Afghanistan has 721 Billion Euros worth of mineral resources
 

"I have very good news for Afghans," said Karzai, who said that his country become one of the richest countries in the world....

The USGS has been working several years on studies to include the presence of gold, oil, gas, copper and iron ore. The results of the study will be published within a few months, said Karzai....

Source:
http://translate.google.com/translat...ml&sl=nl&tl=en

That is a lot of money :pimp

doesn't mean much, unless you compare it to the cost of extracting those resources and to other countries

Good point.
But I guess labour is cheap there.

Thank God...
 

Thank God Bush aint still in charge... on that news the Afghans would defo have weapons of mass destruction hidden somewhere !

Hidden between the natural resources.. so they could be blown with some missiles ;))

What a coincidence the USA is there. Haiti has the same thing, an abundance of natural resources (gold being one of them) that have not been mined yet. It's a good thing the US is putting roots there too. The question to ask is, what mining company gets US government contracts? Then the second question to ask is, how can I buy their stock? :winkwink:

Eur 721 Billion is (approximately) US $999 Billion --- expected Obama budget announcement is US $3.8 Trillion. So, not really all that much in the 'grand scheme of things.' Afghanistan has a population that is 4% of the United States (at last known 'census' in 1989) and it only has an US $8 Billion external debt (2004). However, it is a country ravaged by war, bordering lawless tribal regions that Pakistan is unwilling to control, and its own greed and corruption are making headlines on a near-daily basis (yeah, that fucking NY apartment). So, ref that 'Eur 721 Billion' --- what the chances of Afghanistan actually getting its shit together (enough) to extract these resources, process them, and actually get the funds back to the country's coffers for the betterment of its population (even if somehow/someway a reasonable amount of peace was established)?

i love it when i hear people say 'coffers'

But Only if China lend them it !

dont say it, america is there ?:D

cof·fer (kôfr, kfr)
n.
1. A strongbox.
2. often coffers
a. Financial resources; funds.
b. A treasury: stole money from the union coffers.

It's a good word. :)

thats a lot of gold plated benzes

wow, amazing

What do you think all of the donations are going towards?

I found it interesting that the updated Google Earth images of Haiti only showed pockets of damage when the media tells us that the entire country is devastated.

Plus, all of the media reporting seem to be focused on the few blocks that showed major devastation; almost like a bomb went off there.

Haiti GDP is only $6.95 billion. They'll probably end up getting a sixth or a third of that in "aid." U.S. taxpayers alone are giving $200 million.

I feel sorry for the true victims but I also think we're being sold a story based on devastation hundreds of times worse than it really is.

Imagine the Taliban doing some driveby shootings from Benzes :1orglaugh

I know a guy who was down there doing rescue and just returned. He confirmed it looks like bombs went off, however, he said not ALL of Haiti or even ALL of Port au Prince was destroyed. He said it was a nightmare and a cluster fuck, as you can imagine, but the media is focusing on the worst hit areas, which just so happen to be the most populated, hence the large death toll.

Where is the money? Well, between the uber corrupt Haitian government, the corrupt US government, the US military who overcharges for EVERYTHING, and the general rule of the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing, there is no telling where the money really is, but I'd bet a few people are getting filthy rich from it. There are HUGE profits in both war and misery.

They usually keep those for the weekend. BTW they do not need those resources, they have drugs. That´s why the plans of the German Secretary o State are pretty stupid. He suggested to "buy out" Taliban troops. Which means he will pay them 10.000,00 € if they leave Taliban. I expect them to take the money and keep being a Taliban. Taliban has enough money, you can´t buy them out.

Regarding German troops in Afghanistan they - the German politicians - should call it like it is: war. And thats why they should send more combat troops there. It´s ridicolous to refuse calling a war a war and let others fight.

The money has a tendency to go towards contracts signed with companies owned by the buttbuddies of politicians, which most likely they hold a financial interest in themselves. No one gets into government as a career, they get into government as a means of further their business aspirations.

Well I would suppose there are not many companies that are technologically advanced enough to be able to deal with the Afghan geological realms.

Unskilled labor is hardly a plus, if there is someone to turn a profit then they will have to make a major investment, that will have to be recouped in long term profits, so the main question remains the security, that the current government can't guarantee.

No one will ever invest there, if the situation won't turn less pro-extremist.

Dumb plan indeed, giving 10K a head to extremist drugdealers :pimp

Good points Carlos.
Maybe that's why many countries send troops there to make it safer so all these countries can later pick the fruits of their labour. But so far your point "the Afghan geological realms" makes it rather difficult to bring the Taliban down for the troops. Looks like a dead end for now, so you could be right with your last sentence.

Sounds like the movie; "The Distinguished Gentleman" :winkwink:

Sure wanna know that too in advance DWB :winkwink:

i hope US bombs and shits on more countries with a shit ton of natural resources.

Its time to take out Iran for their natural resources.

Everyone should applaud US for Irag, Afrgan wars if US gets a piece of their natural resources.

Gold is a very expensive precious metal used as currency from ancient times. Can't beat gold.

They will after they cash in for those mineral resources (if they really exist), just like the Iranians.