[Al B.]

It looks to me like Palin, as usual for that period, was more interested in mineral rights and what was good for Alaska than subverting US sovereignty, as the PDSer's claim.

You would be correct.

It's interesting that Obama, with a huge majority in the Senate the last two years and with a significant group of Republicans supporting ratification of the treaty, did not push for ratification. Why? Simple. He doesn't want America to have a rightful claim to 25% of the undeveloped oil & gas reserves on the planet.

This is an issue that conservatives refuse to discuss when opposing the treaty. What's the alternative that guarantees our rights to the resources? They offer none.

Some links for anyone interested:

My discussion of LOST here, here, here, and proceeding to the end of the thread.

Cold, Hard Facts: U.S. Trails in Race for the Top of the World

If Palin gets in the race, she may offer an alternative that protects our rights in the Arctic without ratifying the treaty. We'll see. We must assert our rights to the resources that will transcend the political whims of whomever is president. That's the issue.

[backwoods-engineer]

Thanks for your comments. I will read up on what you wrote previously on the LOST issue.

I agree that Palin could bring a more energy-centric discussion to this, as she does almost everything else.

[backwoods-engineer]

I just got back from reading the links in Al B.'s #30.

WELL WORTH THE READ. Includes quotes from John Bolton on the subject, and links to Reagan's policies (yes LOST goes back that far).

I'm now convinced more than ever that Palin was looking out for US interests, not selling us down the river like EternalVigilance (aka Tom Hoefling, Chairman, America's Party/America's Independent Party) said.

[AliVeritas]

What if we drilled here and didn’t sign on; Could others have the rights to our resources?

Or due to not signing on, we forfeit the private sector re: obtaining other resources around the world?

I’m clueless, honest questions.

[backwoods-engineer]

More good stuff on this from Al B.'s postings in other threads (that he posted above in his #30):

As Sarah Palin responded to a concerned Alaskan's question on this issue in a Fairbanks talk radio interview 2 months before she left office,

"...no, we don't want to continue to give more power to the U.N., certainly not, but we have got to be a player in this. Otherwise, we're going to be left out in the cold."

She lives in the real world and I look forward to hearing more from her on this. It's crucial that she be a leader as this discussion on who owns the humongous undersea resources of the Arctic goes forward.

[astyanax]

ping (to read later)
(Thanks, Al B.)