GENETIC THREAT ALERT - AFGHANISTAN ! (MF DOGS !!!)

[amrad]

In the area I live most of us grow heritage varieties that have been grown in this area for close to a hundred years now and all organically. Every spring we get together and have a big social gathering where we exchange seeds, get to meet new people and talk plants. I havent bought seeds in quite a while for most garden veggies like garlic carrots lettuce beans potatoes squash, and ya cannabis, ect. Even the grain farmer here grow organic, and most if not all are now growing old strains that have done well here in the past. Its kind of cool, because come winter we all go to our locale grain farmers and pay him for a part of his harvest for the upcoming season. This gives him the capital to grow for that year.
The best way to put an end to Agrabusiness like Monsanto is to grow your own food. You would be supprised what you can grow even on the deck of a modest apartment.

 

[g0vnaa]

Hm I think someone with 1 ton of Deep Chunk seeds shout travel to Afganistan and give them to the local growers
Now that would be awesome

Also I was thinking something similar for the African continent.
People there are so pure and have nice conditions to grow cannabis.

They just need a big supply of nice sativas ( Thias, Colmbians, Local African strains, maybe some Hazes to ) and someone to earn them to grow them and maybe make hash.
Importing hash can give some extremely boosts to the local economics and will save millions of lives maybe.

 

[supervaca]

Some links on the matter:
http://www.ww4report.com/node/8632

And YES, imagine who developed this Fusarium Oxisporum vicious mutant strain for Uncle Sam:


OMG, not Monsanto !!
Maybe from their experiments mutating south-american fusarium from banana plants...
And they have huge interests in that little fungus, like:

http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/monsanto121503.cfm

It's been used in Colombia, Irak
http://ww4report.com/static/69.html#iraq7
, etc....

It is well known fusarium can easily evolve (imagine a mutant strain...) and become very dangerous to human and animal population.

http://motherjones.com/environment/2000/05/drug-control-or-biowarfare

Can easily produce loss of vision (cornea, sory for my english) , specially in children not so well feeded.

Some info (from 2000):

http://www.sunshine-project.org/publications/pr/pr020500.html

...Land of the free, home of the brave...

 

[ChynaRyder]

wow, what a sad and revolting story...I apologize to the world for what our government has wrought.

the only good thing that can be said about the Obama administration is that he has finally awoken the American people up from the coma they have been existing in. Uncle Sam is WAY out of control, and I believe that serious changes are now coming...What a fucking disgrace.

I suffer from a chronic illness that my government has unleashed on the world...Dont think for a minute that Lyme disease is some new fangled bug that just happened to show up in the early 70's and started to destroy peoples lives...I have no doubt that the American government is responsible for what is happening to the the opium crop. Green Revolution indeed, it is happening, I see it all around me. If you are not awake now, maybe this story will help.

 

[pine boy]

I found this on our forum hitting the new post button a while back .Its not anything I researched or anything .I just found it important enough to save on my visitors page.
It is possible pertainant to the O.P.and every farmer on the planet.

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showpost.php?p=3462392&postcount=1

1
Killing Cannabis with mycoherbicides
John M. McPartland
VAM/AMRITA, 53 Washington Street Extension, Middlebury, VT 05753, USA
e-mail: john.mcpartland@vtmednet.org, phone: 802-388-0575, fax: 802-382-8845
David West
GamETec, 363 S. Warren Street, Prescott, WI 54021, USA
McPartland, John M. and David West 1999. Killing Cannabis with mycoherbicides Journal of the International Hemp Association 6(1): 1, 4-8. Last year, researchers were funded by the U.S. government to create fungi that destroy drug plants, including marijuana (Cannabis). The fungi will be genetically engineered. Controversies surrounding this "new solution" for the war on drugs are discussed, including the ethics of exterminating plant species that have occupied central roles in human culture for thousands of years. The importation of foreign fungi into new habitats is fraught with unpredictable environmental pitfalls; exotic pathogens can spread from their intended targets to other organisms. All known pathogens of marijuana also attack hemp; exterminating drug plants will probably spell the demise of the valuable and resurgent fiber and oil-seed crop. Genetically transformed fungi are genetically unstable and mutate easily. Fungi with recombinant DNA may reproduce with native fungi and create new strains of virulent, transgenic pathogens. Once these pathogens are released in the environment, they cannot be recalled. In summary, research involving transgenic pathogens of Cannabis is a dangerous misuse of biotechnology, and should be the subject of an immediate moratorium.


