The New Great Game

Hot off the press. Enjoy

Value of Afghanistan’s mineral discovery needs to be dealt with cautiously

Text

The good news from the men at the Pentagon is that beneath the landmines Afghanistan is sitting on a goldmine.

Exactly when they took their degrees in geology is unclear but officials have estimated that Afghanistan’s mineral resources could be worth $1 trillion.

This suspiciously round number appears to be based on geological surveys made decades ago as well as recent on-the-ground research.

How thorough that could have been is open to debate, given that it takes the world’s best miners about a decade to explore a new area.

Factor in Afghanistan’s size, and the Pentagon must have had an army of geologists working in the country since immediately after 9/11 to have accurately studied its terrain.

The $1 trillion figure is, therefore, highly misleading. It is a theoretical number and may have little relation to the value of resources that could actually be exploited.

And...
World’s Mining Companies Covet Afghan Riches

WASHINGTON — Mining companies around the world are eager to exploit Afghanistan’s newly discovered mineral wealth, but executives of Western firms caution that war, corruption and lack of roads and other infrastructure are likely to delay exploration for years.

A few high-risk investors are sufficiently intrigued by the country’s potential to take an early look. JP Morgan, for instance, has just sent a team of mining experts to Afghanistan to examine possible projects to develop.

[edit on 18-6-2010 by SLAYER69]

....Thread Update....

Well now my friends China has thrown their piece onto the board.
I'm going to be monitoring this story, the thread can go any which way, it doesn't matter. The article and this developing situation should be watched.

It was only a matter of time before China moved into the region. So now here we go. This will not only affect the US in Afghanistan but also Paki/India relations. Speaking of Afghanistan now we know yet another reason why Our forces are there.

US think tanks saw this possible development a couple of decades ago.


China's Discreet Hold on Pakistan's Northern Borderlands

While the world focuses on the flood-ravaged Indus River valley, a quiet geopolitical crisis is unfolding in the Himalayan borderlands of northern Pakistan, where Islamabad is handing over de facto control of the strategic Gilgit-Baltistan region in the northwest corner of disputed Kashmir to China.

But reports from a variety of foreign intelligence sources, Pakistani journalists and Pakistani human rights workers reveal two important new developments in Gilgit-Baltistan: a simmering rebellion against Pakistani rule and the influx of an estimated 7,000 to 11,000 soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army.

China wants a grip on the region to assure unfettered road and rail access to the Gulf through Pakistan.

Many of the P.L.A. soldiers entering Gilgit-Baltistan are expected to work on the railroad. Some are extending the Karakoram Highway, built to link China’s Sinkiang Province with Pakistan. Others are working on dams, expressways and other projects.

Mystery surrounds the construction of 22 tunnels in secret locations where Pakistanis are barred. Tunnels would be necessary for a projected gas pipeline from Iran to China that would cross the Himalayas through Gilgit. But they could also be used for missile storage sites.

Active thread ----> China pouring thousands of troops in Kashmir

Interesting developments Slayer,The PLA in Kasmir is disturbing looks like they are intending to attempt to establish somekind of presence in the region the plot thicknes...

[edit on 043131p://5626 by mike dangerously]

reply to post by mike dangerously


It was only a matter of time IMO.
I'll keep posting updates as they develop

reply to post by SLAYER69
I have not seen India respond yet but,they can not be happy to say the least...

There was a Thread (31st Aug) entitled; Did the governer of China's central bank just DEFECT?.

It seems the guy was directly responsible for a loss of $430b (US bonds).

The Thread also links to information about China's curbs on mineral exports.

....Thread Updates to follow....

Russia hails oil pipe as first step towards China

Russia hails oil pipe as first step towards China

www.ft.com

Russia and China opened a historic oil pipeline in a move hailed by their leaders as the first step towards diversifying Russia’s energy exports away from Europe and towards its eastern neighbour.

The commercial logic of greater energy links between one of the largest producers of energy and the world’s largest consumer has outweighed political distrust between the two nations, which fought a brief war in 1969 and only two years ago finalised border delimitation.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Nuclear-armed Pakistan takes over as chair of IAEANuclear-armed Pakistan takes over as chair of IAEA

Seen by many as a rogue nuclear state, Pakistan on Monday ironically became the head of the governing body of the UN nuclear watchdog--International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In an election at a special one-day meeting in Vienna, IAEA's 35-member board of governors appointed Pakistan Atomic

.....Thread update.....

