Pipeline opens new front in Afghan war

[Postman]

http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080619.wafghanpipeline19/BNStory/Afghanistan

The so-called Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipeline has strong support from Washington because the U.S. government is eager to block a competing pipeline that would bring gas to Pakistan and India from Iran.

The pipeline proposal goes back to the 1990s, when the Taliban government held talks with California-based Unocal Corp. – and its U.S. government backer – while considering a competing bid by Argentina's Bridas Corp. Those U.S.-Taliban talks broke down in August, 2001. India, which desperately needs natural gas imports to fuel its growth, later joined the revived project.

Last week, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher said the U.S. government has a “fundamental strategic interest” in Afghanistan that goes well beyond ensuring it is not used as a launching pad for terrorism, which was the original justification for the UN-sanctioned NATO mission of which Canada is a part.

“From the U.S. viewpoint, the idea of blocking Iran is of paramount significance,” he said.

As well, the United States is pushing the TAPI pipeline as one of several natural gas export options from Central Asia that would bypass Russia, which until now has maintained a stranglehold on gas exports from the region.

But Dr. Blank – who has written extensively on energy-related geopolitics in the region – said he doesn't believe the TAPI pipeline will be built any time soon due to security concerns.

Still, the project is seen as a key part of Afghanistan's strategic development plan, which Canada and its NATO partners have endorsed as critical to establishing its political stability.
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....maybe those "security concerns" were addressed earlier with Obama's escalation in Afghanistan...

[donheld]

1. Just as I suspected

[JohnyCanuck]

2. Probably easier to get the cannon fodder on board with.....

"We gotta send you to war on the other side of the world to risk life and limb in order to protect our freedom and democracy from evil-doing, fanatical terrorists," than "We gotta send you to war on the other side of the world to risk life and limb in order to secure a pipeline route."

[unhappycamper]

3. I doubt we can pay enough or get enough boots on the ground to

secure that pipeline. It just ain't gonna happen.

[NNN0LHI]

5. With 10% unemployment?

Surely you jest?

Don

[FarCenter]

4. The other problem is that Pakistan and India hate each other

I think it is doubtful that either the Iran-Pakistan-India or Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipelines will be built.

More likely, they will continue to develop LNG and oil transport directly from Iran to India via ship. Alternatively, a direct undersea pipeline has been floated.

Meanwhile, studies are also going on with regard to piping gas from Myanmar.