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The trillion-dollar Afghan battlefield
NY Post ^ | June 15, 2010 | Ralph Peters

Posted on 06/16/2010 2:23:47 AM PDT by Scanian

Afghanistan just got its worst news since the Soviet invasion three decades ago: American geologists have charted as much as a trillion dollars' worth of mineral deposits in that tormented landscape.

Up to now, Afghanistan's internal factions and neighbors have been fighting over worthless dirt, Allah and opium. Assigning the battlefield a trillion-dollar value is not a prescription for reconciliation. Expect "The Beverly Hillbillies" scripted by Satan.

Even were Afghanistan at peace, its endemic corruption would generate a grabocracy -- a Nigeria, not a Norway. Throw in inherited hatreds and the appetites of its neighbors, and Afghanistan may end up more like eastern Congo, a playground for state-sanctioned murderers and looters.

Beyond reportedly vast deposits of rare minerals (lithium, etc.) essential to popular technologies, there's copper, cobalt, iron and gold in them thar hills. Afghanistan never before offered so much to fight over.

Instead of making life easier for our troops, the finds will make it harder to disengage. Washington will succumb to arguments that we need to preserve access to these strategic resources, even though it's far cheaper to buy them than to prolong a military protectorate. (US firms won't get the good contracts, anyway.)

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; china; greed; iran; karzai; lithium; minerals; russia; usmilitary

1 posted on 06/16/2010 2:23:47 AM PDT by Scanian
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To: Scanian
I wish they had found nothing, just enough to get our money back spent in that hellhole. Now it's 'America attacked Muslim for their oil minerals'
2 posted on 06/16/2010 2:44:35 AM PDT by mainsail that
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To: mainsail that

The last thing Islam needs is a trillion dollars.


3 posted on 06/16/2010 2:45:51 AM PDT by Dallas59 (President Robert Gibbs 2009-2013)
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To: Dallas59

“The last thing Islam needs is a trillion dollars.”

The last thing Islam needs is a trillion dollars more


4 posted on 06/16/2010 2:55:18 AM PDT by mainsail that
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To: Scanian

There is no news. All the minerals are fond decades ago even before Soviet invasion. It is not oil. It is much more complicated to extract and still brings less profit. I wonder why did it appeared right now as a ‘news’. I bet some political agenda is involved.


5 posted on 06/16/2010 3:23:18 AM PDT by cunning_fish
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To: Scanian

People in the gem business have known about the country’s outstanding mineral deposits for years. The tourmaline and jade coming out of the mountains is exceptional.

If I were stationed there, I’d be sending crates filled with quality minerals back to the US. It could make you a rich man one day.


6 posted on 06/16/2010 3:27:18 AM PDT by sergeantdave
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To: sergeantdave

Lapis and Emeralds, too.


7 posted on 06/16/2010 3:35:00 AM PDT by DocRock (All they that TAKE the sword shall perish with the sword. Matthew 26:52 Gun grabbers beware.)
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To: Scanian
The author nails it. and the comments are priceless...check this gem:

Tom Cullen
06/15/2010 9:25 AM

American infidels have ZERO chance of ever partaking in the mineral wealth "scientists" now say is supposedly buried in that sphincter of the earth. Firstly, would these be the same scientists who formed the very UNscientific "consensus" that spawned the Global Warming hoax? We have THEIR word there are riches buried there? Uh huh, OK.

I say, pull out of there now, and let the Chinese locust swarm have it. You can rest assured THEY'LL take care of this Islamofascist insanity toot sweet. It WILL be the very LAST time anyone hears the words "Allah snackbar" uttered out loud ever again.

8 posted on 06/16/2010 3:46:44 AM PDT by Abundy
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To: Scanian
Still we should blow the place it'll be easier to get the good.

If' it's a war they want then war they shall have and they can keep their stupid dope, SADDLE UP!! Thar's gold in tham thar hills, mebbe evn black erl or Lithium whotever the tarnation that is, jus gotta scalp soome of these heathen."

9 posted on 06/19/2010 8:20:36 AM PDT by Karliner ("Things are more like they are now than they ever were before."DDE)
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