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Is this a discovery? Why is it news?
Author: Raine    Date: 06/14/2010 13:25:53

It was reported in the NYT yesterday that the USGS has discovered nearly a trillion dollars worth of untapped minerals in Afghanistan. When I first read of this I felt a deep pit in my stomach. The 'discovery' is good, it's the powers that be over there that have me concerned. The government is corrupt and the Taliban are still vying for power over there. That said - $1 Trillion is a lot of money. That 's how much we have spent on over 9 years of war with 2 countries. We either just made Afghanistan one of the richest country's in the world, or we officially own the discovery, and we have our war paid for. These were my first thoughts, and then I did a little digging. Disclaimer: I have a small tinfoil hat on today.

From yesterdays NYT article:
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.

The previously unknown deposits — including huge veins of iron, copper, cobalt, gold and critical industrial metals like lithium — are so big and include so many minerals that are essential to modern industry that Afghanistan could eventually be transformed into one of the most important mining centers in the world, the United States officials believe.
It should be noted that the article refers to an internal pentagon memo, and really has no one on the record except General Patraeus, who doesn't deny this "news". The article also fails to mention that a few years ago, China secured contracts in the country to mine these minerals. Three years after China already invested $3 billion in mining contracts it won from the Afghans in 2007. From December 29, 2009, NYT:
Two years ago, the China Metallurgical Group Corporation, a Chinese state-owned conglomerate, bid $3.4 billion — $1 billion more than any of its competitors from Canada, Europe, Russia, the United States and Kazakhstan — for the rights to mine deposits near the village of Aynak. Over the next 25 years, it plans to extract about 11 million tons of copper — an amount equal to one-third of all the known copper reserves in China.

While the United States spends hundreds of billions of dollars fighting the Taliban and Al Qaeda here, China is securing raw material for its voracious economy. The world’s superpower is focused on security. Its fastest rising competitor concentrates on commerce.

S. Frederick Starr, the chairman of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute, an independent research organization in Washington, said that skeptics might wonder whether Washington and NATO had conducted “an unacknowledged preparatory phase for the Chinese economic penetration of Afghanistan.”

“We do the heavy lifting,” he said. “And they pick the fruit.”
We have troops on the ground, and China doesn't, so we're providing security for China's assets, it seems. And when I say Security, I mean both the military and private contractors.

It get's even murkier. In 2005, the World Bank did a study: {PDF; p.13}. The USGS has long known about these reserves as well. From 2006:
The shaded-relief base is derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) digital elevation model (DEM) data having 85-meter resolution. Gaps in the original SRTM DEM dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978–1997). The marginal extent of geologic units corresponds to the position of the international boundary as defined by Abdullah and Chmyriov (1977), and the international boundary as shown on this map was acquired from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af) in September 2005. Non-coincidence of these boundaries is due to differences in the respective data sources and to inexact registration of the geologic data to the DEM base. Province boundaries, province capital locations, and political names were also acquired from the AIMS Web site in September 2005. The AIMS data were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO).
There is even a list of deposit types listed in this 2007 PDF from the USGS. So this 'discovery' has been known about since what seems to be around 1977-- About 2 years before the then Soviet Union invaded the country. This is not a discovery.

So why is it news now? I would suggest that this story, as it is presented, is neither news nor a discovery. The real story is why this has been allowed to surface again. I have a deep pit in my stomach about all of this, and I fear we have just opened up the gates of hell in that area. We either allow the country to manage it's own resources, or we turn them over to the corporate masters. neither of which is a very good proposition. As I mentioned earlier, the government is corrupt. This just doesn't sit well with me at all. I feel it's been something that has been bubbling to the surface for years. It wasn't just about the pipeline for the Bush administration, I think they knew about this all along.

Are we pressuring China? That could be a plausible explanation for this story to suddenly become news. If we are to pull out of the region, that does leave them with no security. Perhaps this is about economics? I don't know -- but something is up.

