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

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Source: The Huffington Post

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's International 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.

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

[JCMach1]

1. Read-- he can get more bribes from Japan

yet another reason to GTFO Afghanistan

[Bonobo]

3. He is encouraging countries like Japan to give aid, not take blood.

Is that not a wise and responsible foreign policy decision?

Can you blame him?

[girl gone mad]

4. I think you've got it backward.

Karzai is promising to reward countries who have taken blood (supported the US intervention) with the natural riches of a people who have little aid.

Not that this is likely to be a promise kept.

[Bonobo]

5. Well, he has to use what little tools he has available.

I doubt they have the resources to develop all those natural riches. Japan is a gentler dance partner at least.

[Art_from_Ark]

6. Unlike Western, Chinese, and Russian mining companies,

Japan usually takes a minority position in a joint mining venture, and tries to accommodate local contractors and companies as much as possible. Also, a mining operation being conducted by a Japanese company theoretically, at least, would not be as susceptible to attack since Japan does not have a military presence in the country.

[girl gone mad]

11. Japan isn't the sole, or even the primary, country supposedly being rewarded.

Karzai addressed their status because it was the Japanese press asking the question. Nowhere did Karzai specify that Japan would be first in line, despite the headline.

[Art_from_Ark]

14. In the Japanese press, Karzai is quoted as saying

regarding the minerals in Afghanistan,
"これまで多大な支援をしてくれた日本を優先したい"
which translates as "I want to give Japan priority due to the tremendous amount of support Japan has given us so far"

He also said that he expects to get invest money from Japanese companies

http://oosugi.net/read/anchorage.2ch.net/bizplus/1276946457/l50

[girl gone mad]

10. That didn't factor in to the decision making, according to Karzai.

Here is the interview he gave - http://www.faz.net/s/Rub0CCA23BC3D3C4C78914F85BED3B53F3C/Doc~EC6AA84A29E36487D860188A2EB25E09F~ATpl~Ecommon~Scontent.html

Roughly from the German, his statement was:

"Afghanistan should first grant access to countries who have supported us massively in recent years"

In a follow up with the Tokyo press, he said Japan, as the second largest donor, was a welcome investment partner.

In other words, this is a little payback for supporting our puppet government. I don't buy it, however. I think the whole mineral "discovery" is designed as a carrot to keep the money flowing following recent news of civilian unrest.

[atreides1]

17. In other words

Karzai is being a politician.

[tblue]

2. I have a feeling we're gonna be there for the rest of my life at least.

Our men and women will continue to die for someone (not them) to control that wealth.

[howard112211]

7. They don't owe us anything. They did not ask us to come to their country.

[lib2DaBone]

8. Russia did a detailed study of Afghan Minerals back in the 80's

During Russia's occupation of Afghanistan back in the 80's.. they published a detailed report on minerals... this is nothing new. Russia still saw fit to leave the country.

I think this whole mineral thing is being dredged up by General Patreus and his close Neocon advisers to keep us in Afghanistan forever. (imho)

[Raster]

9. Russia saw fit to leave Afghanistan because they were thrown out by the Mudjadeen,

which were trained and provisioned by the American CIA, among others. I do, however concur with your end statement(s). The timing of this release of information to the American public is suspicious, and we will be in Afghanistan for a long time.

[panzerfaust]

12. one of whom was ... ?

[Raster]

15. Ossama Bin Laden

[JDPriestly]

29. Afghanistan bases right next to Iran, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan,

and Uzbekistan with Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Russian Federation relatively near. The promise of minerals appeals is supposed to appeal to our greed but the real reasons for being there are long-term strategic. That is my view.

Petraeus's job is just to hang in there. If the Taliban just relaxed and made a deal that permitted us to have a big military presence in the area, the fighting would probably stop. I think that the Taliban and the Muslim extremists have been confused by the extremely right-wing Christian antics of some of our troops and some of the rhetoric of the Bush administration.

Do we want to keep Al Qaeda out of Afghanistan? Yes. Do we want women to have some rights and dignity? Yes. But most of all, in my opinion, we want to have a safe spot for our troops and equipment in the area.

[BolivarianHero]

30. The USSR had no chance of winning that war...

They were not only fighting in a geographically nightmarish country (from the perspective of the attacker) that's been close to impossible to conquer, they were also dealing with the U.S., NATO, China, Saudi Arabia, or Pakistan. A Soviet victory would have been much better for the Afghan people than an Islamist victory for some of the same reasons that the secular parts of America are better than the Bible Belt.

[JackRiddler]

32. This information was "released" years ago. Obviously the rewarming is timed...

to justify the war.

In a way, it's refreshing when imperialism is honest.

[meow mix]

13. good luck with that lol

im sure it will all work out great!

[1776Forever]

16. Everyone of us should send this out to the Repub's who are screaming "War" & Drill baby Drill!

And say "How's that working out for you?"

:kick:

[Gman]

18. Looks like we will be in Afghanistan a whole lot longer

At least until Karzai capitulates to the US instead of Japan. Or until whoever succeeds Karzai after they assassinate him capitulates.

[kpete]

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

Source: Huffington Post


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

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.

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

[sakabatou]

20. Shouldn't the priority of who gets what first go to Afghanistan?

[Jennicut]

21. Yes, but they don't have the equipment and means to mine it. Of course, it is Karzai.

Corruption is not unusual with him.

[IndianaGreen]

23. Without American troops, Karzai's corpse would be dragged through the streets of Kabul

We should end our foolish and reckless wars and bring all the troops home. Let Karzai fend for himself!

[msongs]

22. since the US has evidently not "helped Afghanistan massively in the past few years..." ... nt

[IndianaGreen]

25. The Afghan people didn't get a dime of US aid

Only the warlords benefited from American largesse.

[notesdev]

24. Since we're not that much of a help

let's bring the boys home. TODAY.

[IndianaGreen]

26. I agree! Let's end this wasteful and reckless war.

Let's bring all the troops home.

Let Karzai deal with the Taliban.

[kpete]

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

This thread has been combined with another thread.

Click here to read this message in its new location.

[sam sarrha]

28. so i guess that means we should get the hell out.. it's their problem..

[crim son]

31. Fantastic.

I mean, it really is but I wonder how the U.S. will try to interfere.

[pinniped]

33. Either Afghanistan sits on the whale commission or they want to join it.

.

[Bonobo]

34. There should be a version of Godwin's Law for discussion of Japan.

Not everything relates to whaling, you know.

It's a big country.

Your statement makes you sound very, ummm, limited to put it nicely.