Russia says it wants to help US in Afghanistan

Russia says it wants to help US in Afghanistan

news.yahoo.com

MOSCOW – President Dmitry Medvedev says that Russia and its ex-Soviet allies want to cooperate with the United States in stabilizing Afghanistan.

Medvedev's comments Wednesday came a day after the ex-Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan announced it would evict U.S. forces from an air base that is key to U.S. and NATO operations in Afghanistan.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Well this is an interesting turn of events.

The Russians realize the threat posed by extremist forces in a destablized Afghanistan could lead to the destabilization of Central Asia.

I think Russia will have some demands that will have to be met, but if we can compromise and work together we will be able to get troops and supplies to Afghanistan.

The bizarre part is that we will become dependent on Russia to do so.

news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

When are people going to wake up and understand.
Russia is no longer communist, it is capitalist.

Originally posted by BorgHoffen
When are people going to wake up and understand.
Russia is no longer communist, it is capitalist.

You know whats even more funny is that we are moving towards socialism while Russia is firmly capitalist.

Really bizarre when you think about it.

Sounds like some of the Ruskies are looking for some good old sweet revenge.

Friendly fire would be a nightmare.

I have been saying this for years!
The Russians AKA Former Soviets want a path to get the oil out and through Afghanistan to the gulf would be a nice warm port area and bypass the whole mess in Eastern Europe.


$$$$$$$



Edit for typos need more coffee



[edit on 4-2-2009 by SLAYER69]

Originally posted by SLAYER69
I have been saying this for years!
The Russian AKA Former Soviets want a path to get the oil out and through Afghanistan to the gulf would be a nice warn post area and bypass the whole mess in Eastern Europe.


$$$$$$$

They help us in Afghanistan and Pakistan, I would be happy to help them with that. Russia and India tried to get on board with the Coalition right after 9-11 and we snubbed them.

And what of the offer of help from Iran in 2002? that was turned down flat - and would have helped secure the western border

[edit on 4/2/09 by Harlequin]

Hmm interesting news, but I would take it with a pinch of salt, no way Russia has any intention of fighting the USA's war for the USA, period!

As mentioned above, Afghanistan does look like a nice oil pipeline in the making for Russia, to do it though, they would need to get rid of the western coalition, once they are gone they could broker a deal with the Taliban. The pipeline not only would bye pass Eastern Europe, but it could goto China, India via Pakistan and also Iran could build its own line to China for the 40% odd of natural gas, Chinas economy runs on.

All of the above can only happen with the USA gone, if they are still there, the USA can oppose any such move, even purposefully hamper and delay it.

One mention of Russia - be it even a goodwill gesture by the country - and people start speculating on some evil plot by the evil empire. Can't a goodwill gesture be just that? A sign by Russia that it wants to cooperate with the new US government instead of further cooling of relations?

Originally posted by SLAYER69
I have been saying this for years!
The Russians AKA Former Soviets

"Former Soviets"? Do you call Germans "former Nazis" or the Americans "former slave owners and bigots" too?

Originally posted by SLAYER69
want a path to get the oil out and through Afghanistan to the gulf would be a nice warm port area and bypass the whole mess in Eastern Europe.

You do know Afghanistan does not border any gulf? If you mean a path to Iran through Afghanistan, Russia could transport much easier through the Caspian Sea. And Russia already has warm water ports at the Black Sea.



What is really taking place is Russia knows the bad situation that the US is in with the Afghan conflict and its supply routes. Kyrgyzstan government just kicked the US and its allies out, and supplying through the Pakistan border is increasingly unreliable and dangerous. Russian on the other hand could provide US and its allies with cheap and safe transport thanks to its extensive rail network leading to Asia.

What Russia will seek in exchange is the US cooperation on matters of dispute in Eastern Europe - particularly the ABM shield. Russia hopes that the new US President will be more open to cooperation that would help ease the tension between Russia and the US, and would benefit both sides. Russia is not interested in any controlling influence in Afghanistan, and still wants no part in that conflict itself however.

Originally posted by Saf85
Hmm interesting news, but I would take it with a pinch of salt, no way Russia has any intention of fighting the USA's war for the USA, period!

Well a stable Afghanistan and its government would add stability to the volatile Asian region, which includes countries like Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Peace and stability in these neighboring countries is in turn beneficial for Russia, because any extremism and conflicts there can further spill over towards Russia. So ultimately Russia wants a good resolution to the Afghanistan war, but for obvious reasons it does not want to take any part in it.

