Surprise! That Story About Afghanistan's $1 Trillion In Commodities....

[Robb]

Aha.

http://www.businessinsider.com/surprise-that-story-about-afghanistans-1-trillion-in-commodities-came-out-just-ahead-of-major-mining-auction-2010-6">Surprise! That Story About Afghanistan's $1 Trillion In Commodities Came Out Just Ahead Of Major Mining Auction

The NYT has taken something of a beating for its big Sunday-night story about the $1 trillion worth of resources supposedly stumbled upon by the Pentagon in Afghanistan.
Just about everyone agrees that it's not really news, and that at a minimum the timing was convenient for an administration that's desperate to get some good headlines out of the region.
But is there more than that?
The Asia Times takes a close look at the actual timing of the auction, and notes this nugget:

The Pentagon memo may have been an effort to attract international interest in the mining sector before the auction in the next few weeks of the 1.8 billion-ton iron-ore field in Hajigak, which could be worth $5 billion to $6 billion, according to the British-based Times. The development of the country's largest known iron deposit has been hampered by the war and weak institutions.

The memo coincided with a visit to India by Wahidullah Shahrani, the new Afghan minister of mines, to solicit bids for Hajigak after a planned tender was canceled last year because of a lack of international interest, the Times reported. Shahrani was appointed with US backing in January after his predecessor was sacked for allegedly taking bribes from a Chinese mining company - a charge he denies.

Afghan and Western officials want more companies to bid for Hajigak and other deposits to prevent China from gaining control over Afghanistan’s natural resources through bids subsidized heavily by Beijing, the Times said. American and European companies have alleged that underhand methods were used by Beijing to get contracts, it said.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/surprise-that-story-about-afghanistans-1-trillion-in-commodities-came-out-just-ahead-of-major-mining-auction-2010-6#ixzz0qvNiis8e

[gimama]

1. thanks for posting this

It just gets worse & wierder.
*I* have lots of Questions..
THIS is a big story,
& demands more Public attention.

Bring the Troops HOME.

[Robb]

2. Not as sexy as "omg we invaded for teh gold"

...but even more disturbing, IMO.

[berni_mccoy]

4. Indeed.

[bvar22]

3. More profits for Global Corporations financed by...

...the blood of The American Working Class/Poor.

[gratuitous]

5. Hey, somebody needs to make some coin

Sucks if you're one of the casualties, but you can't have a delicious omelette with sterling silver cutlery on a gold-finish plate served to you by your butler while getting a Swedich massage from a Japanese geisha happy ending included without breaking a few eggs, killing a few civilians, sustaining a few traumatic brain injuries, and suffering a litte PTSD.

[Robb]

6. This.

Human history in a nutshell.