Afghan Tech Minerals — Cure, Curse, Or Hype?

Gooseygoose writes "The Pentagon revealed recently that Afghanistan has as much as $1 trillion in mineral wealth, a potential game changer in the ongoing conflict there. Many news outlets have picked up this story, some simply repeating the official talking points, while others raise serious concerns. Is this 'discovery' just hype, or will it truly alter the landscape of the Afghan war? Perhaps more importantly, can this mineral wealth (whether real or illusory) pave the way to a peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan, or is it more likely to drive geopolitical feedback loops that plunge the region further into turmoil?" Relatedly, Marc Ambinder wrote a few days ago in the Atlantic that the US had knowledge of vast mineral deposits in Afghanistan several years ago, giving the recent announcement the appearance of a PR campaign.

Comments

Re:Maybe I am cynical

[mano.m]

We don't seem to care about any other country as much... and at a rate of $100B a yr, we not only get access to these resources, but also get to build a oil pipeline from the Central Asian states to the Arabian Sea.

I am cynical. Why should we care about other countries, except where self-interest dictates it? This may well pay for the war and some of the debt.