15.06.2010 ~ Afghanatar

Just when I thought the news from Afghanistan wouldn't surprise me:

WASHINGTON The United States has discovered nearly $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, far beyond any previously known reserves and enough to fundamentally alter the Afghan economy and perhaps the Afghan war itself, according to senior American government officials.

The previously unknown deposits including huge veins of iron, copper, cobalt, gold and critical industrial metals like lithium are so big and include so many minerals that are essential to modern industry that Afghanistan could eventually be transformed into one of the most important mining centers in the world, the United States officials believe.
--- NY Times (13/06/2010) [1]

Remember when Avatar came out about six months ago and every Tom, Dick and Harry with a political view compared events in the movie to today's post War on Terrorism political climate, even some Palestinians tried to publicize their plight by dressing up as Na'vi!

Personally I don't like people who try to tie current events in with works of science fiction but this one instance is an exception to the rule.

I agree with them, there might as well have been unobtainium discovered there!

I could compare the similarities between the plot of Avatar which concerns a private corporation mining a planet with a complete disregard for the natives to the countless international mining companies that will want to turn Afghanistan into one big opencast mine (to mine the resources for the Afghan people of course) but I'd rather refer to the hundreds of discontented fans who felt depressed and suicidal because they couldn't experience the wonders of such a Utopian planet with natives who live in harmony with nature.

Shouldn't these people now see Afghanistan as a beacon of hope?

The situation over there may soon resemble the basic plot of Avatar and for these rich white westerners who are already suicidal as a result of their gray technological and consumer driven lifestyles.

Maybe a trip into the rural plains of Afghanistan will give them the out of world experience they need in their lives, they will of course have to avoid the land mines and roving bands of Taliban fighters*, or maybe join them in their ideals and fight the invaders like John Walker did!

*But that probably wouldn't matter if they are suicidal enough to go out there in the first place.