And now for your moment of Tinfoil:
Where is Dick Cheney?

and

Raine



 

57 comments (Latest Comment: 06/15/2010 01:36:33 by livingonli)
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Comment by wickedpam on 06/14/2010 12:40:48
Morning



nom nom nom

Comment by TriSec on 06/14/2010 12:44:58
Morning, comrades!



Turns out the Tea Party rally in Waltham was yesterday....I saw them setting up on the way out for a Scout hike. There was no coverage in the local media that I could find.



In that vein, I'll try to cross-post a story this evening from the town of Concord, MA. The city is shutting down about a third of their streetlights for lack of money. They are offering abutting residents the chance to "buy" one for $17/month to keep the lights on.



Hey Tea Party...if nobody pays taxes, the bills don't get paid, and services go away, savvy?





Comment by Raine on 06/14/2010 13:32:22
Bloggie has been posted, and I really do have a lot of questions...

Comment by Raine on 06/14/2010 13:40:38
Comment by TriSec on 06/14/2010 13:48:02
Curious thing about Fux Gnus....



Rarely, I find stories posted there that are not reported anywhere else. Maybe there is a small smidgen of *actual* journalism that they keep in a cubicle in storage room B that they let out once in a great while...





Comment by TriSec on 06/14/2010 14:00:01
For all you weather geeks out there....I posted some pics on FB yesterday. I had some scouts up Great Blue Hill (Milton, MA) to the weather observatory. It's been there since 1885, and is generally considered the "birthplace of modern meteorology".



A lot of the weather things we take for granted today were invented or discovered there, so it's very deepcore geeky indeed. For me, the coolest thing was looking over a thermometer, anemometer, sunshine recorder, and barometer that are all original to the building and are all in use today for the daily readings.



http://bluehill.org/



(Of course, you have to climb Blue Hill to visit the observatory, but it's worth the trip!)



Comment by Raine on 06/14/2010 14:06:56
Quote by TriSec:

Curious thing about Fux Gnus....



Rarely, I find stories posted there that are not reported anywhere else. Maybe there is a small smidgen of *actual* journalism that they keep in a cubicle in storage room B that they let out once in a great while...



Well that story was actually an AP story picked up by a local Atlanta Fox affiliate. I find local Fox stations to be pretty good when it comes to reporting news... it's the FNC itself -- the national cable one that is the source of problems.



Comment by Scoopster on 06/14/2010 14:13:22
Morning all & Happy Mondee!

Comment by Will in Chicago on 06/14/2010 14:21:55
Good morning, bloggers! Thanks for a very interesting blog, Raine!



I wonder to what degree that the Afghan people will benefit from these minerals being mined. It also seems strange that the U.S. is essentially providing security for China, which already is beating us on several economic fronts.

Comment by TriSec on 06/14/2010 14:57:15




TRMS Friday..on Queen Bess Island:



"You can see all the pelicans trying to clean themselves up. When they clean themselves up, they're ingesting that oil. As soon as you see them ingesting that oil, it doesn't matter how well it works to try to clean them up...they're dead from eating that oil."





Comment by Raine on 06/14/2010 15:06:11
No momma, Croton is not the water supply for all of NYC -- love ya, but Nope.



Ashokan reservoir is just one of a few sources of water.

Comment by Raine on 06/14/2010 15:13:20
No he was not indifferent. And regarding his actions -- he was there all along -- the MEDIA has not reported on this.



All anyone has to do is go to the WH site.



Nope, sorry, I am sick of this. For all the naysayers who say he is a corporatist, guess what?



You tell me what viable choice this country had. McCain? Third parties haven't done JACK SHIT to build the parties in between elections.

Comment by Scoopster on 06/14/2010 15:13:55
Comment by Scoopster on 06/14/2010 15:17:56
New government website with interactive map



Lots of little tools to mess around with.. this is gonna take time away from work for sure!

Comment by Raine on 06/14/2010 15:22:00
New details about the president's address on Tuesday Night Emerge. Take a look at #4:
4. The beginning of a process to restore the Gulf to a place better than it was before the Deepwater Horizon exploded.