Figure 1. Healthy marijuana seedling (C) flanked by plants exposed to pathogenic fungi (P.g. and M.p.).
Introduction
The U.S. Congress recently appropriated $23 million dollars to fund a "new solution" for the war on drugs. The new solution attacks drugs at their source — the drug plants. Researchers say they can eliminate drug plants with fungal pathogens. The fungi would be genetically engineered to kill only coca plants (Erythroxylon sp.), opium poppies (Papaver sp.), and marijuana (Cannabis sp.).
Rep. Bill McCollum, who introduced the appropriation bill, described the tactic as "a silver bullet in the drug war" (Fields 1998). The development of transgenic coca and opium pathogens began several years ago, but previous appropriations were relatively small (the 1998 budget was $2.58 million). This year McCollum expanded the program to include marijuana, and moved the budget’s decimal point to the right.
A fungal weapon (Fig. 1) for the war on drugs is not new. Millions of dollars were spent in the 1970s in a world-wide search for fungi which would attack coca (Lentz et al. 1975), poppies (Schmitt and Lipscomb 1975), or marijuana (Ghani et al. 1978). It was a strange era for plant pathologists. While researchers around the globe attacked the pathogens of poppies and hemp, US-funded scientists reversed the strategy — they attacked poppies and hemp with these same pathogens (Doctor 1986).
Renewed interest in fungal pathogens for the "war on drugs" is of great concern. The law-enforcement lobby wishes to exterminate three plant species that have occupied central roles in human culture for thousands of years. Are the targeted plants inescapably evil? Are there no alternative means for reducing their dangers to humans? Reported herein are the ethical and scientific controversies pertinent to this issue, framed for consideration by academia, state and federal government agencies, and others interested in genetically engineered organisms, biological control, and the drug war (Cook et al. 1996).
Killer fungi
Experiments with fungi to control plants began in the late 1960s. The initial targets were noxious agricultural weeds that had been accidentally imported from one region of the world into another, where they became more aggressive because their natural enemies were often absent. Hence, the classical strategy for biocontrol of weeds involves the importation of natural enemies from their native ranges. Classical biocontrol generally enjoys wide approval and is used by organic agriculture, although the strategy does have its critics (Howarth 1991).
Classical biocontrol of marijuana was originally envisioned by Arthur McCain in 1970 (Shay 1975). McCain, a professor at the University of California-Berkeley, suggested, "Just introduce a couple of pounds [of a pathogenic fungus] into an area, and while it wouldn’t have much of an effect the first year, in several years it would spread throughout the country with devastating results" (Zubrin 1981). In reality, however, classical biocontrol rarely extirpates a weed, it merely reduces the weed population to a low level (Watson 1991). Reduction without eradication is acceptable for most agricultural weeds, but is unacceptable for "zero tolerance" drug control, which seeks the complete eradication of a crop.
The other biocontrol strategy, inundative release, is also called the mycoherbicide approach. This strategy releases massive amounts of fungal spores upon target plants. The mycoherbicide approach can totally eradicate a field of drug plants. This approach, however, utilizes a delivery system similar to that of chemical herbicides — such as hovering over clandestine fields in a helicopter while releasing the control agent. Thus the mycoherbicide approach, compared to the current herbicide strategy, is equally expensive, exposes pilots to equal danger as they hover over fields, and may require retreatment of annual crops. The mycoherbicide approach is not the suggested "silver bullet."
Fear of foreigners
The importation of foreign fungi into new habitats is fraught with controversy. Once a self-perpetuating fungus has been released, it is impossible to recall or control (Lockwood 1993). Despite host-range testing to identify potential nontarget hosts, exotic fungi can spread from their intended targets to other plants. The entire flora of a continent may ultimately be exposed, especially if the fungus produces wind-borne spores (Auld 1991). Because of this concern, only two exotic fungi have ever been intentionally imported into North America—Puccinia chondrillina and Puccinia carduorum.
Fear of "collateral damage" to nontarget plants is justified. When Puccinia xanthii, considered a selective pathogen of Xanthium weeds, was imported into Australia from North America, the fungus spread to sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) and Calendula officinalis (Auld 1991). Native fungi sold as mycoherbicides may also spread to new hosts after release. For example, Colletotrichum gloesporioides f. sp. aeschynomene (Collego®), one of only three mycoherbicide fungi commercially available in the U.S., has a wider host range than originally determined, including several economically important legumes (TeBeest 1988).
The situation with insects is comparable to that with fungi. Turner (1985) estimated that 21% of biocontrol insects intentionally introduced into North America have spread to non-target native plants. For instance, the beetle Chrysolina quadrigemina was imported into North America to kill weedy St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum), but it subsequently moved to the ornamental species Hypericum calycinum (Turner 1985). Howarth (1991) described nearly 100 cases where errant biocontrols have driven non-target hosts to extinction, mostly in island ecosystems. Howarth claimed that more species extinctions have been caused by biocontrols than by pesticides.
Non-target hosts at greatest risk to exotic biocontrol fungi include:

