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Afghan Tech Minerals — Cure, Curse, Or Hype?

Posted by Soulskill on from the all-of-the-above dept.

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.

6 of 184 comments (clear)

  1. I don't think he mean what you think it mean by Lead+Butthead · · Score: 2, Funny

    This seems to be a case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. Bush warned us about this long ago and tried to save us.

    I've always thought what der Führer Shrub advocated was to chop off the left wing... hand so that right hand is accountable to no one and need not share anything with anyone.

    --
    ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI!?
  2. What are THOSE AFGHANS... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    What are THOSE AFGHANS doing sitting on OUR MINERALS?

  3. It's a bit overdue, by Minwee · · Score: 3, Funny

    But it looks like they finally found Whopping Mineral Deposits in Afghanistan.

    Time to go after those WMDs, folks.

  4. Re:Do I have to choose? by Xyrus · · Score: 2, Funny

    Good thing don't have oil there or we might have to invade them.

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    ~X~
  5. Re:Do I have to choose? by spun · · Score: 3, Funny

    Maybe we could trade some of our irony for their lithiumy and coppery.

    --
    - None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
  6. Re:Several years by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    If you read the original NY Times article, they did arial surveys over most of the country, not boots on the ground core samples.

    Shame on them! Everybody knows that helvetica surveys are more reliable.

    (Sorry, couldn't resist)