"More than a century has passed since explorers raced to plant their flags at the bottom of the world, and for decades to come this continent is supposed to be protected as a scientific preserve, shielded from intrusions like military activities and mining. But an array of countries are rushing to assert greater influence here, with an eye not just toward the day those protective treaties expire, but also for the strategic and commercial opportunities that exist right now. 'The newer players are stepping into what they view as a treasure house of resources.'... 'The old days of the Antarctic being dominated by the interests and wishes of white men from European, Australasian and North American states is over,' said Klaus Dodds, a politics scholar at the University of London who specializes in Antarctica. 'The reality is that Antarctica is geopolitically contested.' ”
At www.nytimes.com