plants phylogenetically related to the target species,
plants with secondary compounds or morphological features similar to the target species,
plants attacked by fungi related to the biocontrol fungus,
plants never exposed to the biocontrol fungus,
plants whose fungal pathogens are unknown (Watson 1991).
The study of fungus-host specificity is site-dependent. That is, each potential release site has its own unique flora, fauna, and climatic conditions. Sites with a high degree of biodiversity, such as Amazonia, are teeming with potential non-target hosts. Studies of tropical sites are very complicated and become susceptible to errors of tremendous consequence. The potential spread of fungi away from release sites must also be taken under consideration. Biocontrol agents do not recognize international boundaries, yet host specificity studies rarely consider non-target hosts in neighboring countries (Lockwood 1993).
In the case of pathogens of Cannabis, the non-target host at greatest risk, because of its close phylogenetic relationship to Cannabis, is hop (Humulus lupulus). At least 10 fungal pathogens are known to mutually infect Cannabis and Humulus (McPartland 1992). The next closest relatives are the Urticaceae (members of the nettle family) and the Moraceae (mulberry family), with which Cannabis shares at least 20 fungal pathogens (McPartland 1992).
The species debate
The non-target host at greatest risk is Cannabis itself. Within the genus we find plants cultivated for drugs (marijuana), or for fiber or seed (hemp), as well as feral plants. How closely related are these plants? Some taxonomists describe marijuana and hemp as completely separate species (Schultes et al. 1974), whereas other taxonomists say they are the same species, Cannabis sativa (Small and Cronquist 1976).
This "species debate" achieved semantic importance during the 1970s (Small 1979). Drug libertarians promoted the polytypic approach and cited marijuana as Cannabis indica to argue that statutes written against Cannabis sativa did not apply to marijuana. Conversely, law enforcement agencies have maintained that the genus is monotypic. Now, to rationalize the mycoherbicide approach, law enforcement appears to have reversed its position. Semantics aside, most fungi that attack marijuana also attack hemp (McPartland 1995b, 1995c, 1997, McPartland and Cubeta 1997).
Clearly, the greatest concern surrounding biological control is host specificity. Consider Pseudoperonospora cannabina, a marijuana pathogen promoted by biocontrol researchers (Zabrin 1981, McCain and Noviello 1985). P. cannabina may be identical to Pseudoperonospora humuli, a pathogen of hemp and hop (Hoerner 1940). McPartland (1995d) investigated several fungi that were originally described as specific pathogens of Cannabis, but under closer scrutiny, turned out to be misidentifications of widespread pathogens that attack many hosts (for example, "Pleosphaerulina cannabina" turned out to be Leptosphaerulina trifolii, "Stemphylium cannabinum" = Stemphylium botryosum, "Sclerotinia kauffmanniana" = Sclerotinia sclerotiorum).
Genetic engineering
Wishing to improve host specificity and toxicity of fungal pathogens, researchers are now turning to genetic engineering (Brooker and Bruckart 1996). The use of transgenic organisms, however, elicits a new set of concerns (Levin and Israeli 1996). These are concerns that resulted in the Asilomar moratorium on genetic engineering of human pathogens.
Genetic engineers have recently been investigating a coca pathogen, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. erythroxli (Sands et al. 1997, Nelson et al. 1997). F. oxysporum f. sp. erythroxli was selected for coca eradication because it caused natural epidemics in Peru and on the former Coca-cola plantation on Kauai, where "containment of the fungus proved challenging" (Sands et al. 1997). Fusarium oxysporum is well known to bioengineers, and previous researchers successfully inserted toxin genes into the species (Kistler 1991). Nevertheless, Gabriel (1991) considered it "unwise" to clone a toxin gene into a necrotrophic pathogen (such as F. oxysporum). He argued that such a pathogen might gain unexpected fitness and radically expand its host range, "a potentially dangerous experiment." Fusarium species can produce a variety of toxic metabolites known as trichothecenes, which gained some notoriety for their reputed use in biological warfare ("yellow rain"). F. oxysporum is known to cause systemic infections in humans (Rippon 1988).
Genetically transformed fungi have unstable genotypes, making mutations more likely. Experiments have shown F. oxysporum spontaneously mutates its transgenic DNA (Kistler 1991). Furthermore, F. oxysporum utilizes parasexual coupling, and at least 5% of its genome consists of transposons, or moveable pieces of DNA (Kistler 1997). Parasexuality and active transposable elements would facilitate the transfer of recombinant DNA to native fungi, potentially creating new strains of virulent pathogens. The wheat pathogen Puccinia graminis, for instance, hybridizes with other fungi on wild grasses, giving rise to offspring with increased virulence (Luig and Watson 1972, Burdon et al. 1981). This fact is not cited by proponents of biocontrol with rust fungi (Cook et al. 1996).
"Gene flow" has been more thoroughly studied in plants than fungi. Levin and Israeli (1996) documented five examples of spontaneous gene flow from crops to native plants, which resulted in new or worse weeds. The introgression of engineered genes from transgenic crops to related weed species has been demonstrated (Brown & Brown 1996), and may arise after just 2 generations of hybridization and backcrossing (Mikkelsen et al. 1996).
Currently, testing for gene flow is not standard procedure during the evaluation of transgenic organisms. This could be accomplished by crossing engineered fungi with related fungi (particularly if the fungi reproduce sexually, and especially if they are heterothallic fungi). Several generations of crossed hybrids are evaluated in serial host studies. Testing for gene flow is especially imperative for biocontrols which have been genetically manipulated to resist fungicides. Researchers have transformed Colletotrichum gloesporioides f. sp. aeschynomene (Collego®) with a gene for fungicide resistance (Brooker and Bruckart 1996). Imagine if this fungicide-resistant gene introgressed into Histoplasmosis capsulati or other human pathogens commonly found in agricultural areas!
The species question, round two
Another Fusarium species, F. oxysporum f. sp. cannabis (Fig. 2) is the primary candidate to kill marijuana (Hildebrand and McCain 1978, Noviello et al. 1990) and feral hemp in the American Midwest (Shay 1975). Researchers promote F. oxysporum as a marijuana mycoherbicide because they claim that hop, (Humulus lupulus), is not susceptible to fusarium wilt (McCain and Noviello 1985). However, they overlooked "Hops wilt" caused by F. oxysporum in Australia (Sampson and Walker 1982).
F. oxysporum f. sp. cannabis was originally isolated from hemp cultivars in Italy, by researchers who believed "...the wilt disease and its pathogen have not been previously described" (Noviello and Snyder 1962). In fact, these researchers missed many previous descriptions of this wilt disease (Dobrozrakova et al., 1956, Rataj 1957, Ceapoiu 1958, Czyzewska and Zarzycka 1961, Barloy and Pelhate 1962, Serzane 1962). All previous descriptions attributed hemp wilt disease to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum. This fungus is morphologically identical to F. oxysporum f. sp. cannabis, but has a very broad host range (e.g., cotton, mung beans, pigeon peas, rubber trees, alfalfa, soybeans, coffee, tobacco and many other plants).
McPartland (1995a) proposed that F. oxysporum f. sp. cannabis may be a misidentified pathotype of F. oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum. Similarly, the fungus causing tobacco wilt, originally named F. oxysporum f. sp. nicotianae, proved to be a race of F. oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum (Armstrong and Armstrong 1975). According to Kistler et al. (1998), F. oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum consists of at least 10 vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs). Comparing F. oxysporum f. sp. cannabis with the genotype of F. oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum can be accomplished with VCG studies using nit mutants.


