Issues Under Fire: Beijing and Kabul Eagerly Await US/NATO Exit

Issues Under Fire: Beijing and Kabul Eagerly Await US/NATO Exit

The New Beijing/Kabul Cooperative 

Drowned out by incessantly inane chatter generated over US' 2012 elections, is the moves the Chinese are making to increase influence in Afghanistan. In the first visit to the war torn nation since 1966, China’s top security official Zhou Yongkang made the first high-level trip to Afghanistan to meet President Hamid Karzai in Kabul. 

It should be noted, that Karzai met with Hu Jintao in Beijing June of this year to discuss the implementation of a strategic cooperation agreement that Karzai signed with his Chinese counterpart. This four-hour visit on Saturday, in the secretive trip was reportedly for the purpose of "shoring up ties between the neighbours" according to China’s Xinhua news agency. 

Why Afghanistan is suddenly China's next BFF, one can only speculate, but the smart money says they're simply preparing to fill the void the Americans will leave in 2014. China, sharing a 76-kilometre border with Afghanistan’s far northeast, has thus far secured major oil and copper mining concessions in Afghanistan, which is believed to have more than $1 trillion worth of minerals. Plus, a $hit load of rare earth minerals/metals 

After all the blood, treasure and time wasted in Afghanistan, only to find the U.S. leaving the spoils to Beijing and others, has to be disconcerting to the say the least. We're wondering how the U.S. State Department is going to spin this impending outcome. 

Watching the steady erosion of U.S influence in the region and beyond, its imperative the dunderheads in Congress cease and desist all the withhold aid to Egypt and Libya chatter. These two upstart democracies maybe the last few "cooperative associates" the U.S. can maintain open dependable relations going forward. 

To prematurely yank assistance away from struggling moderate voices, before they've had sufficient time to form a vision and determine a direction, will only provide an opening for extremist to force a vision and direction on them. Congressional hotheads and political hacks must be assisted in understanding that foreign aide is an essential investment for future alliances in a world where alliances rule.