I posted about this over the weekend, and I hope that #4 is what it's all about: A New Tennessee Valley Authority for the Gulf Coast?
Via Crooks and Liars, Doug Brinkley, the historian, author and Washington-type, told Anderson Cooper on CNN that administration sources told him there would be a Gulf recovery bill, possibly one including the redirection of the Mississippi River to restore coastal wetlands, in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon disaster. I’ve cleaned the transcript up a bit:




One can hope. I still hope.

Comment by wickedpam on 06/14/2010 15:23:43
Quote by Raine:

No he was not indifferent. And regarding his actions -- he was there all along -- the MEDIA has not reported on this.



All anyone has to do is go to the WH site.



Nope, sorry, I am sick of this. For all the naysayers who say he is a corporatist, guess what?



You tell me what viable choice this country had. McCain? Third parties haven't done JACK SHIT to build the parties in between elections.




you need to call



Comment by Raine on 06/14/2010 15:24:18
Uhm I really wish that Sanchez and the Mooks had read this blog today.

Comment by Raine on 06/14/2010 15:24:47
I am really friggin sick of this. I am with Steph on this one.

Comment by wickedpam on 06/14/2010 15:27:15
*sigh* I think Dems in general "tact" the middle cause they want to be all inclusive - they want everyone's voice heard. I'm finding more and more that its just not possible and we end up with a jumbled mess that makes everyone anxious

Comment by Raine on 06/14/2010 15:28:00
Quote by wickedpam:

you need to call

I'm a little too stirred up to do so right now.







Comment by Raine on 06/14/2010 15:30:27
Quote by wickedpam:

*sigh* I think Dems in general "tact" the middle cause they want to be all inclusive - they want everyone's voice heard. I'm finding more and more that its just not possible and we end up with a jumbled mess that makes everyone anxious
IT also has to do with the corporatism that this country has been going thru for decades.



Especially the past decade. I think people expected EVERYTHING to stop and a total Government reset to happen January 2009.



Government has NEVER EVER worked that way.

Comment by Raine on 06/14/2010 15:33:15
Quote by wickedpam:

*sigh* I think Dems in general "tact" the middle cause they want to be all inclusive - they want everyone's voice heard. I'm finding more and more that its just not possible and we end up with a jumbled mess that makes everyone anxious


.. and to add upon this, it's also the increasing intolerance of so called progressives within our party. THAT is another elephant in the room.



Some of those voices, while worthy of being heard are NOT coming up with SOLUTIONS-- unless you call "kick the bums out" a solution. What is the alternative??



I am pissed.





Comment by wickedpam on 06/14/2010 15:33:55
Quote by Raine:

Quote by wickedpam:

*sigh* I think Dems in general "tact" the middle cause they want to be all inclusive - they want everyone's voice heard. I'm finding more and more that its just not possible and we end up with a jumbled mess that makes everyone anxious
IT also has to do with the corporatism that this country has been going thru for decades.



Especially the past decade. I think people expected EVERYTHING to stop and a total Government reset to happen January 2009.



Government has NEVER EVER worked that way.






Agreed - if the country reset on 1/1/09 then it would be like a merry-go-round lurching to a stop as we all go flying into chaos so they can reload the ride.

Comment by Raine on 06/14/2010 15:37:07
"If he said President, shut the hell up" HE would be like Bush. He is the president of the ENTIRE country, not just the party.





Comment by wickedpam on 06/14/2010 15:39:35
Quote by Raine:

Quote by wickedpam:

*sigh* I think Dems in general "tact" the middle cause they want to be all inclusive - they want everyone's voice heard. I'm finding more and more that its just not possible and we end up with a jumbled mess that makes everyone anxious


.. and to add upon this, it's also the increasing intolerance of so called progressives within our party. THAT is another elephant in the room.



