What the real reason why US is in Afghanistan? Options

[elite3]

We all know by now that historians will look upon the Iraq and Afghanistan wars with a strategic goal in mind.

We all know by now that the Iraq war was motivated by US desire to keep the US dollar the main reserve currency by pressuring OPEC to use the dollar as the standard for oil transactions. Since everyone needs oil, everyone builds up US dollar reserves, which allows US to keep printing money, to finance their outrageous spending budgets. Iraq, with it's 2nd largest proven oil reserves after SA, threatened to dump US Dollars for Euros, which would have seriously undermined US economic dominance in the oil trade.

Why is the Afghanistan war fought?

Geopolitically, it makes sense to establish a permanent strategic military presence in order to ensure US presence in Central Asia.

Why is Central Asia important? Because the Shanghai alliance between Russia-China hindges on influence in the region.

Don't know what the Shanghai alliance is? Google SCO.
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My personal thoughts and feelings: The potential Russia-China SCO alliance poses a much bigger threat than Afghanistan training base for "little-bitty-itty" terrorist attacks. US wants to be a major player in Central Asia, and wants a permanent foothold in Asia in general in order to counteract the potential Russia-China influence in Central aSia.

If Iraq/Afghanistan war persist, the US will spend $3 trillion dollars combined for each of the two wars. We must ask ourselves, Is the threat of WMDs and rag-tag-bandits living in caves in Afghanistan, worth $3 trillion dollars (20% of US GDP)?

There has to be a strategic motive involving Geopolitical incentives...

Conclusion: Afghanistan war is anti-China in nature... seeking to contain and stem China's broadening influence with Russia over the plains of Central Asia. See it as a preemptive first move (A queen takes over the pawn in preparation for a checkmate on Russia/China's doorstep)...

This post has been edited by elite3: May 12 2010, 10:51 PM

[Sampanviking]

If you want to understand the leadership of the US, simply think of them as the worlds largest, most powerful and successful narcotics gangsters and then look where they go in the world and how they behave, both abroad and at home.

Afghanistan is a major Opium production zone, but by the end of the last century, the Taliban had seriously reduced the supply. Now, despite the worlds policeman and his overwhelming firepower being on the ground, output is back to; if not surpassing, pre Taliban levels.

Do you think that this is in-spite of, or because of, the US presence?