Article

2007-04-18 -Signs, Portents, and the Weather-

Russia Plans World's Longest Tunnel, a Link to Alaska (Update3)

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by 3dc 2007-04-18 15:36|| || Front Page|| [11133 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 One tthing I would be very concerned about is earthquakes. IIRC there was an earthquake in Alaska that rivelled the Sumatra earthquake for intensity.

Do any of the Rantburgers know what the rock formations are like near the Berring Stait? I suspect they will be very difficult to dig through.

Al

Posted by Frozen Al 2007-04-18 16:17|| 2007-04-18 16:17|| Front Page Top

#2 I'll believe it when I see it finished.

I hope we're not ~~throwing our money down this rat hole~~ spending money on it.

Posted by Barbara Skolaut">Barbara Skolaut 2007-04-18 16:20|| http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/]">[http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/] 2007-04-18 16:20|| Front Page Top

#3 Not quite as technically far-fetched as I first thought. The nearest plate boundary to the Bering Strait is the convergent boundary of the Aleutian Islands, quite a ways to the south (although a large quake could be felt there). That said, the real issue is economic. That's a sh*tload of money for transport - do we really need/want a major rail and truck route through Alaska? Maybe energy (though that doesn't need a tunnel), but I wouldn't trust the Russkies to supply it. Too many opportunities for blackmail. Nah, this is just a ~~pipe~~ tunnel dream

Posted by Spot">Spot 2007-04-18 16:32|| 2007-04-18 16:32|| Front Page Top

#4 ``The Chinese are crying out for our commodities and willing to finance the transport links, and we're sending oil to Alaska. What, Alaska doesn't have oil?''

What Alaska doesn't have are claims on 1/2 of Russian territory. Economically, it's more efficient to send the raw materials to China. It's will end up in the US anyway as finished goods.

Posted by ed 2007-04-18 16:38|| 2007-04-18 16:38|| Front Page Top

#5 The US should buy Eastern Siberia before the Chinese walk in and take it.

Posted by Grunter 2007-04-18 16:53|| 2007-04-18 16:53|| Front Page Top

#6 Any word from Green Peace et al?

Good grief given the fuss about a little oil exploration this ought to start an armed insurrection.

Oh, that's right they don't believe in guns ;^)

Posted by AlanC">AlanC 2007-04-18 17:06|| 2007-04-18 17:06|| Front Page Top

#7 If the US would become dependent on Eastern Siberia energy, then the US would have to help protect the region. Russia doesn't have the military might and can't afford the cost of protecting Eastern Siberia from China.

Smart Ivan!

Posted by USMC6743 2007-04-18 17:10|| 2007-04-18 17:10|| Front Page Top

#8 Before the Soviet Union fell apart, I did a creative writing assignment on the USSR invading the US via tunnel between Siberia and Alaska as a humor project.

Life imitating art? Matrix loading from my head?

I'm scared either way!

Posted by DarthVader">DarthVader 2007-04-18 17:35|| 2007-04-18 17:35|| Front Page Top

#9 Life imitating art?

Battle Beneath the Earth

Posted by ed 2007-04-18 17:44|| 2007-04-18 17:44|| Front Page Top

#10 i have a few words on this one. THE BIG DIG anyone recall how much has been spent in boston already

Posted by sinse 2007-04-18 17:51|| 2007-04-18 17:51|| Front Page Top

#11 #5 & #7.

Posted by twobyfour 2007-04-18 18:35|| 2007-04-18 18:35|| Front Page Top

#12 Lots of money for firms like AP's.
Sewage
Water
food
power
repair
equipment

Maybe a boom to make the pipeline look small?

Posted by 3dc 2007-04-18 18:48|| 2007-04-18 18:48|| Front Page Top

#13 Do any of the Rantburgers know what the rock formations are like near the Berring Stait?

Rocky. That would be my guess. ;-)

Posted by Natural Law 2007-04-18 19:05|| 2007-04-18 19:05|| Front Page Top

#14 Gotta keep an eye on the Russkies. They already tried to claim we 'stole' Alaska from them, but fortunately we kept the receipt. Now they're gonna dig teir way in...

Posted by Seafarious">Seafarious 2007-04-18 19:47|| 2007-04-18 19:47|| Front Page Top

#15 THE BIG DIG anyone recall how much has been spent in boston already...

