Posted on 06/14/2010 10:05:03 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
This is either good news or bad news depending on your point of view.
It is doubtful that this vast mineral wealth will benefit the Afghan people. With no mining expertise, the government will turn to foreign companies to exploit the finds. Historically, little of that wealth redounds to the benefit of ordinary people.
But there are several strategic minerals vital to American national security that a friendly Afghanistan government could make sure we receive a good share.
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. An internal Pentagon memo, for example, states that Afghanistan could become the "Saudi Arabia of lithium," a key raw material in the manufacture of batteries for laptops and BlackBerrys.
The vast scale of Afghanistan's mineral wealth was discovered by a small team of Pentagon officials and American geologists. The Afghan government and President Hamid Karzai were recently briefed, American officials said.
Yes, but won't there be jobs for the Afghan people? Mining jobs in the third world are notoriously ill paying, and unsafe. Even a semi-modern state like South Africa pays diamond and gold miners less than a third what they make in industrialized countries. The chances that Afghan miners will be exploited are great.
That said, there's a chance that this find will propel Afghanistan out of the 18th century where most of the country now resides and bring it closer to the modern age. Of course, this scenario is dependent on Afghanistan defeating the Taliban and being able to form a modern government.
Both of those propositions are in doubt.
I knew it!!! George W. Bush War for Jewelry!
I almost feel sorry for the Afghan people. Only a very small percentage of those in oil producing nations reap any wealth from their nation’s oil supply, and those that do, choose to keep that wealth in the family, so to speak. The poor remain poor and exploited. Look at the foreign workers who are lured to Dubai and then enslaved by their masters.
What? ....we’re surveying while killing terrorist?
seriously, every country in the world has at least $1 trillion in mineral underground. Its not that surprising imho. Its just a matter of having capital to explore and mine it out
Seen on a bumper sticker near where I live:
“Strip Mining Prevents Forest Fires”
OK, Afghanistan does not have forests; but still I like the spirit of this thought.
This could be significant. Afghanistan needs something to build an economy around. Most emerging countries “emerge” by first relying on their natural resources. Yes, the kleptocrats will be out in force and most of the people will not see a direct benefit. They will see an indirect benefit as capital will flow into the country over time to build a mining infrastructure.
The “left” has already blown a vein on this one. Just more stuff on their list of the war “crimes” of BushCheneyHaliburton!
In before “Pandora” reference. /sarc
How good is the info?
RE: How good is this info ?
Do you believe the New York Times is still capable of reporting accurately ? if so, here is the source cited by the author :
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/14/world/asia/14minerals.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
China’s oil companies already have our Iraq oil sewed up and are going to make money out of it by selling it to the USA. Now, the riches of Afghanistan will also get bought up and mined by China and other non-US multinationals. We are so screwed and our young soldiers fought for our freedoms but the game ends up enriching non- US interests.
When did American Thinker start hiring liberal bedwetters?
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