U.S. Identifies Vast Riches of Minerals in Afghanistan

[boutons_deux]

"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."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/14/world/asia/14minerals.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&pagewanted=print

=======

The US is prospecting the country as well as fighting a lost-cause war?

Let the resource grab begin.

[Winehole23]

At the same time, American officials fear resource-hungry China will try to dominate the development of Afghanistan’s mineral wealth, which could upset the United States, given its heavy investment in the region. After winning the bid for its Aynak copper mine in Logar Province, China clearly wants more, American officials said.

[Wild Cobra]

Now it's even more important not to let the terrorists be there. This could be so much more profitable than poppies are.

[Winehole23]

With virtually no mining industry or infrastructure in place today, it will take decades for Afghanistan to exploit its mineral wealth fully.

[Winehole23]

So far, the biggest mineral deposits discovered are of iron and copper, and the quantities are large enough to make Afghanistan a major world producer of both, United States officials said. Other finds include large deposits of niobium, a soft metal used in producing superconducting steel, rare earth elements and large gold deposits in Pashtun areas of southern Afghanistan.



Just this month, American geologists working with the Pentagon team have been conducting ground surveys on dry salt lakes in western Afghanistan where they believe there are large deposits of lithium. Pentagon officials said that their initial analysis at one location in Ghazni Province showed the potential for lithium deposits as large of those of Bolivia, which now has the world’s largest known lithium reserves.

[Winehole23]

Now it's even more important not to let the terrorists be there. This could be so much more profitable than poppies are.For the cynical, corrupt Karzai? No doubt.

[Winehole23]

It'll be a nice payday for certain lucky extraction companies too if the survey pans out.

[Wild Cobra]

With virtually no mining industry or infrastructure in place today, it will take decades for Afghanistan to exploit its mineral wealth fully.
What about the jiobs created there building the infrastructure?

Don't they count?

[MiamiHeat]

wait a fucking second

we invaded, we lost blood, we own the country

and now fucking China is able to "bid" on stuff and reap the benefits?

no fucking way. Send the military in and start using cheap underhanded tactics to "delay" any bidding and take over this shit for american use.

[Winehole23]

Take over this shit for American use. Right now, counsels MH.

[Winehole23]

What about the jiobs created there building the infrastructure?

Don't they count?Jobs jobs jobs? Sounds like big government boondoggles to me. Who's arranging the bidding process, given the presumptive asymetry of information? Right?

Big defense is big government too. Who's gonna protect (and hopefully, supply) the infancy and development of mineral extraction in Afghanistanon a world-historical scale? it's not that hard to figure out.

Our pipeline strategy pooped, so why not?

[Stringer_Bell]

wait a fucking second

we invaded, we lost blood, we own the country

and now fucking China is able to "bid" on stuff and reap the benefits?

no fucking way. Send the military in and start using cheap underhanded tactics to "delay" any bidding and take over this shit for american use.

Word. I don't understand how we can pay such a high cost in terms of lives, money, and world favor..and NOT manage to take something, anything really, out of the clusterfuck these wars have become. China and Russia have no business profiting from US occupation and security. NONE. :ihit

[Winehole23]

China and Russia have no business profiting from US occupation and security. NONE.Actually, that's the way it works. Isn't that the way it already played out in Iraq?

[boutons_deux]

As in Iraq, US has or will have very little dictatorial control over even wilder Afghanistan.

McChrystal Faces Massive Failure in Afghanistan in Next Few Months

By Gareth Porter, IPS News
Posted on June 13, 2010, Printed on June 14, 2010
http://www.alternet.org/story/147190/

Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal confronts the specter of a collapse of U.S. political support for the war in Afghanistan in coming months comparable to the one that occurred in the Iraq War in late 2006.

On Thursday, McChrystal's message that his strategy will weaken the Taliban in its heartland took its worst beating thus far, when he admitted that the planned offensive in Kandahar City and surrounding districts is being delayed until September at the earliest, because it does not have the support of the Kandahar population and leadership.

