On Sat, 28 Mar 2009 19:19:32 -0700 (PDT) Chris Doss
<lookoverhere1 at yahoo.com> writes:
>
> I know you don't want to hear this, but none of Afghanistan's
> neighbors want the US to leave. Iran, Russia, and China must not
> have gotten the news that the war in Afghanistan is really about
> controlling energy supplies. Actually, US forces in Afghanistan are
> being supplied through Russia, which for some reason seems to want
> to encourage US efforts to undermine Russia's position as an energy
> provider. Ah, the mysterious Russian soul!
>
>
> --- On Sat, 3/28/09, C. G. Estabrook <galliher at illinois.edu> wrote:
By having the US tied up in Afghanistan, countries like Russia, China, and Iran get to have the best of both worlds. On the one hand the US presence in Afghanistan prevents the Taliban from retaking full control of that country, and thus reestablishing a militantly Islamist state that would pose a threat to Russia and China, both of which have suffered from Islamist unrest in the past. Iran is, of course itself an Islamist state, but it is Shi'ite rather than Sunni, so they regard the Taliban as enemies.
On the other hand, the US war in Afghanistan is likely to evolve into another quagmire, tying up the US, while draining it in terms of blood and treasure. Therefore, the US will be less able to cause mischief elsewhere that might pose a threat to the interests of Russia, China, or Iran. Regardless of what eventually happens in Afghanistan, it basically a no lose proposition for these three countries.
Jim Farmelant ____________________________________________________________ Learn more about study preparation tools for a successful GMAT score. http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/BLSrjpTEZWPv0HMFeGHZC2RG6UXwVl6qks0csjushVrlQ8KsCnqHAyRQAVa/