Why America Remains in Afghanistan?

[sooda]

I do not know. Several years ago, before the West started to withdraw, in the Obama time, I saw a story that indicated that Western Soldiers were guarding a road that was being built and used by the Chinese to take the ore out. It seems likely that the big industrialists have their hands in each other's pockets and exert a large influence on the governments.

China has had mining operations in Afghanistan for nearly ten years now.. and they have built a railroad. It makes sense because they share a long border with China and will still be neighbors long after the US leaves. During Bush's war years in Iraq and Afghanistan the Chinese built port Gwadar.

 

[sayak83]

American news media tries to portray our presence in Afghanistan as some sort of Humanitarian boondoggle, but I wonder if it is something far different? Until the Russian Invasion of the place in 1979, it was growing more western all the time. It's been my understanding that Russia wanted it for the possible rare earths there.

Bin Laden gave America an excuse to invade there, but I think it was for the same reason as Russia.

China has been taking rare earth ores out of northern Afghanistan for a few years now. In the press, it seems that the presence of Rare Earths in Afghanistan is disputed, however.

I was just looking at a story that indicated that American miners have reopened a bankrupt mine along US I-15 south of Los Vegas that will produce that product.

Currently?
Good place to launch a war with Iran if it happens.

 

[sooda]

Currently?

Good place to launch a war with Iran if it happens.

@Ellen Brown


Mining in Afghanistan is controlled by the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, which is headquartered in Kabul with regional offices in other parts of the country. Afghanistan has over 1,400 mineral fields, containing barite, chromite, coal, copper, gold, iron ore, lead, natural gas, petroleum, precious and semi-precious stones, salt, sulfur, talc, and zinc, among many other minerals.

Gemstones include high-quality emerald, lapis lazuli, red garnet and ruby. According to a joint study by The Pentagon and the United States Geological Survey, Afghanistan has an estimated US$3 trillion of untapped minerals.

There are six lapis mines in Afghanistan, the largest being located in Badakhshan province.

There are around 12 copper mines in the country, including the Aynak copper deposit located in Logar province.[6] Afghanistan's significance from an energy standpoint stems from its geographical position as a transit route for oil, natural gas, and electricity exports from Central Asia to South Asia and the Arabian Sea.

This potential includes the construction of the Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline gas pipeline. The first Afghan oil production began in late 2012

Mining in Afghanistan - Wikipedia

 

[Kangaroo Feathers]

It is like straddling an electric fence for the west. I am sure that China would love to just walk in and take over. That is what the Wakkan Corridor is for.

And with Belt and Road, they may yet.

 

[sooda]

And with Belt and Road, they may yet.

 

[Kangaroo Feathers]

What's your point? Could you stop posting these random things in response to my posts, please? If you wish to reply, then reply. Uncommentated tangential vagueries aren't useful.

 

[sooda]

What's your point? Could you stop posting these random things in response to my posts, please? If you wish to reply, then reply. Uncommentated tangential vagueries aren't useful.

Americans in the Middle East have known about Afghanistan's natural resources since the 1960s. .. and the Chinese are already developing that market.

 

[Flankerl]

Taliban would just take over again.

The one correct answer and it gets ignored by everyone.

 

[Shad]

The one correct answer and it gets ignored by everyone.

That is because people want to avoid uncomfortable facts about the nation and it's people.

 

[Shad]

Americans in the Middle East have known about Afghanistan's natural resources since the 1960s. .. and the Chinese are already developing that market.

It goes back even further as per the British Empire.

 

[Revoltingest]

Partially there to keep the military industrial complex in business. I think a lot of our problems over there would go away if we simply left.

If this evil cabal does create our foreign policy, what is the mechanism?
Which company directed Bush, Trump, & Obama to start & continue these
unproductive massively expensive wars? I don't see any evidence offered
that so & so was told to do it by this or that company or general.

When I was in the weapons biz, government was even the biggest
damper on selling weapons. Northrop had great difficulty competing
with companies who were better connected politically back in the 70s.
(They built the YF17, which became the F18, but more powerful
McDonald Douglas got the prime contract on that.) Their business
was primarily selling the F5 overseas. But it was politically hard to
get permission for those sales, many of which were denied.
Government was not the ally of that business.

There's a better explanation for politicians leading us into massively wasteful
wars. Waging war is usually popular with the voters. In recent years, it got
Duby & Obama re-elected. And with Obama, this was in spite of his promise
to end the wars.
Hawkish Hillary received the most votes in 2016. The DNC knows war sells,
& had to rig the primary game against peacenik Bernie. Notice now that
threatening war, & escalating violence has boosted his approval rating?
As we head in to 2020, the prospect of an election is no disincentive for
his starting a new war. A recent survey shows that a third want to
preemptively attack N Korea.

Voters could end the wars by refusing to re-elect those who wage them.
But they like Ameristan playing policeman to the world. They chose hawks.

 

[leov]

Afghanistan=/= Persia.

But the best place to watch region from, plus poppy crop. Also allows to control flow of oil like a pipeline from Iran to China and India.

 

[sooda]

It goes back even further as per the British Empire.

I think the difference now is access.. The Chinese have built a railroad and power plants in Afghanistan and developed Gwadar port in Balochistan.

 

[Shad]

I think the difference now is access.. The Chinese have built a railroad and power plants in Afghanistan and developed Gwadar port in Balochistan.

Sure technology has made it far easier to access and transport resources.

Construction projects do not ensure the area is going to be successful. Once US boots are removed all the Chinese construct could result in little for China. It all depends on what happens with the national leadership. Those same routes can be used to cause more issues in Yunnan, export opium, etc. Those projects could just collapse without security for maintenance. Modern infrastructure is extremely vulnerable to 4th generation warfare especially in an unstable nation still in a quasi civil war

 

[Kangaroo Feathers]

The one correct answer and it gets ignored by everyone.

It was certainly part of my post, although, of course, this rather begs the question "why is it America's job or duty to keep the Taliban from power?"

ALso doesn't give much of a framework for leaving, either. If we leave now, arguably the Taliban well take power again. Ok. But it's been 20 years, how long do we stay to keep the Taliban in check? Another 20? Longer? It's not as if they're going anywhere...

 

[sealchan]

It was certainly part of my post, although, of course, this rather begs the question "why is it America's job or duty to keep the Taliban from power?"

ALso doesn't give much of a framework for leaving, either. If we leave now, arguably the Taliban well take power again. Ok. But it's been 20 years, how long do we stay to keep the Taliban in check? Another 20? Longer? It's not as if they're going anywhere...

Which brings us back to 9-11.

Even I see the value of giving our military the chance to flex its muscle for it's own sake. We need to keep our military "out there" in order to "stay frosty". Afghanistan seems to be a mess with enough threat potential to cause issues.

If the US presence helps to stabilize that nation then long term if minimal is okay with me. But as the OP suggests we should keep an eye on what major corporate and state interests are doing as they may fuel civil unrest via exploitative labor practices. If we support that even indirectly, then we will create problems rather than solve them.

 

[BSM1]

For its lovely flowers. View attachment 30770

That ain't no Tin Man in the background, btw.

 

[Aupmanyav]

America may need Afghanistan and Pakistan if it picks up a war with Iran.

 

[David1967]

That ain't no Tin Man in the background, btw.

Is that the CIA guarding their crop?

 

[We Never Know]

China has had mining operations in Afghanistan for nearly ten years now.. and they have built a railroad. It makes sense because they share a long border with China and will still be neighbors long after the US leaves. During Bush's war years in Iraq and Afghanistan the Chinese built port Gwadar.

I don't think I would refer to it as a long border. What is it, maybe 50 miles?