Equally damaging to the credibility of McChrystal's strategy was the Washington Post report published Thursday documenting in depth the failure of February's offensive in Marja.

http://www.alternet.org/module/printversion/147190

========

MH, and no doubt other imperialistic assholes here, think it's perfectly natural and justified that invading Afghanistan against the Taleban and AQ should be paid off by the US grabbing resources.

And Americans wonder why they are hated around the world, why America has lost respect since the VN fiasco?

The last reason American was respected was that America knew how to do capitalism, and now with the AMERICAN Banksters Great Depression sucking down the economy of the entire planet, even that's gone.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

Are you kidding? You people invade a country with the pretext that you're going in there to ensure the safety of the US, lost lives in the process and now claim that because that invasion cost you lives you're entitled to plunder Afghanistan's mineral wealth?? and then you get pissed off when people call you a fucking empire...

No offense, but do you really not see why people around the world dislike this sort of shit? or is it that you just don't give a fuck what people around the world think? I mean, let's just be honest about it.

If America wants an inch of world credibility it'll allow the Afghanistan people to choose who they want to partner up with to jump start their industry. After all, you guys were liberating them, right? spreading democracy? no? oh well.

[spursncowboys]

Just heard on Morning Joe that our us military are providing the security for the chinese.

[MiamiHeat]

Are you kidding? You people invade a country with the pretext that you're going in there to ensure the safety of the US, lost lives in the process and now claim that because that invasion cost you lives you're entitled to plunder Afghanistan's mineral wealth?? and then you get pissed off when people call you a fucking empire...

No offense, but do you really not see why people around the world dislike this sort of shit? or is it that you just don't give a fuck what people around the world think? I mean, let's just be honest about it.

If America wants an inch of world credibility it'll allow the Afghanistan people to choose who they want to partner up with to jump start their industry. After all, you guys were liberating them, right? spreading democracy? no? oh well.


what the fuck are you on about

do you think we twirl our mustaches and hatch evil plans?

i was against the Iraq War from the start. this is W Bush's fault. I have been bitching about Iraq since 2003.

BUT WE ARE ALREADY THERE. It's done. We might as well get some of our money back and help get us back on track with our economy.

the fact is, America paid A LOT OF MONEY AND SOLDIERS LIVES to Afghanistan.

We could get some of our spent money back. Fuck that shit. China profiting? what the fuck? have we fallen on our heads or something?

jesus what the fuck.

ok, now I miss Dubya Bush.

Bush was stealing all that iraqi oil for american companys, and even filled up our national emergency reserve caves full of oil.

Obama is such a motherfucking pussy. god damn I cannot beleive this

China is going to once again laugh at us. its not enough how much they fuck us in the lopsided trade deficit, the underhanded currency manipulation, etc etc

but this too?

american soldiers laid down their lives.

fuck, if i was president, you better believe i am comandeering all that shit and using all the excuses we can think of.

[MiamiHeat]

fuck dude, we need to vote obama's pussified ass out of the white house.

[EmptyMan]

lmao


Oil in the ME, Minerals in Afghan.


What a sense of humor you have up there Big Guy :lmao

[EmptyMan]

or is it that you just don't give a fuck what people around the world think? I mean, let's just be honest about it.




This. :toast

[DarkReign]

Yeah, more or less, we really dont give a fuck what the rest of the world thinks. For better or worse.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

Yeah, more or less, we really dont give a fuck what the rest of the world thinks. For better or worse.

that's fine. I actually don't think that is odd, most people in most countries don't. Except American's are fond of passing off their bullshit as altruistic bullshit. "We're spreading democracy!", "we're liberating the oppressed!", all that bullshit. You should really just come out and say it, we need the oil, we'll take your resources, there's really nothing you can do about that, so sit down and shut up.