US hails Nepal move on Maoist forces

WASHINGTON — The United States on Saturday welcomed a move by Nepal's Maoists relinquishing control of their People's Liberation Army, calling it a key step in the peace process in the Asian nation.

"A salute to Nepal for transferring command of Maoist forces to a special committee," US State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said in a message on the micro-blogging site Twitter. "This is a major step in the Nepalese peace process."

The comments came after the leader of the former guerrillas, now the main opposition party, handed control of 19,000 soldiers confined to cantonments around Nepal since the war ended in 2006 to a cross-party committee set up to decide their fate.

-----------Thread update-----------

OK so we have Massive movement OBL has been reported as killed in the Western MSM. Pakistan is all over the board on this one. Not necessarily looking all that great at the moment. Some view this just as a ploy by TPTB as a simple retaliatory move. China has stated that if the US moves on Pakistan they will get involved etc.

Meanwhile back in the western camp Drone strikes continue....

As I see it, Pakistan will have to scurry into the corner they have made for themselves as a result of suspicions about their involvement in the whole Osama Bin Laden situation. It defies reality that this man could have remained where it is said he was without even a peep from the Pakistani ISI or the military for that matter. According to the official story by the US government, he was not taken out in the remote hinter lands, but smack dab in the middle of a garrison town. Moreover, the home of the Pakistani West Point, and no one had any idea that the most wanted man in world was among them?

Just as Washington continues to tweak and refine its version of what took place, and so does Pakistan. First Pakistan has said they were unaware of a sensitive military operation by the US, and now it seems they were on board all along? There are major moves taking place on the chess board in Central Asia, and with the recent drone attacks the US is testing the resolve of Pakistan and more or less China.

I say China, because they have been saddling up with Pakistan, and it is no doubt an attempt to form a buffer against India and the United States.

Pak tries to outflank US and India in Kabul with China card

On another note, Pakistan has recently engaged in talks with the Russians as well.

Pakistan seeks solace in the Kremlin

Apparently, the Chinese are concerned about the affairs in Pakistan as much as the US is? I will be watching the developments in Pakistan very closely in the coming months. It will be interesting to see how things shake out in terms of the shaky relationship between the US and Pakistan? Pakistan is the logistical lifeline to NATO Forces in Afghanistan. This situation is like walking a diplomatic tight rope. The Great Game continues . . .

reply to post by LadySkadi


2 stars for a non-relevant post? I don't believe it, I'd like to know, ma'am! *ahem*.

Pakistan had to know bin Laden was there, most Americans say

According to the poll, 72 percent of Americans agree with the statement that "Pakistan knew all along" where bin Laden was hiding. Only 14 percent disagreed, while 13 percent were not sure.

The American public’s skepticism about Pakistan is hardly surprising, given the heavy media focus placed on bin Laden’s compound – and details like its location near an Army garrison and the particulars of its elaborate construction – since Obama announced the secret operation into Pakistan Sunday night.

Pakistan bans live broadcast by foreign channels from Abbottabad

Pakistan's media regulatory watchdog has barred live broadcast by major foreign television channels from the garrison city of Abbottabad where Osama bin Laden was killed by US forces on May 2.

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority said it had "stopped the foreign satellite TV channels from illegal uplinking of signals and live covering (of) news from Abbottabad".

WikiLeaks: ISI allowed terrorists to attack India, says Gitmo detainee

WikiLeaks, in one of the several cables that exposes ISI's links to terror groups, quotes a US cable as saying that an Algerian Al Qaeda militant arrested in 2002 said that his mission was to "kill Indians in India".

It further quotes the militant saying that the ISI "allowed" fighters to travel to India where they conducted bombings, kidnapping or killing Kashmiri people.

More significantly, the targets in Indian according to the militant, were chosen by the Pakistani Army.

Congress may dock Pakistan aid over bin Laden

Congress may consider cutting the almost $1.3 billion in annual U.S. aid to Pakistan if it turns out the Islamabad government knew where Osama bin Laden was hiding, the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee said Tuesday.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat, said she wants more details from CIA director Leon Panetta and others about the Pakistani government's role.

reply to post by SLAYER69

The Great Game.
The Great Game was a term used for the strategic rivalry and conflict between the British Empire and the Russian Empire for supremacy in Central Asia

Well Russia is in Asia.
Is the US trying to be another Great Britain trying to step where they failed.
Where daddy failed the son will succeed.
They are making a good try.
Looks like with modified plans but let you history majors figure that one out.

