Again... the Bund is right.

In June I made the observation that Afghanistan was a wealth for investment into mineral resources, sitting atop $1 trillion in untapped gold, silver, copper, tin, coal and rare-earth reserves. I also cited a report that said that only ONE mineral contract would put the much needed cash into the Afghan government's pockets to do the needed improvements to their national irrigation system, allow the country to double its arable acreage in less than two years.

That prediction has come true.

China has signed an agreement allowing as many as 10,000 Chinese workers to go to Afghanistan, mine the mountains for rare earth metals (a high price component for any defense or technical production facility), and is promising a "partnership" with the Afghans in the development of the mining industry.

Once again, the West (and specifically the US) is late in taking the lead... and to the victor goes the spoils. The US/UK/NATO spends 9 years and more than half a trillion dollars in defeating and pacifying the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan, and who is the first to reap the benefits of that expense of blood and treasure?

China.