varun Posted June 14, 2010 Posted June 14, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/14/world/asia/14minerals.html?hp The United States has discovered nearly $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, far beyond any previously known reserves and enough to fundamentally alter the Afghan economy and perhaps the Afghan war itself, according to senior American government officials. 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. Will the US ever leave Afghanistan now ? :giggle:
cowboysfan Posted June 14, 2010 Posted June 14, 2010 this is good news,hopefully it will wean them off Opium.
cowboysfan Posted June 14, 2010 Posted June 14, 2010 i think this also means that the US cannot leave Afghanistan or cut down their troop levels too much.it would be a disaster on a epic scale if Taliban gets hold of some of those mines.
Serani Posted June 14, 2010 Posted June 14, 2010 Afghanistan is probably too backwards to capitalise on this anyways.
Clarke Posted June 14, 2010 Posted June 14, 2010 An internal Pentagon memo, for example, states that Afghanistan could become the “Saudi Arabia of lithium,” :woot: i think this also means that the US cannot leave Afghanistan or cut down their troop levels too much.it would be a disaster on a epic scale if Taliban gets hold of some of those mines. Saudi Arabia (of lithium or whatever) will not be allowed to fall to extremism/taliban, it must project itself as a nation of values (western or wahibi, doesnt matter). Afghanistan is probably too backwards to capitalise on this anyways. Expect the same mullah culture of Saudi Arabia to hold the fort here, few multi-billionaires running the country.
Desi Cartman Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 Many African nations are resource rich ... without good governance , peace and skilled population it doesnt really mean much
Mr. Wicket Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 Many African nations are resource rich ... without good governance ' date=' peace and skilled population it doesnt really mean much[/quote'] desi is on the mark. Those people who think this will miraculously turn Afghanistan around are not.
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