Afghanistan and China sign multi-billion oil development deal

[Pedzie]

Why is 25.000 US troops based in Saudi Arabia? And has been since the end of the 1st Gulf war, ...

I thought US military personnel left Saudi almost a decade ago.

So they say....The same amount of US Army personnel still have a presence in the region and are expanding!

[Credo]

Terrorist organizations and Middle Eastern Governments aren't as stupid as some would like to believe. The terrorists focus on Saudi Arabia because of the importance of the religious sights as well as the wealth of oil. The US does so for economic reasons. The terrorists hid in Afghanistan, but remained a threat.

The US has little interest in the oil in Pakistan and Afghanistan. It will not be easily or readily extracted. Let those closer to the region develop what resources may or may not be there.

Oil is a global commodity. An interruption anywhere will cause an increase in oil prices everywhere.

If there is stability in the region, which is doubtful in the short term, then let the Chinese go ahead and assist in developing the resources. If the locals hate the US, I doubt they will feel a strong affection for the Chinese.

[chuckd]

Why is 25.000 US troops based in Saudi Arabia? And has been since the end of the 1st Gulf war, my gues is to secure the current regime there and also safegaurd the oli supplies, but after hearing some news yesterday Iran plans to block of the honiz straight, therefore blocking oil supplies to the west...

Sorry, you are wrong. The US military mission in Saudi Arabia was downsized immediately after Gulf War I. It is now and has been for many years a US Military Training Mission.

I know because I worked closely with the USMTM for nearly two decades.

Afghanistan was not about the oil, what there is of it.

[Pedzie]

The US still has a presence in the whole region. and it's not about stealing oil, maybe its about the regions stability since most the worlds oil come from the region. Even though The US has own supply from Canada and elsewhere, global oil supply needs to be protected at all cost

The pipeline that needs to build from Central Asia ' through Afganistan and Pakistan' to the reach the sea which can only be built my the Americans, they have the know how and military muscle to do. Most of the oil that will flow from this pipeline will probably end up in China. We all require oil, its everyones concern that the prices stays down for the black stuff, even if this means other invading countries for it!

[chuckd]

The US still has a presence in the whole region. and it's not about stealing oil, maybe its about the regions stability since most the worlds oil come from the region. Even though The US has own supply from Canada and elsewhere, global oil supply needs to be protected at all cost

The pipeline that needs to build from Central Asia ' through Afganistan and Pakistan' to the reach the sea which can only be built my the Americans, they have the know how and military muscle to do. Most of the oil that will flow from this pipeline will probably end up in China. We all require oil, its everyones concern that the prices stays down for the black stuff, even if this means other invading countries for it!

Yes, the US military has a presence in the region. They have troops in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and the USMTM in Saudi. They do not have 25,000 in Saudi, however.

The price of oil affects the economy of the entire world, not only the US.

[koheesti]

The pipeline that needs to build from Central Asia ' through Afganistan and Pakistan' to the reach the sea which can only be built my the Americans, they have the know how and military muscle to do.

I wasn't aware that the USA built all the world's oil pipelines. Then we really should be getting a discount.

[Pedzie]

The pipeline that needs to build from Central Asia ' through Afganistan and Pakistan' to the reach the sea which can only be built my the Americans, they have the know how and military muscle to do.

I wasn't aware that the USA built all the world's oil pipelines. Then we really should be getting a discount.

I never said ' all of the worlds pipelines' The pipeline that needs to be built thru this region is a massive challenge, through mountains and through countries that are in conflict. Haliburton does have the know how to do this. They say the natural oil reserves that are in Central Asia would at least match what Saudi Arabia holds. You wonder why the US has a presence in the region, surely it's not just to fight the Taliban !!

[Pedzie]

The US still has a presence in the whole region. and it's not about stealing oil, maybe its about the regions stability since most the worlds oil come from the region. Even though The US has own supply from Canada and elsewhere, global oil supply needs to be protected at all cost

The pipeline that needs to build from Central Asia ' through Afganistan and Pakistan' to the reach the sea which can only be built my the Americans, they have the know how and military muscle to do. Most of the oil that will flow from this pipeline will probably end up in China. We all require oil, its everyones concern that the prices stays down for the black stuff, even if this means other invading countries for it!

Yes, the US military has a presence in the region. They have troops in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and the USMTM in Saudi. They do not have 25,000 in Saudi, however.

The price of oil affects the economy of the entire world, not only the US.

Indeed this is correct, the more oil that comes out of this region then the cheaper oil will be for all of us, look what happened to Gaddafi, surely you are not one of these people who thinks NATO assisted in the toppling of this despotic regime for humanitarian purposes! If Libya's true potential was realised with its vast natural resources then gasoline/petrol would become a whole lot cheaper worldwide!