And the Antarctic Scramble Begins

Britain is preparing pl ans to claim 385,000 square miles of sea bed off Antarctica, according to the Daily Telegraph, indicating that the scramble for Arctic resources may be repeated on the other end of the earth. The possibility of exploring for oil, gas and minerals isn't yet feasible, but as technology -- and possibly changes wrought by global warming -- take shape, there could be lucrative assets now restricted by ice and water depth.

The U.K. move shows once again that the United States is falling out of step with the rest of the world because it hasn't ratified the International Convention on the Law of the Sea, which governs territorial claims in the ocean. Global warming is creating more open ocean, as polar ice retreats, and other nations aren't waiting for the U.S. to make their claims.

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