Figure 2. Microscopic spores of Fusarium oxysporum, a potential mycoherbicide of Cannabis.
Conflicting interests
U.S. regulations have prevented the testing of bioengineered fungi in the field (Brooker and Bruckart 1996). But regulatory oversight is lacking in Peru and Colombia (Levin and Israeli 1996). Exigencies generated by the drug war metaphor could dangerously rush these fungi into deployment.
Moreover, saboteurs or irresponsible scientists could breach regulatory barriers, as occurred in Montana where several bioengineered organisms were illegally released around 1987 (Roberts 1987). In Australia, saboteurs illegally introduced the fungus Phragmidium violaceum to control European blackberry (Rubus fruticosus). Weedy R. fruticosus was spreading across pastures and impeding Australian cattle ranchers. The government had previously rejected ranchers’ requests to import P. violaceum, because of economic objections from commercial blackberry growers and beekeepers. Wind-borne spores of illegally introduced P. violaceum dispersed rapidly across the continent, and the fungus now infests at least four Rubus species (Watson 1991).
The Australian debacle illustrates how biocontrol may impact competing interests. The first U.S. drug czar, Carlton Turner, recognized that target plants may be considered noxious weeds by one group, and valuable crops by another group (Turner 1985). St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) is an excellent example. H. perforatum was previously branded a noxious weed. But now it has become the second-best-selling herbal medicine in the U.S. — $121 million dollars of H. perforatum was sold last year, and producers are predicting a severe shortage of this raw material (Brevoort 1998).
Consultants to the European and Canadian hemp industry face a dilemma. Ecologists endorse classical (non-engineered) biocontrol organisms as potential replacements of chemical pesticides (McPartland 1984, Doctor 1986). Physicians praise the safety of biocontrols over paraquat and other synthetic herbicides (McPartland and Pruitt 1997). Nearly 20 years ago, these reasons guided the decision to search for classical biocontrols against marijuana (McPartland 1983). But times have changed. Hemp cultivation has resurged in western Europe, the former USSR, and China. Last year the Canadian government allowed farmers to grow hemp for the first time in 50 years — 251 farmers successfully harvested 5,930 acres (Cauchon 1998). Have our neighbors to the north been explicitly informed of the "Western Hemisphere Drug Elimination Act" spearheaded by Rep. McCollum? The development of transgenic mycoherbicides against marijuana would endanger hemp cultivation, permanently. Hemp is usually a pest- and disease-tolerant crop requiring little or no pesticide for cultivation. It has been characterized as "an environmentally friendly crop for a sustainable future" (Ranalli 1999). Hemp should not be endangered, and research involving transgenic pathogens of Cannabis should be halted. Moreover, the use of genetically engineered pathogens as a weapon in "the drug war" should be re-evaluated.
Acknowledgements
We thank David Morris and two anonymous phytopathologists for reviewing and improving our manuscript.
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Editor’s Note

