As you may remember, at the end of June, I wrote piece about how Russia wanted to lay claim to a large section of the Arctic Circle. Well, yesterday the country definitely left no question as to its intention when it actually sent a submarine 4,200 meters below the surface at the site of the North Pole and physically planted a Russian flag to stake its claim.

The area under the North Pole has HUGE economic potential as it is loaded with precious natural resources, not the least of which is a large reserve of oil. Seeing the submarine plant the titanium Russian flag under the North Pole on the news last night brought to my mind images of America planting its flag on the moon. Does that really mean though that America has the unquestionable right to any resources that the moon could one day turn out to posses? Not in my book. Russian officials, however, seem to think that planting the Russian flag equals ownership.

So what exactly is at stake here? In simple terms ... A LOT! Gold, oil, aluminum, platinum just to name a few of the natural resources that the area has in abundance as well as shipping routes.