Afghanistan to have railways

[0rganism]

Afghanistan to have railways
Saturday May 15, 2004 (1328 PST)

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to build cross-border road and rail links to promote bilateral trade, Big News Network quoting officials said.

Both countries are close U.S. allies in the war against terror. Afghanistan is landlocked and has no railways.

The United States believes Afghanistan's isolation from the rest of the world allowed the extremist Taliban and the al-Qaida terrorist networks to establish themselves in the country.

U.S. authorities are helping Afghanistan rebuild its road network, which was completely destroyed during more than 20 years of war and civil strife, providing both finances and security to construction workers.

more: http://paktribune.com/news/index.php?id=65075
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Without speculating too much on the obvious boon this will be to the opium trade, I'm going to make an honest effort to post a positive LBN story about Afghanistan whenever I find one.

[Gore1FL]

1. As a railroader

I see this as a good thing. Afghanistan needs infrastructure, rail certainly provides the backbone to move necessary goods to create an economy there.

[Flagg]

2. welcome to the 19th century boys

[Gore1FL]

3. Hopefully, they'll use 21st century technology

Railroading is a high-tech industry, despite being over 150 years old.

[H2O Man]

5. A question for Gore1FL:

In the "good old days," the word "railway" meant British-owned. The systems in the USA were "railroads," with few exceptions. (One example was the NY,O&W Railway, which had previously been the NYO & Midland Railroad, until it went bankrupt and was bought by British interests. My book on it is found on the O&W's website.) Anyhow, out of curiosity, is this still the case? Would this imply British investment & ownership of the rail?

[0rganism]

11. India-Pakistan used to be a British mandate, and the source is Pakistani

I'm inclined to think that "railway" is used more by cultural habit than as an indication of which nationality is underwriting AfTrak.

[Gore1FL]

14. Honsetly, I don't know.

Union Pacific Railroad used to be Union Pacific Railway many many many years ago.

I tend to use them interchange-ably (pun intended)

[NNN0LHI]

4. Got to have some way to haul all that heroin out of there n/t

[bemildred]

6. Yep, them camel caravans are awful slow.

Seriously, this just looks like another convenient target for
guerilla attacks, unless they can get a political settlement,
or unless they plan to put guards along the whole railway, which
STILL looks like another convenient target for guerilla attacks.

[Eye and Monkey]

13. It would seem to be as convenient as something like a pipeline.

[frankieT]

7. yeah

the unstoppable march of Capitalism

[Don_G]

8. Rummy Has Allowed

"Lionel" to be the primary contractor.

[AndyTiedye]

9. but they want to shut down Amtrak

:-(

[AngryAmish]

10. heh

[JohnLocke]

12. Kick (nt).