Originally posted by Saf85
As mentioned above, Afghanistan does look like a nice oil pipeline in the making for Russia

Ok, where would this pipeline lead to? The Persian Gulf through Iran? Russia can lay a much shorter pipeline through Iran through the Caspian Sea if it so wanted. The Arabian Sea through Pakistan? Too dangerous, as the pipeline would run right through Taliban areas. The "pipeline theory" makes no sense if you know the geopolitics of the region.

Originally posted by Saf85
to do it though, they would need to get rid of the western coalition, once they are gone they could broker a deal with the Taliban.

Don't forget that Russia fought against the Taliban for 10 years, and the Taliban still regards Russia as its enemy.

Originally posted by Saf85
The pipeline not only would bye pass Eastern Europe, but it could goto China, India via Pakistan and also Iran could build its own line to China for the 40% odd of natural gas, Chinas economy runs on.

You do realize that Russia can construct a much shorter pipeline to China through its own territory since it borders China? And seeing as how Northwestern Pakistan is teeming with Taliban and other rebels, any pipeline route through there is completely unrealistic. As for Europe - Russia is already working on an alternative supply route for it through the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea.

reply to post by maloy


Thanks for your opinion I dont equate the Former "Soviets" with any of those stereo types those are your words not mine.

all I was saying is that this is closer to a warm port and the Russians have been looking at this for some time.

Read up on it.

TALIBAN DEFEAT REVIVES DEBATE ON TRANS-AFGHAN PIPELINE

The defeat of the Taliban appears to be reviving a debate about pipeline construction in Afghanistan that would widen international access to Central Asia’s vast energy resources. A few observers argue that pipelines might speed Afghanistan’s reconstruction. However, others say that an attempt to establish Afghanistan as a transit hub for energy exports could provoke a collision of interests among key power brokers in the region.

Natural gas-rich Turkmenistan in 1997 forged a consortium with oil companies, led by Unocal, to build a trans-Afghan pipeline. The $1.9-billion project hit snags almost from the time of its announcement. The main obstacle was the Taliban’s control of most of Afghanistan’s territory, and the on-going civil war. By 1998, construction plans collapsed after Unocal withdrew from the consortium.

Wow I think you guys need to look at this from a whole different perspective. Notice how we are talking about getting out of Iraq, wanting Russian help with Afghanistan, and dropping the nuke shield. Have you guys ever thought this massive stand down is because we are bankrupt and cant sustain the empire anymore. So behind the scenes we are asking everyone and their brother to get us out of the mess. We should of brought our empire down under better conditions instead of waiting for out bankruptcy......

Here is another good read.
Any oil/natural gas business to be made there the Russians want in and to be a part of it.
it's all about $$$$$$$$

The Oil Connection: Afghanistan and Caspian Sea oil pipeline routes

The Soviets had estimated Afghanistan's proven and probable natural gas reserves at up to 5 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) in the 1970s. Afghan natural gas production reached 275 million cubic feet per day (Mmcf/d) in the mid-1970s. However, due to declining reserves from producing fields, output gradually fell to about 220 Mmcf/d by 1980. At that time, the Jorquduq field was brought online and was expected to boost Afghan natural gas output to 385 Mmcf/d by the early 1980s. However, sabotage of infrastructure by the anti-Soviet mujaheddin fighters limited the country's total production to 290 Mmcf/d, an output level that was held fairly steady until the Soviet withdrawal in 1989. After the Soviet pullout and subsequent Afghan civil war, roughly 31 producing wells at Sheberghan area fields were shut in pending the restart of natural gas sales to the former Soviet Union.

At its peak in the late 1970s, Afghanistan supplied 70%-90% of its natural gas output to the Soviet Union's natural gas grid via a link through Uzbekistan. In 1992, Afghan President Najibullah indicated that a new natural gas sales agreement with Russia was in progress. However, several former Soviet republics raised price and distribution issues and negotiations stalled. In the early 1990s, Afghanistan also discussed possible natural gas supply arrangements with Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and several Western European countries, but these talks never progressed further. Afghan natural gas fields include Jorqaduq, Khowaja Gogerdak, and Yatimtaq, all of which are located within 20 miles of the northern town of Sheberghan in Jowzjan province. Natural gas production and distribution is the responsibility of the Taliban-controlled Afghan Gas Enterprise. In 1999, work resumed on the repair of a distribution pipeline to Mazar-i-Sharif. Spur pipelines to a small power plant and fertilizer plant also were repaired and completed. Mazar-i-Sharif is now receiving natural gas from the pipeline, as well as some other surrounding areas. Rehabilitation of damaged natural gas wells has been undertaken at the Khowaja Gogerak field, which has increased natural gas production.

