Afghanistan's minerals!
An article on the subject, written by an American, was published on 4 July in the pages of a local English daily. The writer, possibly quite rightly criticizes Pentagon's estimated value of the Afghan minerals at US$ one trillion! He is sceptical on how the estimates could be drawn without proper mineral survey and mapping, and based on random finds here and there; in the midst of an ongoing war! Logically it seems to be an irrational, amateurish and totally speculative to be classified as having commercial exploitation potential for mining.
Possibly, it may be a propaganda introduced to indirectly justify the mounting costs in US lives and wealth for moulding US public opinion somewhat favourably to justify this colossal misadventure let loose by the Pentagon at Bush's bush level judgment and instigation.
May be, that it is a counter thrust to the Chinese mineral interests; which can be set in motion, tied to Chinese grants, aids and other trading advantages, that can be exploited by the Chinese authorities.
Possibly this may be the main idea that is motivating the US authorities to get something out of their Afghan adventure! They want to pre-empt the issue which they failed in Burma, whose rich mineral resources are tied up with Chinese interests.
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