U.S. Discovers Nearly $1 Trillion in Afghan Mineral Deposits

[Sunstone]

This comes from a New York Times breaking news alert, so there is no link. Here's what the news alert said:

The United States has discovered nearly $1 trillion in
untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, far beyond any
previously known reserves and enough to fundamentally alter
the Afghan economy and perhaps the Afghan war itself,
according to senior American government officials.

The previously unknown deposits -- including huge veins of
iron, copper, cobalt, gold and critical industrial metals
like lithium -- are so big and include so many minerals that
are essential to modern industry that Afghanistan could
eventually be transformed into one of the most important
mining centers in the world, the United States officials
believe.

How do you suppose this will change things?

 

[dust1n]

This comes from a New York Times breaking news alert, so there is no link. Here's what the news alert said:

The United States has discovered nearly $1 trillion in
untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, far beyond any
previously known reserves and enough to fundamentally alter
the Afghan economy and perhaps the Afghan war itself,
according to senior American government officials.

The previously unknown deposits -- including huge veins of
iron, copper, cobalt, gold and critical industrial metals
like lithium -- are so big and include so many minerals that
are essential to modern industry that Afghanistan could
eventually be transformed into one of the most important
mining centers in the world, the United States officials
believe.

How do you suppose this will change things?

Afghanistan will get raped harder than it already is.

 

[Mathematician]

Ideally, this is the perfect opportunity for Afghanistan to develop over the next forty years and set an example for the Middle East.

Gold standard speculators are going to be sucking wind though either way.

 

[arimoff]

Isn't this is my America is there? resources.

 

[dust1n]

Isn't this is my America is there? resources.

Indeed. Finally, by controlling the mining, production and distribution of these resources, we might actually be able to make money off the **** tons we lost!

Afghan's won't get much of it, perhaps the crumbs, but hey! we are doing them the favor eh?

 

[.lava]

Afghanistan will get raped harder than it already is.

hmm .. they already have mineral map of entire world. this is why they are in there

.

 

[dust1n]

hmm .. they already have mineral map of entire world. this is why they are in there

.

That's the only reason American troops have been anywhere.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Hopefully this means we can recoup some of the enormous expenses we've been wasting over their for the last decade, and that the Afghan people will be able to bring their country, if not into the 21st century, at least into the 20th century.

 

[.lava]

That's the only reason American troops have been anywhere.

that's the reason why some of us laugh at this when it is offered as "news"

.

 

[.lava]

Hopefully this means we can recoup some of the enormous expenses we've been wasting over their for the last decade, and that the Afghan people will be able to bring their country, if not into the 21st century, at least into the 20th century.

what do you think Afghan people are experiencing with American bombs if it is not 21st century?

.

 

[LuisDantas]

Something similar to the 1940s or 1960s, I suppose. Although I can see your point. It is a crying shame that so much of modern research and effort goes for such stupid military applications.

BTW, don't buy this tale so readily:

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/201...t-just-discover-an-afghan-mineral-motherlode/

 

[xkatz]

Wow... What a coincidence there. I was totally not expecting something like this to be discovered suddenly, out of the blue, during war. Of course NATO is in Afghanistan so they can help the people there. Definitely not going to exploit the people....

>__> <__< o__o

[/sarcasm]

 

[Engyo]

CNN is reporting the same story now........

U.S. discovers minerals worth billions in Afghanistan - CNN.com

 

[darkendless]

I heard a while ago that they found a huge deposit in Afghanistan and a Chinese company bought the rights and wanted to employ 4000 locals to mine there.

What ever happened to that?

Even if America gets the resources it will give the locals income, and will force America to built infrastructure like trains and better road so there are always positives.

 

[dust1n]

Even if America gets the resources it will give the locals income, and will force America to built infrastructure like trains and better road so there are always positives.

I think the Afghan's would prefer to own their own resources, invest and develop it themselves, and then collect the entirety of the income, using proceeds to build it's own infrastructures. Just a guess.

 

[darkendless]

I think the Afghan's would prefer to own their own resources, invest and develop it themselves, and then collect the entirety of the income, using proceeds to build it's own infrastructures. Just a guess.

Yes but in reality they can't do it alone. They either need a power with experience in resource distribution or a private investor.

Either way though, Afghanistan is going to benefit from this. Jobs are the main thing. Maybe discontent with life in Afghanistan will lessen when jobs become more avaliable?

 

[dust1n]

Yes but in reality they can't do it alone. They either need a power with experience in resource distribution or a private investor.

Perhaps so, but it would be best if the Afghan people could at least choose who was going to help them; opposed to America (or China) forcibly helping them. To be fair.. it's a bit idealistic of me.

Either way though, Afghanistan is going to benefit from this. Jobs are the main thing. Maybe discontent with life in Afghanistan will lessen when jobs become more avaliable?

Perhaps. It could go either way. Sometimes more jobs just mean more exploitation. Class and national tension will rise again, and then more violence. Maybe American (or Chinese) companies cut a real sweet deal (which is unlikely) and every turns out happy. We shall see.

 

[cynic2005]

This comes from a New York Times breaking news alert, so there is no link. Here's what the news alert said:

The United States has discovered nearly $1 trillion in
untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, far beyond any
previously known reserves and enough to fundamentally alter
the Afghan economy and perhaps the Afghan war itself,
according to senior American government officials.

The previously unknown deposits -- including huge veins of
iron, copper, cobalt, gold and critical industrial metals
like lithium -- are so big and include so many minerals that
are essential to modern industry that Afghanistan could
eventually be transformed into one of the most important
mining centers in the world, the United States officials
believe.

How do you suppose this will change things?

In moves US Corporations and Industry which then turns the Afghan economy into an export economy and also introduces wage slavery to the locals.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

This is a horrible discovery. Afghanistan will get raped, screwed, and the Middle East will hate America even more for the very likely situation that American corporations are going to take huge advantage of this.

 

[xkatz]

This is a horrible discovery. Afghanistan will get raped, screwed, and the Middle East will hate America even more for the very likely situation that American corporations are going to take huge advantage of this.

Not to mention that the exploitation could lead to another major terrorist attack and a resurgence of Al-Qaeda and/or the Taliban, thus making the war completely obsolete.