Japan Has 'Priority' On Rights To Mine Afghanistan Mineral Deposits, Says Hamid Karzai

[babylonsister]

Japan Has 'Priority' On Rights To Mine Afghanistan Mineral Deposits, Says Hamid Karzai

First Posted: 06-20-10 01:34 AM | Updated: 06-20-10 03:32 AM


Afghan President Hamid Karzai said this week that Japan -- not the U.S. -- takes priority over other nations when it comes to mining his country's vast mineral deposits.

Karzai made his proclamation during a five-day visit to Japan. Over that same time period, news reports surfaced that Afghanistan and Pakistan planned to negotiate with U.S.-NATO enemies, the U.N. reported that insurgent violence is surging, and Reuters tried to parse the Pentagon's mixed messages over U.S. strategy in Afghanistan.

During an appearance at Japan Institute for International Affairs, Karzai focused on his country's mineral deposits. He Pointed to Japan's status as Afghanistan's second-biggest donor, and reasoned that Japan should enjoy special access to Afghan resources with estimated values that range from $1-3 trillion dollars.

"Morally, Afghanistan should give access as a priority to those countries that have helped Afghanistan massively in the past few years," Karzai told the institute.

"What . . . we have to reciprocate with is this opportunity of mineral resources, that we must return at the goodwill of the Japanese people by giving Japan priority to come and explore and extract," Karzai said.

more...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/20/japan-has-priority-on-rig_n_618545.html

[xchrom]

1. Oh. Dear. Nt

[babylonsister]

2. This won't make a lot of people happy if true; I do have grave

reservations about Karzai. He's playing games, sounds like.

[saigon68]

20. This guy has priority

[KharmaTrain]

3. Good Luck To Them...

And these Japanese will be protected by whom? Karzai's "militia"?? The moment the US withdraws its forces...and the sooner the better, this poser will either sneak out of the country with all his ill gotten riches or strung up on a lamppost.

Reports of these mineral riches have been known for years...a major basis for those who believe we're there to either build or protect a pipeline. Bottom line is Afghanistan is a very tribal area and Karzai only speaks for about two blocks around his heavily fortified compound. Without the consent of the Taliban and the various warlords, no one is safe and for very long. Right now their big cash crop is probably worth as much as anything they can dig out of the ground...and a lot easier to manufacture without the Americans, Japanese or anyone.

[babylonsister]

6. I hear you; the whole scenario is suspect. I'm also

getting really tired of hearing about the weaselly Karzai. I don't know why anyone trusts him, if they in fact do.

:hi:

[KharmaTrain]

9. He Makes Good Copy...

This guy has always been a weasel...a reason cheney installed him. But he's one of several weasels there...or should we say "freedom fighters".

Recently I've heard he's been saying that our troops are actually supporting India...guaranteed to piss off the Pashtuns...many of whom are taking shots at our troops. The day this slimebag is gone from the scene, the better it will be for us and the Afghan people.

The tin foil has to agree with some here who think this is all a set up for a premanent US presence...I sure hope I'm wrong on this.

:hi:

[babylonsister]

11. I really hope they're/you're wrong, too.

Now that Japan has first dibs on the bounty, this shouldn't be a problem. Right? Right??

I know, who knows.

[KharmaTrain]

17. The Multinational Way...

Back in the 70s, I loved reading The People's Almanac by Irving Wallace and David Wallashinsky who catagorized countries and included large corporations like Coca Cola, General Motors and Bank Of America as their own "countries" do to their interests in so many different countries.

Seems like few are seeing this in the BP disaster. They're not really a British Company as much as Ford is an American company...the money is spread all over the place and thus the "fiduciary responsibility" (the only thing these corporations care about) is not to one country to another but to their own stockholders.

It can easily be said many of today's wars are proxy battles on behalf of the multinationals (Africa in specific) and that it is wrapped up in the concept of "national security"...thus "justification" to invade Iraq or provide "security" to Japanese miners working for a multinational spreading money all around the beltway. Again...I sure hope I'm wrong...

[rucky]

4. Did he ever think of giving the rights to his own people?

[madokie]

7. You don't mean the Americans do you?

I know you can't mean the Afghani people because he doesn't represent them by any stretch of the imagination

[rucky]

8. Who does

represent the Afghani people?

The more I think about this, the mineral deposits sound more like the Ring from LOTR, and Afghanistan may get worse because of its discovery.

[madokie]

10. Considering that the discovery wasn't just made as is implied by most stories about it

I'm afraid what you say is so true as time will show. So sad that money is worth more than lives

[mmonk]

13. No. They aren't represented by predatory multi-national corporations.

[On the Road]

14. Afghanistan Probably Doesn't Have the Technical Capability

to extract the minerals on their own. It's pretty common for small countries to make arrangemennts like this. The big question is how much of the value is paid back to the home country. Karzai may feel that Japan is giving him the best deal.

[WinkyDink]

5. NOW is it time to leave?

[SammyWinstonJack]

19. +1. nt

[Obamanaut]

12. This is good! Japan can sell minerals, and with the profit they can

provide for all their own defense forces. Then all of our troops in Japan can come home and all the bases closed. Think of the money saved in lease payments for those bases.

[dipsydoodle]

16. Most things

have their upside.

[On the Road]

15. For All Those Who Question the Value of Foreign Aid

look no further.

[jp11]

18. I don't get it they are #2 so they get #1 position?

Not that I care about american corporations getting rich while american soldiers or even private security forces die to protect the mining operations but how does the #2 contributor get precedence over the #1 contributor? Whatever goes on it sounds like when we leave we can hand over our guns to Japanese troops so they can defend themselves and protect their miners.

[CJCRANE]

21. "Morally, Afghanistan should give access as a priority to those **countries** that have helped..."

"Morally, Afghanistan should give access as a priority to those **countries** that have helped Afghanistan massively in the past few years," Karzai told the institute.


Karzai doesn't say anything about Japan getting exclusive access or top priority.

[dixiegrrrrl]

22. " priority over other nations " sounds like top priority to me.

Sounds like he is trying to get the highest bribe...errrr....bidder.......

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

24. "Morally", that would certainly leave the USA out.

Unless wrecking a country and killing it's people is considered "moral".

[RC]

23. So... When is the Unites States going to war with Japan again?

[iamthebandfanman]

25. so , we put him in power...

why cant we take him out of power?


cause newsflash...
the country is still unstable...
so whats it matter?

its not like people there would cry over his departure...

it was a huge mistake to let this guy have any inkling of power... i think he has serious mental disabilities.

[LostInAnomie]

26. I hope Mr. Karzai has his affairs in order.

Because I can see an "IED" blowing up his motorcade fairly soon.