This way the rest of the world can dispense with the bullshit and start making the necessary preparations for the inevitable moment when you'll decide you're entitled to any countries resources just as long as you invade with the right pretext, no matter how bullshit it might be...

[EmptyMan]

I never understood why America would want to try and impress all of the pansy collectivist countries on the other side of the world. That's not what America was founded on; why would we want to become like them so they will like us. That just gives our government an excuse to do shit Americans don't want done so we can be "liked" around the world. The whole point of America is that it was different from every other nation out there. We have goods that can benefit you, you have goods that can benefit us. Let's end it there. Nukes and globalization evened out the playing field :(

We should have just stayed out of everyone's business like G Dub the First wanted and took the last man standing.

[jack sommerset]

Let China have it, in exchange erase what money we owe them.

[clambake]

Let China have it, in exchange erase what money we owe them.

:lol now jack is for bailouts.

[Ginobilly]

Let China have it, in exchange erase what money we owe them.

Now that's what I call "cobrandose ala moda china"!:lmao I knew there was a reason why we invaded them back in 2001 and have stayed there ever since. Was 9/11 a smokescreen? This seems too much like Avatar!

[jack sommerset]

:lol now jack is for bailouts.

Bailout??????

It's called paying off our debt through the old school barter system. It's over 800 billion dollars and climbing faster and faster thanks to Obongo. Don't worry, they won't do it. The savage animals will sit on it another 10,000 years.

[boutons_deux]

"Now it's even more important not to let the terrorists be there. This could be so much more profitable than poppies are."

you simpleton. Poppy/heroin production is labor intensive, by 1000s of poor farmers. Mining and processing is capital intensive.

[DarkReign]

that's fine. I actually don't think that is odd, most people in most countries don't. Except American's are fond of passing off their bullshit as altruistic bullshit. "We're spreading democracy!", "we're liberating the oppressed!", all that bullshit. You should really just come out and say it, we need the oil, we'll take your resources, there's really nothing you can do about that, so sit down and shut up.

This way the rest of the world can dispense with the bullshit and start making the necessary preparations for the inevitable moment when you'll decide you're entitled to any countries resources just as long as you invade with the right pretext, no matter how bullshit it might be...

Couldnt agree more. I sincerely wish our government was far more transparent and blunt. Take a more Helenistic approach to speech, sarcasm and wit.

Although, in a rare moment of defense on my part of the government, I sincerely doubt the potential mineral deposits of Afghanistan had anything to do with why the US went there in the first place.

It would seem this discovery is just a fortunate turn in a series of unfortunate events. Either way, it doesnt look like the US will have any say or sway about the use, extraction or money involved with these discoveries.

Which, by the way, is just another reason to loathe thy government. Badass and cowboy enough to invade with full force, but pussified and cowardly still that in an effort to be liked by others, we're unwilling to finish the job and enjoy the spoils of war.

This half-ass approach to everything government does is just...well, its another indictment on these idiots. When you conquer, no matter the pretext, take what is yours.

[z0sa]

This half-ass approach to everything government does is just...well, its another indictment on these idiots. When you conquer, no matter the pretext, take what is yours.

At least, don't let competing economic super powers reap the benefits of our spilled blood (and trillions of $$)

[TDMVPDPOY]

so its okay to make up shitty excuses to invade a country for its natural resources....

why dont the US govt green peace faggots allow the private companies drill the untapped coastlines...

[DarkReign]

so its okay to make up shitty excuses to invade a country for its natural resources....

Are you new to history?

[boutons_deux]

"drill the untapped coastlines"

WTF? there are over 5000 rigs in the Gulf of Mexico

[Stringer_Bell]

that's fine. I actually don't think that is odd, most people in most countries don't. Except American's are fond of passing off their bullshit as altruistic bullshit. "We're spreading democracy!", "we're liberating the oppressed!", all that bullshit. You should really just come out and say it, we need the oil, we'll take your resources, there's really nothing you can do about that, so sit down and shut up.