Some of those voices, while worthy of being heard are NOT coming up with SOLUTIONS-- unless you call "kick the bums out" a solution. What is the alternative??



I am pissed.









naahhh - couldn't tell..







Comment by Raine on 06/14/2010 15:42:00


Comment by Raine on 06/14/2010 15:43:31
NO He didn't PUSH for OFFSHORE drilling.



Obama and Congress were LIED to by BP regarding this technology. And Obama is doing all of these alternative energy alternatives.





Comment by wickedpam on 06/14/2010 15:43:35
okay - lets change to subject for a minute - Raine did you see that new Bravo show looking for the Next Great American Artist?

Comment by Raine on 06/14/2010 15:45:41
Quote by wickedpam:

okay - lets change to subject for a minute - Raine did you see that new Bravo show looking for the Next Great American Artist?
no I didn't.



You already know how I feel about many of these shows, and I was tempted to look into it, but I forgot.



Comment by wickedpam on 06/14/2010 15:50:06
Quote by Raine:

Quote by wickedpam:

okay - lets change to subject for a minute - Raine did you see that new Bravo show looking for the Next Great American Artist?
no I didn't.



You already know how I feel about many of these shows, and I was tempted to look into it, but I forgot.





check it out on fancast or hulu - it wasn't too horrible - it was interesting to see a few people as insecure as I am and a few ego manics (Nao I'm looking at you) - it was interesting to see how people go through their process

Comment by Raine on 06/14/2010 15:51:43
The majority in congress doesn't let the minority run roughshod --



The SENATE is the problem.

Comment by Raine on 06/14/2010 15:52:55
Quote by wickedpam:

Quote by Raine:

Quote by wickedpam:

okay - lets change to subject for a minute - Raine did you see that new Bravo show looking for the Next Great American Artist?
no I didn't.



You already know how I feel about many of these shows, and I was tempted to look into it, but I forgot.





check it out on fancast or hulu - it wasn't too horrible - it was interesting to see a few people as insecure as I am and a few ego manics (Nao I'm looking at you) - it was interesting to see how people go through their process
Will do, Mala. It sounds more interesting than I thought.







Comment by wickedpam on 06/14/2010 15:54:08
Quote by Raine:

The majority in congress doesn't let the minority run roughshod --



The SENATE is the problem.




They have squeaky wheel syndrome



Comment by Raine on 06/14/2010 15:54:10
TOTALLY against Obama? Are these people friggin kiddin' me?





He was NEVER a damn Dem to begin with.

Comment by wickedpam on 06/14/2010 15:55:01
Quote by Raine:

TOTALLY against Obama? Are these people friggin kiddin' me?





He was NEVER a damn Dem to begin with.






I suspect the same thing - one guy opened the door and now we have a bunch just piling on

Comment by wickedpam on 06/14/2010 15:57:23
Quote by Raine:

Quote by wickedpam:

Quote by Raine:

Quote by wickedpam:

okay - lets change to subject for a minute - Raine did you see that new Bravo show looking for the Next Great American Artist?
no I didn't.



You already know how I feel about many of these shows, and I was tempted to look into it, but I forgot.





check it out on fancast or hulu - it wasn't too horrible - it was interesting to see a few people as insecure as I am and a few ego manics (Nao I'm looking at you) - it was interesting to see how people go through their process
Will do, Mala. It sounds more interesting than I thought.











they have some people that I've never heard of (shocker ) as consultants and judges that are supposed to be in the art world - seemed to give it some weight to me - I'd put it in the Project Runway category

Comment by Raine on 06/14/2010 16:07:11
Quote by wickedpam:

Quote by Raine:

TOTALLY against Obama? Are these people friggin kiddin' me?





He was NEVER a damn Dem to begin with.






I suspect the same thing - one guy opened the door and now we have a bunch just piling on
*sigh*



You know I want Obama to do more and faster, but the one thing I recognize is how badly damaged the country and government was left from the last administration.



