Buharry/Karamba The debate on this subject has been enlightening. One issue that perhaps needs more attention is infact the central issue in the so-called campaign in Afghanistan, ie the economic issue. As an American academic commentator said recently, the Gulf war was fought over oil by former president Bush and the current Afghan war is being fought over oil. The Taliban was seen a threat to western interets in the area extending from the Turkish Mediterranean to the Caspian sea. Although, the attack of September 11 was deplorable in every sense, the war in Afghanistan should be seen in broad economic terms. The presence of vast Oil and Gas reserves in the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea area makes this region one of the most dynamic in the world. It is believed that more 200 billion barrels exist in this region including Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan, a figure that is equivalent to the estimated reserves of both Iran and Iraq. For example, the Tengiz, oil field in Kazakhstan on the northeast shore of the Caspian, is being redeveloped by Chevron, Mobil, and the Kazakhstan government. Another leading British company, JKX is also active in oil prospecting in the Russian sector of the Caspian. That partly explains Blair’s active role in the so called campaign in Afghanistan. . The media hardly talks about this aspect of the campaign. AT _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>