The homies over at We Are Respectable Negroes issued a challenge recently.
They asked the black blogosphere to take a break from "racism chasing" and take a look at something larger. In this case, this story about an ocean of mineral deposits being found in Afghanistan. The theory was that sometimes we get so caught up in the way race impacts our world, we forget that it can be used as a distraction.
I couldn't agree more.
I wonder if this discovery gives credence to the "conspiracy theories" surrounding 9/11 and the War on Terror. I know that the fact that Afghanistan has the potential to become super-rich makes the presence of all those American corporations and troops in the country very disturbing. Global power brokers may not be facilitating this war to line their pockets, but it sure seems to be the most likely explanation.
Regular readers know I don't spend much time on politics or world events. I moved away from that after President Obama's election because I didn't want to get caught up in chronicling the latest political salvo. And honestly, I didn't really feel comfortable talking too much about certain topics given my lack of knowledge, and unwillingness to get educated.
But, I felt this was something we all needed to be aware of and consider, particularly with a black man in the white house. I will be interested to see how he handles this new situation. I wonder what moves he'll make and how it will affect the war.
Honestly, I'm not informed enough about the issue to have definite opinions but I thought the information was worth passing. It behooves us as black folks to be aware of the large-scale changes occurring in our world because they will drive the smaller changes that affect us so deeply. How power is accumulated and doled out will always have an impact on our lives. I'm not an expert, but I do spend time listening to folks with a level of expertise.
You should too.
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7 comments:
Glad to hear someone else is clueless at times and is willing to admit it, lol.
Peace, Love and Chocolate
Tiffany
Probably means we'll be there longer, as the potential threat that the Taliban will attempt to seize minerals, wealth and power will likely give an excuse to remain and "help" the existing government "develop" the resources for our...I mean "their" benefit.
I always looked at 9/11 as being akin to Operation Northwoods, in other words, as being orchestrated by the US to garner support for a "War on Terror" (which basically amounts to a War on Islam). This "discovery" has sealed the deal for me! The fact that 99% of US citizens (including myself) had no idea that these mineral deposits have been under study since the EIGHTIES, proves to me that they provided the impetus for the US to invade Afghanistan, which of course required a MAJOR event (such as 9/11) to occur so that the US public would not realize they were simply being bamboozled into believing the US had some lofty goals when invaded Afghanistan, when in truth, our goal was to gain control over the natural resources. I wrote about this today... the US will not CLAIM these resources for itself, but you better believe the US will be the one in control!
I never believe that whole "fighting for democracy" nonsense that the Bush White House parroted nonstop. Both of the wars, in Afghanistan and Iraq were about gaining access to natural resources, plain and simple. But the PR agency hired to sell these wars to the American people knew that wouldn't go down well ~ so that's when the rebranded "fighting the terrorists on their home soil to prevent them from coming to American shores" was born.
The only thing I'm surprised about is ~ that it took this long for the "real" story to emerge.
Just want to let folks know this is not a DISCOVERY; Afghanistan's mineral wealth has been known for several years, perhaps decades (depends on what the Soviet Union knew when they were trying so hard to colonize the country). American geologists who compiled the information for our government have come right out and said it's probably a factor in our being there in the first place. When I read the "discovery" story, I felt sick. We seem poised to strip mine the country, enslave workers, etc. and to dress it all up in a "poor country makes good" package.
Here's a link you might want to check out:
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/06/no-the-military-didnt-just-discover-an-afghan-mineral-motherlode/
And here's an excerpt from that link, with references to news stories in the LA Times, AP and a Seattle newspaper:
At least two American geologists have been advising the Pentagon on Afghanistan’s wealth of mineral resources for years. Bonita Chamberlin, a geologist who spent 25 years working in Afghanistan, “identified 91 minerals, metals and gems at 1,407 potential mining sites,” the Los Angeles Times reported in 2001. In 1995, she even co-wrote a book, “Gemstones in Afghanistan,” on the topic. And Chamberlin worked directly with the Pentagon, after they commissioned her to report on sandstone and limestone caves mere weeks after 9/11.
“I am quite surprised that the military is announcing this as some ‘new’ and ’surprising” discovery,’ she told Danger Room in an e-mail. “This is NOT new. Perhaps this also hints at the real reason why we would be so intent on this war.”
And Jack Shroder, a geologist at the University of Nebraska, told the Associated Press in 2001 that mineral deposits in Afghanistan were so rich, they could be vital in rebuilding the country. He’s collaborated with Pentagon officials since the 1970s, when he worked on mapping the country. In 2002, Shroder was approached by several American companies who hoped to start mining the area.
It’s not clear exactly what those experts shared with military honchos, but the Pentagon’s knowledge of Afghanistan’s minerals clearly preceded the 2004 discovery of “an intriguing series of old charts and data,” as the Times reports. In 2002, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported that the U.S. Department of Interior’s Mineral Yearbook, among other atlases, noted Afghanistan’s “significant deposits of gold, precious stones and other minerals waiting to be mined.”
TLS
A regular reader, Cnu, posted a link to something he had on his blog several years ago about the mineral deposits.
It was all new information to me, but I agree that doesn't mean it is new to the people who are poised to exploit it. They are usually quite a few steps ahead of the general public.
Big Man--
It was new to me, too. My son sent me that link (he's a grassroots community organizer for an alternative radio station and hooked into more info than I am).
But that's the point, isn't it? The Pentagon tells the media they've "discovered" something that will "help" Afghanistan and the media regurgitates it for us, its gape-mouthed baby birds that apparently will swallow anything feed us.
That's why your blog and the Internet in general is so important--only way for us to spit it back out!
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