Trump Finds Reason for the U.S. to Remain in Afghanistan: Minerals
Source: NYT
President Trump, searching for a reason to keep the United States in Afghanistan after 16 years of war, has latched on to a prospect that tantalized previous administrations: Afghanistans vast mineral wealth, which his advisers and Afghan officials have told him could be profitably extracted by Western companies.
Mr. Trump has discussed the countrys mineral deposits with President Ashraf Ghani, who promoted mining as an economic opportunity in one of their first conversations. Mr. Trump, who is deeply skeptical about sending more American troops to Afghanistan, has suggested that this could be one justification for the United States to stay engaged in the country.
To explore the possibilities, the White House is considering sending an envoy to Afghanistan to meet with mining officials. Last week, as the White House fell into an increasingly fractious debate over Afghanistan policy, three of Mr. Trumps senior aides met with a chemical executive, Michael N. Silver, to discuss the potential for extracting rare-earth minerals. Mr. Silvers firm, American Elements, specializes in these minerals, which are used in a range of high-tech products.
Stephen A. Feinberg, a billionaire financier who is informally advising Mr. Trump on Afghanistan, is also looking into ways to exploit the countrys minerals, according to a person who has briefed him. Mr. Feinberg owns a large military contracting firm, DynCorp International, which could play a role in guarding mines a major concern, given that some of Afghanistans richest deposits are in areas controlled by the Taliban.
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Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/25/world/asia/afghanistan-trump-mineral-deposits.html
Jimbo101
(776 posts)Sheds some light on the whole "axis of evil" thing
AKing
(511 posts)[link:http://www.cnn.com/2017/07/25/asia/taliban-weapons-afghanistan/index.html|
Videos suggest Russian government may be arming Taliban
Johnyawl
(3,205 posts)...what goes around
comes around.
And sometimes bites you in the ass.
The Reagan administration armed the Afghani resistance (creating the Taliban) specifically to create a costly, drawn out war for the Soviets. The cost in men, material and rubles was a major factor in bankrupting the USSR. Putin has not forgot that, nor forgiven it.
He would love nothing better than to be the Russian Reagan, getting credit for bankrupting the US and destroying us as a world power.
WhiteTara
(29,722 posts)Leghorn21
(13,526 posts)days ("Academi" or some shit). Tigerswan (provided "security" at Standing Rock). They will do as they please, when they please...I can't imagine even LOSER 45 sending US troops to guard mining operations, although, wtf knows.
Well, well, well. Been waiting for a scenario like this...though, I didn't have to wait all that very long, eh.
( insert "sigh" icon here)
Johnyawl
(3,205 posts)If history teaches us anything it's that as bellicose and belligerent as Americans are we HATE long wars. We want to "win" our wars and we want to do it quickly. Anything long and drawn out needs to be mercenaries, both American and foreign. Hell, most Americans would be all too happy to have a Foreign Legion like the French.
Gidney N Cloyd
(19,847 posts)dembotoz
(16,842 posts)Mam ur son died to further the interests of some rich corporate fuck.
Freedom had nothing to do with it.
Ur son was a rental soldier just like the Hessians during the revolution
tenderfoot
(8,438 posts)Saudi Arabia provided the excuse.
Bohunk68
(1,364 posts)Namely, gold, copper, lithium, other rare earths, and the biggest of all: opium. They have huge deposits..Lithium alone, are reputed to be the largest in the world. Think batteries.