For additional reading on this timely subject see; Kleiner, Kurt 1999 "Operation Eradicate" in New Scientist Sept. 11 with the accompanying editorial and Hogshire, Jim 1998 "The Drug War’s Fungal Solution?" in Covert Action Spring issue.

Origin...

http://www.internationalhempassociation.org/jiha/jiha6101.html

Good luck in our new world

 

[pine boy]

More...

The drug wars fungal solution...

http://jeremybigwood.net/Lectures/SALSA/Annapolis2002.htm

 

[elmanito]

U.S. Identifies Vast Riches of Minerals in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON — The United States has discovered nearly $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, far beyond any previously known reserves and enough to fundamentally alter the Afghan economy and perhaps the Afghan war itself, according to senior American government officials.

The previously unknown deposits — including huge veins of iron, copper, cobalt, gold and critical industrial metals like lithium — are so big and include so many minerals that are essential to modern industry that Afghanistan could eventually be transformed into one of the most important mining centers in the world, the United States officials believe.

An internal Pentagon memo, for example, states that Afghanistan could become the “Saudi Arabia of lithium,” a key raw material in the manufacture of batteries for laptops and BlackBerrys.

The vast scale of Afghanistan’s mineral wealth was discovered by a small team of Pentagon officials and American geologists. The Afghan government and President Hamid Karzai were recently briefed, American officials said.

While it could take many years to develop a mining industry, the potential is so great that officials and executives in the industry believe it could attract heavy investment even before mines are profitable, providing the possibility of jobs that could distract from generations of war.

“There is stunning potential here,” Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of the United States Central Command, said in an interview on Saturday. “There are a lot of ifs, of course, but I think potentially it is hugely significant.”

The value of the newly discovered mineral deposits dwarfs the size of Afghanistan’s existing war-bedraggled economy, which is based largely on opium production and narcotics trafficking as well as aid from the United States and other industrialized countries. Afghanistan’s gross domestic product is only about $12 billion.

“This will become the backbone of the Afghan economy,” said Jalil Jumriany, an adviser to the Afghan minister of mines.

American and Afghan officials agreed to discuss the mineral discoveries at a difficult moment in the war in Afghanistan. The American-led offensive in Marja in southern Afghanistan has achieved only limited gains. Meanwhile, charges of corruption and favoritism continue to plague the Karzai government, and Mr. Karzai seems increasingly embittered toward the White House.

So the Obama administration is hungry for some positive news to come out of Afghanistan. Yet the American officials also recognize that the mineral discoveries will almost certainly have a double-edged impact.

Instead of bringing peace, the newfound mineral wealth could lead the Taliban to battle even more fiercely to regain control of the country.

The corruption that is already rampant in the Karzai government could also be amplified by the new wealth, particularly if a handful of well-connected oligarchs, some with personal ties to the president, gain control of the resources. Just last year, Afghanistan’s minister of mines was accused by American officials of accepting a $30 million bribe to award China the rights to develop its copper mine. The minister has since been replaced.

Endless fights could erupt between the central government in Kabul and provincial and tribal leaders in mineral-rich districts. Afghanistan has a national mining law, written with the help of advisers from the World Bank, but it has never faced a serious challenge.

“No one has tested that law; no one knows how it will stand up in a fight between the central government and the provinces,” observed Paul A. Brinkley, deputy undersecretary of defense for business and leader of the Pentagon team that discovered the deposits.

At the same time, American officials fear resource-hungry China will try to dominate the development of Afghanistan’s mineral wealth, which could upset the United States, given its heavy investment in the region. After winning the bid for its Aynak copper mine in Logar Province, China clearly wants more, American officials said.

Another complication is that because Afghanistan has never had much heavy industry before, it has little or no history of environmental protection either. “The big question is, can this be developed in a responsible way, in a way that is environmentally and socially responsible?” Mr. Brinkley said. “No one knows how this will work.”