This way the rest of the world can dispense with the bullshit and start making the necessary preparations for the inevitable moment when you'll decide you're entitled to any countries resources just as long as you invade with the right pretext, no matter how bullshit it might be...

Okay, you can stop now. Either you believe America is A) invading countries to profit from oil/minerals/political influence/strategic military position in the Middle East or B) total idiots to sacrifice lives and money for a lost cause when we aren't even making an effort to reap the benefits of occupying a country.

Pick one, it can't be both. At this point, people around the world are convinced the US can't turn around from our path if Obama has been too scared to acknowledge these wars are futile. If we don't make a move for oil and minerals, it's a loss every single way you look at the situation from an American perspective. There's a lot of assholes in the world, please don't pretend America is the biggest instigator when you know there's far worse out there...entire governments that actually believe in biblical prophecy and economic supremacy because they've got bodies to throw in conflicts. Ever since 9/11 this country has been sabotaging itself, that much is clear, so it's not like there's some super intelligent, slimy, scumball group of men behind the curtain in the US trying to make the world harder to live in for everyone...stupid decisions breed stupid consequences, but when you have a chance to make up a loss you owe it to your people, your land, to go after it.

[boutons_deux]

The echoes from the PENTAGON announcement about Afghanistan's well-known (Russians and Americans have prospected and published it), long-known (decades) mineral wealth potential is nothing but a PENTAGON propaganda tactic to keep Americans interested and supporting the Afghanistan war-without-end and without purpose and without Afghan support, even as the Pentagon can't even secure puny little Marja and doesn't know WTF to do about the Taleban's much-larger stronghold of Kandahar.

[Sec24Row7]

No Blood for Lithium!

[TDMVPDPOY]

if they going to tender whose mining those resources....only usa, brits and australia has a right to tendor...fck china and whoever wants a piece of the action who did jackshit

[Winehole23]

The DoD has the pertinent scientific info. Are we sharing it freely with the Aussies and the English?

Was that mentioned in the OP? Or is there something in the Aussie press about this, TDMVPPOY?

[Wild Cobra]

if they going to tender whose mining those resources....only usa, brits and australia has a right to tendor...fck china and whoever wants a piece of the action who did jackshit
No, it belongs to the Afghan people. What we need is a typical contract for one or more of the companies, US, and/or ally, to supply the know how, some personnel, and train the citizens of Afghanistan to become self sufficient. This would be far better than the Poppy crops for national income.

[Winehole23]

No, it belongs to the Afghan people.Fuckin aye, dude.

[velik_m]

I think this is the best news for Afghans in the last few decades. Hopefully this will slowly replace the drug production, so it's good news for Europe too. Don't care much who developes the production, as long as the locals benefit from it too.

[boutons_deux]

Again, this is pure Pentagon propaganda, releasing old news to try to plump support for the 10-year war the Pentagon can't win, can't finish, can't even progress in, because the Afghan people want the invaders out of their country.

These natural resources will requires 10s of $Bs of infrastructure investments that dirt-poor Afghans don't have, and that foreign investors won't risk because of the corruption, fighting, and instability.

[Stringer_Bell]

These natural resources will requires 10s of $Bs of infrastructure investments that dirt-poor Afghans don't have, and that foreign investors won't risk because of the corruption, fighting, and instability.

How dare you suggest that the Afghan people are not smart enough or dedicated to clearing out corruption so that they can successfully switch from poppy crops to mining/drilling. The only option we have left in that case is to take their resources because they don't know what to do with them, we obviously can't just leave those resources wasting away in the ground.

It's racist and bigoted to say that the people of Afghanistan on a whole are not worth the infrastructure investment...they are human beings, they deserve a McDonald's on every street corner and a plasma TV in every house. Why don't you want them to profit from their resources? :nope