Afghan Minerals Best Reason for U.S. to Stay in Country

U.S. President Donald Trump is considering extracting minerals from Afghanistan, suggesting it as a reason for U.S. to stay there.

The New York Times reports that Trump has been meeting with multiple people, including President Ashraf Ghani, about how to exploit Afghanistan’s mineral deposits

The Times offers this helpful background on the doomed quest to mine Afghanistan:

The lure of Afghanistan as a war-torn Klondike is well established: In 2006, the George W. Bush administration conducted aerial surveys of the country to map its mineral resources. Under President Barack Obama, the Pentagon set up a task force to try to build a mining industry in Afghanistan — a challenge that was stymied by rampant corruption, as well as security problems and the lack of roads, bridges or railroads.

None of these hurdles has been removed in the last eight years, according to former officials, and some have worsened.

In the meantime, spokesman of Afghan Ministry of Petroluem and Mining, Abdul Qadir Mutfi said, “We are ready to provide facilities for those companies that are looking for investments.”

Afghans are also said to believe that mining in Afghanistan is beneficial for economic development and security.

“Investments of foreign countries are very good for Afghanistan but they should be under monitor of global countries,” said Sayed Akram Afzali, chief of Afghanistan transparency watchdog.

Others advising Trump include billionaire Stephen A. Feinberg, whose army of mercenaries, DynCorp International, could guard the mines and possibly avoid sending in more American Troops, an idea Trump does not like.