The nature of modern imperialism
You may have heard about the mineral and vast resources discoveries in Afghanistan but despite the fact that the United States has pledged to aid Pakistanis with their mining operations some mines are deserted in areas once controlled by the Taliban. The Taliban took a large part of the profits of the workers but at least they gave the people a chance for employment. This article was written over a year ago and talks about how the Taliban shared the profits
"Taliban jihad against West funded by emeralds from Pakistan" 04 Apr 2009
This was written just a few days ago (It is currently June 24 2010 as I am writing this). This is over a year after the first article and mines in Pakistan are still deserted, and people in the article say that at least the Taliban shared profits. Currently the United States has pledged to help but the mining that is going on is still primative dangerous and wasteful
"With US help, miners dig in at former Taliban base" By CHRIS BRUMMITT , 06.21.10
If it sounds naive to say that the United States should be doing what they can to help the people, then why are we their in the first place? But it is not our job to look after their economy, we are just there to chase after terrorists? People in Pakistan want to mine and I assume people in Afghanistan want to mine too, the profits will help the poor, help build schools and the people will not have to worry about being oppressed by the Taliban or feel that they need the Taliban for protection to continue mining operations. I think that the resources in Afghanistan will be used as an excuse to protect the people from being exploited by the Chinese and the Taliban and the minerals will not be mined to their fullest capacity.
For anyone reading this, do you really believe that after all of this time the U.S. is going to reverse it's policies in Afghanistan and turn it from an economy dependent on aid and opium to something else? The state of the economy can't be because it just happens to be unstable it is because U.S. policies are creating this instability. I have a hard time believing that the Taliban can give a better business environment. In the first article it was stated that the mines are a blessing to the poor, this is extremely important because the mines give more possibility for the people to rise up and not need protection from anyone. Again the United States more than anyone else is suppressing the use of these mines again the people themselves see them as an opportunity read the first two articles
"U.S. Identifies Vast Mineral Riches in Afghanistan" By JAMES RISEN June 13, 2010
From this article:
"The value of the newly discovered mineral deposits dwarfs the size of Afghanistan’s existing war-bedraggled economy, which is based largely on opium production and narcotics trafficking as well as aid from the United States and other industrialized countries. Afghanistan’s gross domestic product is only about $12 billion"
I will be talking more about agricultural subsidies in the future and how the driving down of prices on different crops leads to loss of income and even hunger in many developing countries because income loss becomes greater than the fall in the price of food. This article from almost a year ago talks about how almond production rose 20% but price fell 40%! This means farmers will have a harder time staying in business, as they go bankrupt production in the country falls and the price rises. I would be assume it would be something like 20% or more loss in production with a 40% or higher rise in price (but I would assume both of these statistics would be higher)This article talks about how the opportunity of processing almonds would mean more benefit to the farmer and more revenue to the government. Obviously this would help supplant the opium, drugs and narcotics and offer stability.
"AFGHANISTAN: Low almond prices hit farmers" KABUL, 26 August 2009
The people want to process almonds and at least in Pakistan they want to mine. The foreign minister of Pakistan even said his top three goals were "market access, market access, market access". Pro American Pakistani people want access to world markets and have wanted it for a long time.
"US textile tariffs hurting poorest and Muslim countries, says think tank" Ibrahim_mahmood Aug 12, 2009
"Nicholas Kristof: Fight terrorism by building schools, lowering tariffs" By Nicholas D. Kristof May 14, 2010
"Taliban jihad against West funded by emeralds from Pakistan" 04 Apr 2009
This was written just a few days ago (It is currently June 24 2010 as I am writing this). This is over a year after the first article and mines in Pakistan are still deserted, and people in the article say that at least the Taliban shared profits. Currently the United States has pledged to help but the mining that is going on is still primative dangerous and wasteful
"With US help, miners dig in at former Taliban base" By CHRIS BRUMMITT , 06.21.10
If it sounds naive to say that the United States should be doing what they can to help the people, then why are we their in the first place? But it is not our job to look after their economy, we are just there to chase after terrorists? People in Pakistan want to mine and I assume people in Afghanistan want to mine too, the profits will help the poor, help build schools and the people will not have to worry about being oppressed by the Taliban or feel that they need the Taliban for protection to continue mining operations. I think that the resources in Afghanistan will be used as an excuse to protect the people from being exploited by the Chinese and the Taliban and the minerals will not be mined to their fullest capacity.
For anyone reading this, do you really believe that after all of this time the U.S. is going to reverse it's policies in Afghanistan and turn it from an economy dependent on aid and opium to something else? The state of the economy can't be because it just happens to be unstable it is because U.S. policies are creating this instability. I have a hard time believing that the Taliban can give a better business environment. In the first article it was stated that the mines are a blessing to the poor, this is extremely important because the mines give more possibility for the people to rise up and not need protection from anyone. Again the United States more than anyone else is suppressing the use of these mines again the people themselves see them as an opportunity read the first two articles
"U.S. Identifies Vast Mineral Riches in Afghanistan" By JAMES RISEN June 13, 2010
From this article:
"The value of the newly discovered mineral deposits dwarfs the size of Afghanistan’s existing war-bedraggled economy, which is based largely on opium production and narcotics trafficking as well as aid from the United States and other industrialized countries. Afghanistan’s gross domestic product is only about $12 billion"
I will be talking more about agricultural subsidies in the future and how the driving down of prices on different crops leads to loss of income and even hunger in many developing countries because income loss becomes greater than the fall in the price of food. This article from almost a year ago talks about how almond production rose 20% but price fell 40%! This means farmers will have a harder time staying in business, as they go bankrupt production in the country falls and the price rises. I would be assume it would be something like 20% or more loss in production with a 40% or higher rise in price (but I would assume both of these statistics would be higher)This article talks about how the opportunity of processing almonds would mean more benefit to the farmer and more revenue to the government. Obviously this would help supplant the opium, drugs and narcotics and offer stability.
"AFGHANISTAN: Low almond prices hit farmers" KABUL, 26 August 2009
The people want to process almonds and at least in Pakistan they want to mine. The foreign minister of Pakistan even said his top three goals were "market access, market access, market access". Pro American Pakistani people want access to world markets and have wanted it for a long time.
"US textile tariffs hurting poorest and Muslim countries, says think tank" Ibrahim_mahmood Aug 12, 2009
"Nicholas Kristof: Fight terrorism by building schools, lowering tariffs" By Nicholas D. Kristof May 14, 2010
