Alaska and Siberia. The navigational lines were drawn long before oil and mineral rights issues became salient. If there are a few specks of rock on the Russian side of the line, so be it.

[Stingray51]

The issue with Russia has nothing to do with the Guano act islands that you are referring to.

The U.S. did / does have a very valid claim to Wrangel Island. Unfortunately, as looking at a map will reveal, we have about zero chance of ever recovering it and the other Siberian islands.

[Beck_isright]

Yes, but those were "navigational" rights, not fishing rights. In this critical time where we have basically rented out all of our prime fishing territories on the East Coast, we could become a full blown importer of fish at the pace we are squeezing the industry out of business. And that is what is really sad. No one cares until their industry is exported out.

[cake_crumb]

You're right. As far as I know, it's part of a navigational treaty from around 1890. Having trouble finding linkable info. People should confirm the subject matter of articles before posting them.

[Southack]

"So basically speaking, ceding territory used by our fishing fleets in Alaska is okay with you? Oh, I forgot, you're a bushbot."

You are such a doom-saying anti-Busher.

Here's TODAYS copy of the Wrangell Island Chamber of Commerce web site, 3 years *AFTER* NEWSMAX and Worldnet Daily claimed Wrangell Island was occupied by Russian troops with a Russian guard tower.

Enjoy your tin-foil...

Links

51st Annual Wrangell Salmon Derby 

Annual Calendar of Events 

Contact Us 

Sign Our Guest Book 

City of Wrangell, Alaska Website 

Membership Directory 

Membership Application Form, Wrangell Chamber of Commerce 

Events

Harvest Festival 2003 

51st Annual Salmon Derby May 10 - June 8, 2003 

Fourth of July 2003 

Festival of Lights December 5, 2003 

Wrangell Weather

Articles

		Gateway to the Stikine River   Nestled on an island at the mouth of the mighty Stikine River, Wrangell offers visitors a friendly taste of a frontier community in the midst of some of the most unique and pristine wilderness in Alaska. Known as the "Gateway to the Stikine", Wrangell offers a step back into time. There is much to immerse yourself in: -Walk among petroglyphs and imagine the people who carved them thousands of years ago. -Visit Chief Shakes Tribal House, Totem Park and the Wrangell Museum for a glimpse in to the Tlingit Natives' way of life. -Hike up to Rainbow Falls or stop and pick the abundant wild blueberries, huckleberries and salmonberries. -Traverse the Stikine River Delta by jet boat fighting the tremendous current and seeking the ever-changing channel of the river. -Fly over majestic snowcapped mountains, pristine lakes and calving glaciers. -Rest in natural hot springs surrounded by the unmatched beauty of the wilderness. -Explore untouched corners of the Tongass National Forest. Welcome to Wrangell!!! A frontier community in the heart of Southeast Alaska. Photo Courtesy City of Wrangell

		Classified Advertisements   The Wrangell Chamber of Commerce is pleased to offer its membership on-line classified advertisements. If you are a Chamber member and would like to post an on-line advertisement, please contact the Chamber office for more information.

		Wrangell Video Offer   The Wrangell Chamber of Commerce is pleased to offer you an exciting ten minute video tape that features attractions from the Wrangell area. The price is $9.95 plus USPS Priority Mail fees. A discount is offered to Chamber members. Click here to order!!

Daily News

FBI Agent Probed After Criticizing Bureau 

Details Emerge From Plot to Bomb French Paradise 

Has the U.S. Really Mounted a Covert Operation in Somalia? 

Monkeypox May Have Spread From Human 

Priest’s Satan Warning Faces Court Challenge 

Broadcaster David Brinkley Dies at 82 

Experts: NASA Hasn't Learned From Failure 

Gov. Mulls Restricting Immigrant Driver’s Licenses 

Three Die in Severe Tenn. Thunderstorms 

FTC: Cigarette Ad Spending Skyrockets 

2 Students Charged in 2000 N.J. Dorm Fire 

Anti-Terror Laws May Ground Model Rockets 

PhotoFlash 

[RightWhale]

The U.S. did / does have a very valid claim to Wrangel Island. Unfortunately, as looking at a map will reveal, we have about zero chance of ever recovering it and the other Siberian islands.

There are flights from Fairbanks to Wrangell every day. Seems like a lot of transportation for 119 inhabitants.

[Southack]

"... But if anyone desired to visit Wrangell Island, they would be greeted not by the Stars and Stripes waving proudly in the brisk air but by a Russian military tower. "

HA Ha, BWAAAA Ha haaa!

[Southack]

"So basically speaking, ceding territory used by our fishing fleets in Alaska is okay with you? Oh, I forgot, you're a bushbot."

Hey brainiac, is there a ... pause ... Russian Guard Tower on Wrangell?!

BWAAAA Ha Ha!

It just goes to show that some people will believe *anything* that they read if it in anyway supports their own anti-Bush political agenda...

[RightWhale]

That's Wrangell, not Wrangel Island.

[Southack]

"The U.S. did / does have a very valid claim to Wrangel Island. Unfortunately, as looking at a map will reveal, we have about zero chance of ever recovering it and the other Siberian islands."

If you bother to look above, I've posted today's copy of the Wrangell Island web site by their American chamber of commerce.

There are also daily American flights going there so you can see for yourself.

And there's no Russian Guard tower on the non-Guano Wrangell Island, either...

[Southack]

From the article... "A number of years later, in 1881, U.S. Captain Calvin L. Hooper landed on Wrangell Island and claimed it for the United States. One of the landing party was famed explorer John Muir."

[RightWhale]

There are two Wrangels or Wrangells. The website is for the community in the Wrangell Mts. Wrangel island is way up north. How copy? Over.

[Southack]

"Apparently W is going to give away some more islands and reduce the fishing grounds..."

Awwww, nothing like posting a little factually incorrect fear-mongering when you attack your most hated GWB, right Beck?!

Hey, where's that Russian military tower again, on Wrangell?!

BWWAAAA Ha HAAAAA haaa!

[Ready4Freddy]

Hey, it's NewsMax, what do you expect? Next he'll be posting pics of the UN vehicles invading the US right now!!!!!! ;>)

[Southack]

From the Chamber of Commerce web site as I posted it above:

"Nestled on an island at the mouth of the mighty Stikine River, Wrangell offers visitors a friendly taste of a frontier community in the midst of some of the most unique and pristine wilderness in Alaska."

[Southack]

Hey Beck, where did you go?!

Have you fled from your own thread re-post in disgrace already?!