With virtually no mining industry or infrastructure in place today, it will take decades for Afghanistan to exploit its mineral wealth fully. “This is a country that has no mining culture,” said Jack Medlin, a geologist in the United States Geological Survey’s international affairs program. “They’ve had some small artisanal mines, but now there could be some very, very large mines that will require more than just a gold pan.”

The mineral deposits are scattered throughout the country, including in the southern and eastern regions along the border with Pakistan that have had some of the most intense combat in the American-led war against the Taliban insurgency.

The Pentagon task force has already started trying to help the Afghans set up a system to deal with mineral development. International accounting firms that have expertise in mining contracts have been hired to consult with the Afghan Ministry of Mines, and technical data is being prepared to turn over to multinational mining companies and other potential foreign investors. The Pentagon is helping Afghan officials arrange to start seeking bids on mineral rights by next fall, officials said.

“The Ministry of Mines is not ready to handle this,” Mr. Brinkley said. “We are trying to help them get ready.”

Like much of the recent history of the country, the story of the discovery of Afghanistan’s mineral wealth is one of missed opportunities and the distractions of war.

In 2004, American geologists, sent to Afghanistan as part of a broader reconstruction effort, stumbled across an intriguing series of old charts and data at the library of the Afghan Geological Survey in Kabul that hinted at major mineral deposits in the country. They soon learned that the data had been collected by Soviet mining experts during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s, but cast aside when the Soviets withdrew in 1989.

During the chaos of the 1990s, when Afghanistan was mired in civil war and later ruled by the Taliban, a small group of Afghan geologists protected the charts by taking them home, and returned them to the Geological Survey’s library only after the American invasion and the ouster of the Taliban in 2001.

“There were maps, but the development did not take place, because you had 30 to 35 years of war,” said Ahmad Hujabre, an Afghan engineer who worked for the Ministry of Mines in the 1970s.

Armed with the old Russian charts, the United States Geological Survey began a series of aerial surveys of Afghanistan’s mineral resources in 2006, using advanced gravity and magnetic measuring equipment attached to an old Navy Orion P-3 aircraft that flew over about 70 percent of the country.

The data from those flights was so promising that in 2007, the geologists returned for an even more sophisticated study, using an old British bomber equipped with instruments that offered a three-dimensional profile of mineral deposits below the earth’s surface. It was the most comprehensive geologic survey of Afghanistan ever conducted.

The handful of American geologists who pored over the new data said the results were astonishing.

But the results gathered dust for two more years, ignored by officials in both the American and Afghan governments. In 2009, a Pentagon task force that had created business development programs in Iraq was transferred to Afghanistan, and came upon the geological data. Until then, no one besides the geologists had bothered to look at the information — and no one had sought to translate the technical data to measure the potential economic value of the mineral deposits.

Soon, the Pentagon business development task force brought in teams of American mining experts to validate the survey’s findings, and then briefed Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Mr. Karzai.

So far, the biggest mineral deposits discovered are of iron and copper, and the quantities are large enough to make Afghanistan a major world producer of both, United States officials said. Other finds include large deposits of niobium, a soft metal used in producing superconducting steel, rare earth elements and large gold deposits in Pashtun areas of southern Afghanistan.

Just this month, American geologists working with the Pentagon team have been conducting ground surveys on dry salt lakes in western Afghanistan where they believe there are large deposits of lithium. Pentagon officials said that their initial analysis at one location in Ghazni Province showed the potential for lithium deposits as large of those of Bolivia, which now has the world’s largest known lithium reserves.

For the geologists who are now scouring some of the most remote stretches of Afghanistan to complete the technical studies necessary before the international bidding process is begun, there is a growing sense that they are in the midst of one of the great discoveries of their careers.

“On the ground, it’s very, very, promising,” Mr. Medlin said. “Actually, it’s pretty amazing.”New York Times

Mriko said it earlier!!!! Afghanistan war is about this, not the people to liberate them from the Taliban.Also this will have a negative effect on the gene pool.Mining is extremely devastating for the environment & health for the people, animals etc.

Namaste

 

[supervaca]

Ok, I just founded a new Non-Profit org,
"Trichoderma for Afghanistan" .
You can make your donations to supervaca@lolmail.com.

As soon as we have enough $$, we will send a cargo full of trichoderma and silicates to the People !!!

Trichoderma for the ppl!!

 

[mriko]

thanks for posting the article el manito. This one is very worrying indeed, BUT is nothing else than communication. Like "Oh, look it what we found, what a surprise !"
Afghani deposits are already well known and have been studied by Russians during the 80s. Certainly not discovered by the United States, what a joke ! Acertained yes, discovered, certainly not. I like a lot this story about them geologists who "stumbled across an intriguing series of old charts and data at the library of the Afghan Geological Survey in Kabul that hinted at major mineral deposits in the country." Sounds a lot like some "Stargate" story (I watch a lot the series nowadays eheh...). With a bit of effort, you can actually find them on the internet !
I find it funny that no mention is made about uranium deposits in Laghman which are well known. Maybe because they are already secretly being exploited ? That's what is said overthere...

