Afghanistan clears oil deal with China’s CNPC | The Raw Story
maybe now it will become clear to many the objective we have been fighting toward in afghanistan
how many lives of America's youth have been wasted?
how many more in this folly?
a commentor offered a salient observation:
I actually don't see a problem with this, in fact I think its a good thing. Foreign investment, regardless of where it comes from, is good for that country, that Chinese company is working with an Afghan company as well, that means jobs for the Afghan people. The story cites concern in poor infrastructure, that means improvements to their infrastructure to move trucks and oil, which can be used by locals as well. Of course a lot of things could go wrong as well, the adventure could be plagued by violent attacks by insurgents, which may scare off the Chinese and other foreign investors, corrupt officials in the government or the Afghan company could have their mind more on kick backs than development. They could not find any oil at all and the thing could fall apart.
Of course oil is always a true and honest concern to any strategist planner, there's no denying its importance to the global economy and the lives of every American beyond just filling up their car at a petrol station. However that doesn't mean this war was about oil from the beginning, nor does it mean that oil is the only concern in this war. Personally I think solutions which involve economic development, stuff that creates jobs, gives people money for their work, which thus improves the standard of living, makes people less tempted to radicalize because now they have something to lose, an improved lifestyle with their new job and new roads, and the potential for it to get better. That's what the Afghans need more than ANYTHING, is hope and confidence in their own future as individuals, as their local community(all important in Afghan cultures), and their country as a whole. We want people to be focused on things that improve their lives, and new investments bring those opportunities to improve their lives if its implemented correctly. We want people to look at their lives and say, its getting better I have a good job, to look at their communities and say, its getting better all of us have new jobs, more money, a new road that we helped built, that we can have
pride in. Then they will naturally start to look at the Taliban and start to think "These guys want to destroy it, why would I support them."
Of course that's not the entire solution to the whole Afghan problem, heck I don't think there will ever be a solution to every problem a nation has thats just impossible. For example if Achmed gets a new job he may be happier with his life and less tempted to support the Taliban because their radical religion gives his life purpose, now that he's found purpose supporting his family and community, but it might not convince him to let his wife go outside without a male family member, or in a Burka, or let his daughters go to school. Thats another problem that should be addressed, and this investment probably won't help it, but it doesn't mean its a bad thing.
And I'm not just saying it because its oil they think they can exploit, it could literally be anything, a mineral mine for example would have the same effect and I'd support our troops fighting to protect it the same as I'd support them fighting to protect this oil adventure, if the Afghans are smart they'll do the same thing. Hell if I was there, I'd be glad to protect people who are building a new lives for themselves using the resources under their land. Of course if it was plagued by corruption, a real risk, I wouldn't be too pleased at all.