In spite of such possibilities, Afghanistan has in a way been cursed already, as it has been dependent on foreign patronage throughout its history, Innocent said.
"In some respects its darned if you do and darned if you don't. Without the resources, they are going to be dependent on the international community and the leaders will be detached from their constituents. At the same time, in the future this resource curse might facilitate more corruption," she said.
Still, in the long run mineral resources could benefit the country by weaning it off foreign assistance and allowing it to gain a firmer economic footing, she added.
Barmak Pazhwak, program officer at the U.S. Institute of Peace think tank, said additional capital could help Afghanistan become more self-reliant and set the stage for a more economically viable future, provided there is enough internal security.
It is unlikely that the Taliban will get its hands on the resources, he said, as mines require sophisticated technology and machinery that the Taliban can not provide.
But at the same time the security situation limits the capacity of the Afghan government and international partners to exploit the potential of the mineral wealth, analysts said.
Zabihullah said the Taliban may view the control of the country 's natural resources as a long-term goal, but for now the organization is happy with the trade in poppy flowers, which are used in the narcotics opium and heroine and are essential to funding the group.
"At the moment Taliban are more interested in poppy than in natural resources, simply because it is fast, easy and available," he said.
If U.S. forces engage in more state building, the allocation of mineral resources will help eliminate the country's high unemployment numbers, which is one of the core problems of the Afghan government and a major factor of the Taliban's growth, he said.
"If such efforts are made, Afghanistan can be economically independent in the next two or three decades," he said. "The country will be more stabilized, because people will say no to insurgency."
"If they have a satisfactory income to feed their kids and a hope that they will have a continuous job that can ensure their future, they will never join the Taliban or any other insurgent group," he said.
Related:
Released U.S. report on Afghan minerals a bid to keep allied nations intact
KABUL, June 18 (Xinhua) -- The released report by the United States on Afghanistan's untapped natural resources appears to be an attempt to get intact the anti-terrorist coalition in Afghanistan.
"Since the public opinion in the U.S.-led allied nations are increasingly turning against the war in Afghanistan, the U.S., by releasing this report, wants to encourage its allies to continue supporting the war against terror," an eminent researcher and political analyst Wahid Mughda said in talks with Xinhua. Full story
Afghan, NATO forces to beef up security for upcoming legislative election
KABUL, June 17 (Xinhua) -- The acting Afghan Interior Minister Mohammad Munir Mangal on Thursday said that Afghan army and police in collaboration with NATO-led forces started chalking out an operational plan to ensure security for the upcoming parliamentary voting.
"An operational plan to ensure security for the parliamentary election has been chalked out," Mangal told a press conference here. Full story
Afghan mineral deposits may worth 3 trillions USD
KABUL, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan's mineral deposits may worth 3 trillions U.S. dollars and the government would utilize it for building economy and development, Afghan Minister for Mines Waheedullah Shahrani said on Thursday.
"The minerals and untapped treasures in the country may value 3 trillions U.S. dollars," Shahrani told a news conference here. Full story