I have a hard time to see that as good news for Afghanistan. As you say el manito, one only has to look around to see how mining corps work and how destructive they are.
Depleted uranium ammos and foreign armies burning pits were obviously not enough to destroy the country and its people, now large scale industrial mining is on the way !

And closer to us users of the plant, all that crap could eventually make Afghani cannabis products unfit for human consumption because full of unhealthy elements as cannabis is quite effiscient at cleaning contaminated soil and the foreing armies activity are releasing a whole load of shit compounds in the air, water and soil. And the mining operations will dwarf the armies' pollution.

supercava, your project seems interesting, can you tell us more about it ? Beware, you're stomping on Monsanto's lawn...

Irie !

 

[supervaca]

Mriko... come oooon
I was just joking, on a very sad situation...
But it would be a nice idea, yes, counter-counter-terrorism...
Bio-terrorism, scary, I don't wanna finish in Guantanamo Bay....


Just trying to release tension on such a drama for lots of afghan families ....
Greetings from Spain.

 

[mriko]

eheh... you got me. i'm kinda naive guy you know...

the only good thing that can be said about the Obama administration is that he has finally awoken the American people up from the coma they have been existing in. Uncle Sam is WAY out of control, and I believe that serious changes are now coming...What a fucking disgrace.

Hmm, don't know if he has awoken the American people (from where i am, it sure doesn't look like it's the case), but he sure has managed to put asleep everyone abroad. Corps have played well introducing someone black as the head of state. I remember when the guy was elected how everyone was thinking "yeah, America has changed, things are gonna get better now !". Indeed, American people minds might have changed enough to elect a black president, but government has not changed in anyway. It's still the same predatorious one, ready to wipe out whole countries if they can get some profit out of it.
Remember when he was awarded the Nobel Peace award ? He delivered a bloody speech, persuading everyone that his war(s) are done for the sake of peace ? That was disgusting and revolting. He's the prince of targeted assassinations which he has brought to a new level even Bush Jr didn't reached. He's one of the biggest mofos in the History.

Hm I think someone with 1 ton of Deep Chunk seeds shout travel to Afganistan and give them to the local growers

Sure, let's wipe out their local backward strains and give them our improved western commercial ones ! That's no better than monsanto.

Also I was thinking something similar for the African continent.
People there are so pure and have nice conditions to grow cannabis.

They just need a big supply of nice sativas ( Thias, Colmbians, Local African strains, maybe some Hazes to ) and someone to earn them to grow them and maybe make hash.

No, they don't need haze, or colombian or thai strains. THey have their own local strains which are doing greatly in their natural environment. Importing foreing genetics results only in the alteration of local genetics. THe less it is done, the better.

Importing hash can give some extremely boosts to the local economics and will save millions of lives maybe.

Sure, within a legal and controlled context it could bring an income to millions of people around the world. But I strongly doubt the USA would let such a thing to happen because they would be deprived of an immense pressure tool on many foreign governments. Pakistan was granted few wee1ks ago 1.3billion $ in aid, in exchange for more actions against militants, and other things. pakistan could easily make these 1.3billions EVERY YEAR with a legal charas industry. EVERY YEAR ! Enabling them to say "screw you" to Uncle Sam & Co.
Afghanistan could make even more than that each year, enabling the country to develop itself independently.
Whatever is going on in the US about legalization, I doubt that they'll let poor countries to have a share of the pie. THere's too much at stakes, geopolitically speaking.

Irie !

 

[jigga2jones.com]

interesting...

 

[rogerw]

I be live that the U.S. has it's hands in the probs over there along with big business. Thats why I have grown my own poppies and will continue. Just a heads up for anyone wanting to grow their own. Just go to the grocery store and go to the spice section and buy baking poppies seed. It's the real deal and only 1/10th the price. I bought a lb of seed for under $16. To grow sprinkle out in loose dirt about april then in may . They will be a nice light blue flower. Let the bulbs dry for about 1 month after bloom slit scrape and enjoy. I for 1 want pain meds from nature not pills.

 

[g0vnaa]

eheh... you got me. i'm kinda naive guy you know...