In February 1998, the Taliban announced plans to revive the Afghan National Oil Company, which was abolished by the Soviet Union after it invaded Afghanistan in 1979. Soviet estimates from the late 1970s placed Afghanistan's proven and probable oil and condensate reserves at 95 million barrels. Oil exploration and development work as well as plans to build a 10,000-bbl/d refinery were halted after the 1979 Soviet invasion. A very small amount of crude oil is produced at the Angot field in the northern Sar-i-Pol province. It is processed at a primitive topping plant in Sheberghan, and burned in central heating boilers in Sheberghan, Mazar-i-Sharif, and Kabul. Another small oilfield at Zomrad Sai near Sheberghan was reportedly undergoing repairs in mid-2001.

Originally posted by SLAYER69
all I was saying is that this is closer to a warm port and the Russians have been looking at this for some time.

Read up on it.

Yeah read the first article carefully. It is not Russia that is intent on building the pipeline through there, but resource-rich central asian countries like Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. There countries face a major problem of how to get their exports out. Russia on the other hand has far more alternatives for transporting oil and gas - whether it is to Europe or to China. Russia would not have much control or influence over the "Afghan pipeline" as it would primarily serve the interests of these "stan" countries. And seeing as how they still didn't put up serious proposals for the pipeline for the 6 years that the US is there, I think they see it as an unrealizable project.


In the second article it discusses gas reserves of Afghanistan. Again this would not be about Russia transporting its resources through Afghanistan, but the other way around. However gas infrastructure (pipelines, pumping stations) are very expensive and very easy to destroy by rebel groups. Perhaps the notion of connecting Afghanistan to the Soviet gas network was imaginable during Soviet Times, but today it is unrealistic. Nobody would be willing to fork over tens of billions of dollars to build a gas pipeline that would be an ideal target for the Taliban.


So to put the matter to rest - this "Afghanistan pipeline" concept is a pie in the sky. Russia has major problems contructing its Baltic Nord Stream pipeline and another one through the Black Sea. And these pipelines are much shorter than the one you propose for Afghanistan, and do no lie amidst rebel territory.

Heres something that couold be playing a part. cia fact book

Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of illicit cannabis and opium poppy and producer of methamphetamine, mostly for domestic consumption; government has active illicit crop eradication program; used as transshipment point for Asian opiates, cannabis, and Latin American coc aine bound for growing domestic markets, to a lesser extent Western and Central Europe, and occasionally to the US; major source of heroin precursor chemicals; corruption and organized crime are key concerns; major consumer of opiates

They could be some people in there government that wants a direct supply of poppy. Its says they have all the chemicals for turning it into drugs. But becuase of frozen tundra not much land to grow poppy.

Heres a Afghanistan portion from Cia Fact book

Illicit drugs:world's largest producer of opium; poppy cultivation increased 17% to a near-record 202,000 hectares in 2007; good growing conditions pushed potential opium production to a record 8,000 metric tons, up 42% from last year; if the entire opium crop were processed, 947 metric tons of heroin potentially could be produced; drug trade is a source of instability and the Taliban and other antigovernment groups participate in and profit from the drug trade; widespread corruption impedes counterdrug efforts; most of the heroin consumed in Europe and Eurasia is derived from Afghan opium; vulnerable to drug money laundering through informal financial networks; regional source of hashish

Put this together with Russia and you have a big money maker for illegal drug trade.

reply to post by maloy



Any oil/natural gas business to be made there the Russians want in and to be a part of it.
it's all about $$$$$$$$

Originally posted by JBA2848
Put this together with Russia and you have a big money maker for illegal drug trade.

Drugs are petty change for the energy czar that is Russia. In fact Afgan heroin is a major source of problem for Russia. Russia has a serious heroin epidemic in the 90's, which is partly to blame for the decrease in population and what the Russian government called a "demographic catastrophe". Much of that heroin came from Turkey and Afghanistan. While obviosly it is a good source of revenue for some crime groups, for the Russia government it is a bad thing.