Approximately 14.6 billion the last time I looked; there are a number of unsettled lawsuits & redesigns that will in all likelihood push the cost of the project to at least $16 b.

Yes, file this under 'The Son of Bad Idea Jeans'...

Posted by Raj 2007-04-18 19:52|| 2007-04-18 19:52|| Front Page Top

#16 prolly gonna do it on the cheap with, like, 48 paleos doing the excavating

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2007-04-18 20:26|| 2007-04-18 20:26|| Front Page Top

#17 USMC6743's got it right. The alternative is the Russian Far East falls to the Chinese. Not many people know that it's stated Chinese Government policy to recover all territory lost to 'Unjust colonial wars' which includes a big slice of the Russian Far East and which makes the rest non-viable as Russian territory.

One of the best ideas I've heard in a long time.

Posted by phil_b 2007-04-18 21:04|| 2007-04-18 21:04|| Front Page Top

#18 Suuuuuure, America's best interests center upon delivery of vital petroleum based resources from Putin and his gang of Soviet thugs. Anyone who actually believes this, please step to the back of the class.

Posted by Zenster">Zenster 2007-04-18 21:41|| 2007-04-18 21:41|| Front Page Top

#19 p: The alternative is the Russian Far East falls to the Chinese. Not many people know that it's stated Chinese Government policy to recover all territory lost to 'Unjust colonial wars' which includes a big slice of the Russian Far East and which makes the rest non-viable as Russian territory.

Correct. China has signed a few treaties ratifying the existing Sino-Russian border. The problem with Chinese treaties, though, is that they reject them as "unequal" treaties and tear them up as soon as they are militarily capable of achieving their territorial objectives. A treaty with China is worth about as much as the piece of paper Chamberlain received from Hitler.

Posted by Zhang Fei 2007-04-18 22:51|| http://timurileng.blogspot.com]">[http://timurileng.blogspot.com] 2007-04-18 22:51|| Front Page Top

#20 Pipe dream. The transportation link is too long. We import oil from Alaska down in the lower 48 because there's limited demand and limited refining capacity in Alaska. The people that need the materials (petroleum, raw ores, electricity, etc.) are far from the import point. You still have to move it another 2000-3000 miles before it can be used. The closest point to Russia in the US is the Seward Peninsula. It's still another 300 or so miles to Fairbanks, the closest link to any road or rail transfer point. That part of the world is not easy to build in, or to maintain infrastructure. Developing a half-dozen year-round harbors linked to a robust infrastructure would make a lot more sense. That way, exports could go to the US, Canada, Japan, China, Australia, and Latin America, at a far cheaper price. The person that came up with this needs to have to actually VISIT the places he plans to link. I think that would be MOST educational, especially if the visit was made in the dead of winter.

Posted by Old Patriot">Old Patriot 2007-04-18 23:16|| http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/]">[http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/] 2007-04-18 23:16|| Front Page Top

#21 A treaty with China is worth about as much as the piece of paper Chamberlain received from Hitler.

Thank you, ZF. This is true on all levels in whatever dealings with communist China we may have, EVER. Bravo!

Posted by Zenster">Zenster 2007-04-18 23:42|| 2007-04-18 23:42|| Front Page Top

#22 "The stormy oceans will NOT be calm until CHINA = CHINESE COMMIES CONTROL IT", or CCP adage to that effect. That being said, the RUSSIANS love their railroads, which they've already speculated or are considering building in their proposed tunnel. PRAVDA article > it was a mistake for Russia to sell Alaska to America.

Posted by JosephMendiola 2007-04-18 23:54|| 2007-04-18 23:54|| Front Page Top

23:55 gorb
23:54 JosephMendiola
23:52 Zenster
23:46 Zenster
23:43 Zenster
23:42 Zenster
23:40 Icerigger
23:39 Icerigger
23:38 smn
23:37 Icerigger
23:31 Seafarious
23:30 Asymmetrical T
23:22 JDB
23:18 Jackal
23:17 mrp
23:17 trailing wife
23:16 Old Patriot
23:15 Angie Schultz
23:12 trailing wife
22:53 Sonar
22:51 Excalibur
22:51 Zhang Fei
22:44 crosspatch
22:43 tu3031