Russia gave up on Afghanistan as did Great Britain.
Who is pushing these armies around.

As far as I am concerned the cartels will spend for anything except the mention
of Mr Tesla and now Mr Lyne except to attack with the stereotypical 'debunk' next to
his mention and make it click throughout the Internet at the name.
Anti Tesla hoodlums every one as if Whittaker and his ether history didn't read the
1892 findings of Tesla clear as day without one word.

The back and forth between Pakistan and the US intensifies after Bin Laden raid . . .

Pakistan Warns U.S. Against Raids

. . . Salman Bashir, the country's foreign secretary, said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal that a repeat of Monday's raid could lead to "terrible consequences." . . .

"No self-respecting nation would compromise or allow others to compromise its sovereignty," Mr. Bashir said. "We want to make it absolutely clear to everyone—do not underestimate Pakistan's capabilities and capacity to do what is necessary for national security."

In response to the suggestion that terrible consequence would greet any future raid, a U.S. official said: "They need to spend less time lashing out at the U.S. and more time rooting out militants on Pakistani territory."

reply to post by SLAYER69


I need to bump this up for my own convenience -- makes it easier to find the thread.

TV local news is getting more radical now days.
Even coming up with Iran is the hub between IRAQ and Afghanistan.
Duh it is between them.

The next day TV hits us with some Alien nonsense.

For sure the game is serious as I don't need TV to tell me what most
profess on the net as the final gel together is a confidence on their
part that should shake ignorance out of people to put a stop to the
game makers.

Editorials on broadcast TV is new but they stand back from shaky ground.
A movie of a psychopathic killer, well lets say his solution to problems he
confronts can mean death, his dislike for his sisters fiance leads him to line
the bathtub with petroleum jelly. The no slip policy is intact and we are being
fed by the giants of people control constantly.

Being fed by copy from the elite, over and out.

reply to post by SLAYER69


I wanted to include your embedded video in my response to your OP, but the system would not allow it. It demanded that I include your entire very long OP -- just eats up too much space.

I actually sat thru the almost 50 minutes of this video. It would have been a lot faster if I could have read the transcript, but I couldn’t find one.

I learned some things I had never been exposed to before by doing a little research – it was worth the effort. I will never see Central Asia in the same way again.

Ian Bremmer ( the president of Eurasia Group , the leading global political risk research and consulting firm) hosted the plenary session of the 2009 Davos World Economic Forum, “The New Great Game Revisited.”

Bremmer opened the session with a famous quote from Sir Halford John Mackinder (father of modern geopolitics):
"Who rules East Europe commands the Heartland; Who rules the Heartland commands the World Island; Who rules the World Island commands the World."

The panel members were: President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan (the only one who did NOT speak English). The other members I’m guessing were Nursultan A. Nazarbayev, President of Kazakhstan; Serzh Azati Sargsyan, President of Armenia; Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi. I’m guessing because it was not clear.

Towards the end of the video, Bremmer made another quote taken from the first pan-Turkic summit in October 1992, where Turkey's Prime Minister, Suleyman Demirel, declared according to Turkish TV:

"The Turkic world, which... stretches from the Adriatic Sea to China, has now emerged as a concrete reality. This is the realisation of our 100-year-old dream."

This is just stunning. I had no idea that Turkey is actively pursuing the formation of a Turkic Commonwealth.

Turkey is also eyeing the “annexation of the Iraqi provinces of Mosul and Kirkuk in the event of the country’s disintegration.”

Turkey is also at war with the poor Kurds – such a tragedy. They are sitting on wealth and are powerless to defend it.

reply to post by SLAYER69


SLAYER69, can you re-post the first video on the OP? For whatever reason it has disappeared and I don't even have a title to google. Was it on you tube?

I've only read the 1st page of this long thread, and I think it's been worth my time. It's slow going for me since many of the posts are dense with info that needs research to absorb.

It would be time-consuming to try to condense this info into a format accessible to most people (like me).

This thread should get more attention. If info from JanusFIN is correct "Syria will open a common Navy base with Russia" -- could this be one of the underlying reasons for the current turmoil in Syria? The US would need to get rid of the current power in Syria and replace it with one more amenable to US interests.