Mining could transform the economy of Afghanistan
If you were concerned the U.S. doesn't have compelling economic reasons to remain engaged militarily in Afghanistan, this NYT article suggests you might want to reserve judgement: "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. An internal Pentagon memo, for example, states that Afghanistan could become the “Saudi Arabia of lithium,” a key raw material in the manufacture of batteries for laptops and BlackBerrys." Do the people of Afghanistan WANT their nation to be transformed into a more first-world economy via mining industrialization? Somehow I doubt there will be a referendum on this. Anyone else think this sounds remarkably similar to the plot line of "Avatar?" Via http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/14/world/asia/14minerals.html
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