It's like a doctor asking a patient that just got off life support in the ICU to run a marathon. It just isn't possible. We are still in a recuperation phase in this nation, and we are experiencing serious setbacks along the way.



I think we are expecting too much too soon. This isn't the same policies, this is slowly changing a way of life. After 30 years, of going one way, it's going to take a lot of time to recover.



I can list the things that are different, but it seems as tho for many the change just isn't big enough -- but like I said, it's like asking someone who was nearly dead to get up and run a marathon.



I say wait until the speech tomorrow night. I think the president may very well announce some very big news regarding the Gulf coast, and the recovery. I really hope this is true.



AND I would very much like to see a change of staff within the White House. there are people who are not doing him any good.



Comment by wickedpam on 06/14/2010 16:42:35
hey dumbass - no the congress does not change the Constitution. When you change the Constitution you have to have a something like 2/3's of the actual states vote to change it

Comment by Raine on 06/14/2010 16:48:16
Quote by wickedpam:

hey dumbass - no the congress does not change the Constitution. When you change the Constitution you have to have a something like 2/3's of the actual states vote to change it
I missed it... please tell me that Thom corrected this caller?



(assuming you were listening to Thom. I had Ed on, and missed it there as well)



I am putting Thom on. Ed hurts my ears today.



Comment by wickedpam on 06/14/2010 16:57:40
Quote by Raine:

Quote by wickedpam:

hey dumbass - no the congress does not change the Constitution. When you change the Constitution you have to have a something like 2/3's of the actual states vote to change it
I missed it... please tell me that Thom corrected this caller?



(assuming you were listening to Thom. I had Ed on, and missed it there as well)



I am putting Thom on. Ed hurts my ears today.







yeah - Thom is on and no he did not stop to correct him

Comment by Raine on 06/14/2010 17:08:15
Quote by wickedpam:

yeah - Thom is on and no he did not stop to correct him
Ok, that is the kinda crap that pisses me off.



I expect more from Thom.



I don't expect that kinda correction from say Momma or even Ed. But THOM? I suspect that even Randi would have corrected mis information like that.







Comment by Raine on 06/14/2010 17:08:56
oo00oo





Thom is talking about EXACTLY what I was questioning in the blog this morning.

Comment by Raine on 06/14/2010 17:09:23
ok, except he is going even more foily than I was willing to go.

Comment by Raine on 06/14/2010 17:10:37
HE is reading straight from the first NYT link, and editorializing on it, which is fine, but I really would like for him to comment about the China link.





Comment by Will in Chicago on 06/14/2010 17:26:18
In some bad news, AAP hacked again!.



While the hacking may be directed at just AAP, it might be good to double check security measures.

Comment by Raine on 06/14/2010 17:44:52
Ok, Thom just had a caller that wished for the president to resign tomorrow night.



IS THIS what we want from so called progressives?



I'm not joking here.

Comment by Raine on 06/14/2010 17:51:32
Quote by Will in Chicago:

In some bad news, AAP hacked again!.



While the hacking may be directed at just AAP, it might be good to double check security measures.
WE Always have our security measures in tact. That suxs for AAP.



Comment by BobR on 06/14/2010 18:00:11
Quote by Will in Chicago:

In some bad news, AAP hacked again!.



While the hacking may be directed at just AAP, it might be good to double check security measures.


Since this blog is proprietary software written by Yours Truly, there is no chance that the exploit used for the IPB forum software would work here.

Comment by BobR on 06/14/2010 18:00:41
Quote by Raine:

Ok, Thom just had a caller that wished for the president to resign tomorrow night.



IS THIS what we want from so called progressives?



I'm not joking here.


What the hell is THAT going to accomplish??

Comment by Will in Chicago on 06/14/2010 18:05:16
Quote by BobR:

Quote by Will in Chicago:

In some bad news, AAP hacked again!.



While the hacking may be directed at just AAP, it might be good to double check security measures.


Since this blog is proprietary software written by Yours Truly, there is no chance that the exploit used for the IPB forum software would work here.




That is a relief.