Hmm, don't know if he has awoken the American people (from where i am, it sure doesn't look like it's the case), but he sure has managed to put asleep everyone abroad. Corps have played well introducing someone black as the head of state. I remember when the guy was elected how everyone was thinking "yeah, America has changed, things are gonna get better now !". Indeed, American people minds might have changed enough to elect a black president, but government has not changed in anyway. It's still the same predatorious one, ready to wipe out whole countries if they can get some profit out of it.
Remember when he was awarded the Nobel Peace award ? He delivered a bloody speech, persuading everyone that his war(s) are done for the sake of peace ? That was disgusting and revolting. He's the prince of targeted assassinations which he has brought to a new level even Bush Jr didn't reached. He's one of the biggest mofos in the History.



Sure, let's wipe out their local backward strains and give them our improved western commercial ones ! That's no better than monsanto.



No, they don't need haze, or colombian or thai strains. THey have their own local strains which are doing greatly in their natural environment. Importing foreing genetics results only in the alteration of local genetics. THe less it is done, the better.



Sure, within a legal and controlled context it could bring an income to millions of people around the world. But I strongly doubt the USA would let such a thing to happen because they would be deprived of an immense pressure tool on many foreign governments. Pakistan was granted few wee1ks ago 1.3billion $ in aid, in exchange for more actions against militants, and other things. pakistan could easily make these 1.3billions EVERY YEAR with a legal charas industry. EVERY YEAR ! Enabling them to say "screw you" to Uncle Sam & Co.
Afghanistan could make even more than that each year, enabling the country to develop itself independently.
Whatever is going on in the US about legalization, I doubt that they'll let poor countries to have a share of the pie. THere's too much at stakes, geopolitically speaking.

Irie !

Hm I don`t want to fuck up their local gene pool man
I mean Deep Chunk is a pure afghan witch maybe doesn`t even grow there anymore...
Why not return it to its local origins.
And for Africa I was talking for countries witch don`t have local strains and are new to cannabis {;
I`m not sure but I don`t think every country has its local strains.
Never mind maybe in a better world

And for the USA they really should stop putting their nose in other countries problems...
From what I see they have enough local problem to deal with.
Just fucking stop interfering everywhere...

Nice answer btw, I gave you some rep ((;

 

[supervaca]

g0vnaa, here we enter on the thin line of "what is a landrace strain?".

Deep Chunk is not an afghan landrace, is a man-made IBL made crossing an afghan line... in indoor (or outdoor, but in a different place than Afghanistan), so it will not adapt back so easily vto Afghanistan weather, etc....
And yes, why to introduce a non-landrace in its non-natural environment, as Mriko said?

Apart from that, I would like to notice that C. Afghanica wouldn't exist withou man's hand (as Schultes said, but I don't know if I should trust that stoner , as it is the result of generations of cultivators, choosing the best plants for the next year's seed, between the most productive ones, best for hash making, etc....
So what is really a landrace???

I want just to remember that, even beeing "genes" from Afgh; it has not been breeded there .... that is a commercial strain (so probably are "diluted" genes", but this is just speculation), the way it was breeded etc etc.....

With ALL respect to T Hill, as DC is one of my fav. strains and currently running it (and keeping a nice dad plant for a while now...).

 

[Dr_Tre]

...

 

[Gazoo31]

...thats terrific hindu kush means: death of Hindus..who killed them? help muslims WHAT???

Really? Because I was under the impression that Hindu Kush is named after the kush mountain range bordering pakistan and afghansitan.... Are you implying that the word 'KUSH' means death? As in 'DEATH' mountain range, because you know that couldn't possibly make sense... and as far as the definition of kush implying death, in the context of cannabis strains, well I could see where they get that from. It is some killer shit!

 

[DocLeaf]

Any introduction of airborne and soil-borne bacterium and fungi in the Afghanistan region could have something to do with all the transport aircraft landing in from swamp-land regions overseas.

Typically crops in Afghanistan are grown in relative isolation from one another ,, any fungal plant infections should then be isolated also. Moreover much of the genetic seed stock in Afghanistan is imported from Uzbek, Tajik, and Pakistan sources.

Linguistics...

Hindu : entomology : The word Hindu is derived from the Sanskrit word Sindhu, the historic local appellation for the Indus River in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent. [source wiki]

Kush : entomology : Kuh from the Persian for mountain.

Mujaheddin : those that struggle (for freedom). This term does NOT hold ANY religious connotation! For example during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan many European Christians joined the Mujaheddin in the struggle.

Hope this helps

 

[KALI´s kollie]

FUCK OFF ICMAG CENSORSHIT!!!!

 

[DocLeaf]

entomolgy: study of insects...you meant probably etymology hehe

Yep.. hehe,, like locus.. thanks. N.B. Entomology (from Greek ἔντομος, entomos, "that which is cut in pieces or segmented)


Do some research,, the term Mujahideen may mean different things,, in different places.. to different ppl.

That aside,, most seed stocks are maintained outside of Afghanistan,, so eradicating annual cannabis crops in the region would be extremely difficult

peace dL