but exploration of those minerals-- everything from iron and copper to the lithium used in lightweight rechargeable batteries-- got lost or sidetracked by decades of war. now, reports today's lead "new york times" story, the pentagon is telling u.s. and afghan leaders that the untapped mineral finds, spread throughout the country, could be worth a trillion dollars. the karzai government said that was good news. >> it's very heartening that afghanistan has a very bright future if the afghan issues are resolved properly. >> warner: joining us is james risen, the "new york times" correspondent who reported today's story. now the existence of future reserves, as we said, has been believed for quite some time in afghanistan. what is new about what the government has developed here. >> what happened is that geologists had looked at this but nobody had really been paying any attention. the middle of last year a pentagon task force that had been working in iraq on business development was transferred to afghanistan. they began to look for what is it we can do here economically . they stumbled

the other country with lithium is bolivia. american companies should be extracting any resources that are there, not the chinese. they should not be there. they did not want to help us. they should not benefit from the resources. thank you. guest: what we have is a sovereign country. we are working with afghanistan, particularly with this startling and positive discovery of their resources. we are helping them establish a mining department so that they can properly set up local companies or international companies to bid and provide royalties to the people of the afghanistan. we have been accused of liberating kuwait to steal their oil, iraq to steal their oil. this is not true. it will not be true in afghanistan. we are working to create stability in that region to protect the people of america. there can be economic benefits, but it should be for the people of that country. host: a skeptic sends this twitter -- guest: again, it is a southern country. there should be competitive bid and then royalties showed benefit the peopl

by lithium stock. -- buy lithium stock.aughter] depending on the types of mines, some are easily extracted and processed, some take time, because the infrastructure that is required. some of the requirements would be the roads to some of these regions. the other one would be energy. we have been sitting on our hands and terms of production of energy for 80 years. i was taught -- we have been sitting on our hands in terms of production of energy for 8 years. we of wind, sun, coal, oil, gas, uranium, and yet we are still importing energy. in eight or nine years, that should not be acceptable . we should at the producing electricity by now. because of iran and pakistan, we don't want to touch it. it should be something we should talk about very openly. electricity that is needed i need to -- electricity that is needed in the country but people are importing data quality oil from is pakistan that is poisonous -- bad quality oil from news pakistan that is poisonous. -- from uzbekistan that is poisonous. anywhere from three to fi

you should buy lithium stocks. depending on the type ofines, some lines are easily extracted -- mines are easily extracted and process. some take time because of the infrastructure it requires. one of the requirements would be roads to some of those regions that the mining can occur. the other one would be energy and we have been sitting on our hands in terms of production of energy for eight years. we have -- i was talking to some people. we have electricity, water, we have wind, the son, coal, oil, gas, -- t sun, coal, oil, gas, and uranium. i do not think that should be acceptable. we should have produced electricity by now. we have -- because of pakistan and iran we do not want to touch it. this is something we should talk about. electricity that is needed in the country. people are reporting that quality oil from ubekistan that are poisonous. people have lost their lives because of thehemicals used. it will depend on the type of minds. anywhere from three years to five years is the window. >> you touched on th

what kind of players will we have in afghanistan mining the lithium?ill a drawl other countries to the region -- will it draw other countries to the region? host: explain the significance of what david is talking about in terms of the afghan economy. guest: lithium was one of the minerals identified in the 3 million discovery of minerals in the country. it promises great resources, much like oil anin iraq so the afghan government can finance itself. pffone of the world's richest copper mines in afghanistan. that was competitively bid. the chinese were successful bidders there. i would assume that with t the m and everything else would be handled in a similar way. host: in a speech that we did cover by congressman steny hoyer the senior democrat and house of representatives spoke. he talked about the deficit of the economy and of national security and the democratic party. >> president obama also demonstrated that he learned still lessons of the bush administration with years of neglect allowed for the taliban resurgence. president obama listen closely

you should buy lithium stocks. depending on the type of mines, some lines are easily extracted -- mines are easily extracted and process. some take time because of the infrastructure it requires. one of the requirements would be roads to some of those regions that the mining can occur. the other one would be energy and we have been sitting on our hands in terms of production of energy for eight years. we have -- i was talking to some people. we have electricity, water, we have wind, the son, coal, oil, gas, -- the sun, coal, oil, gas, and uranium. i do not think that should be acceptable. we should have produced electricity by now. we have -- because of pakistan and iran we do not want to touch it. this is something we should talk about. electricity that is needed in the country. people are reporting that quality oil from uzbekistan that are poisonous. people have lost their lives because of the chemicals used. it will depend on the type of minds. anywhere from three years to five years is the window. >> you touche

afghanistan could become the saudi arabia of lithium, a key ingredient to the manufacture of batteries. the well was discovered by a small team of pentagon officials and u.s. geologists. on energy, here is john in johnson city, kan., a republican caller. caller: good morning. in terms of the history of the oil spill, it has been going on about two months, is that correct? host: yes, it's been about two months. caller: more or less, let's do a quick history. three days after the explosion and the oil spill happenee, are you aware that the dutch offered us ships with skimmers so that we could begin skimming the oil? our government rejected those offers. they also issued a waiver allowing nonunion labor, non- american flag ships to do skimming. george w. bush authorized waivers. he got a lot of criticism but that is because he allowed other ships coming in. you probably heard of saddam hussein. the leadership of saudi arabia, they were smarter because they brought in ships with skimmers throughout the world. you need tt do a story of what they did compared to what we are doing. i agree wi

you should buy lithium stocks.depending on the type of mines, some lines are easily extracted -- mines are easily extracted and process. some take time because of the infrastructure it requires. one of the requirements would be roads to some of those regions that the mining can occur. the other one would be energy and we have been sitting on our hands in terms of production of energy for eight years. we have -- i was talking to some people. we have electricity, water, we have wind, the son, coal, oil, gas, -- the sun, coal, oil, gas, and uranium. i do not think that should be acceptable. we should have produced electricity by now. we have -- because of pakistan and iran we do not want to touch it. this is something we should talk about. electricity that is needed in the country. people are reporting that quality oil from uzbekistan that are poisonous. people have lost their lives because of the chemicals used. it will depend on the type of minds. anywhere from three years to five years is the window. >> you touched

there are reserves that are untapped, both copper and lithium, but obviously, afghanistanasts hands full in terms of challenges. politics anywhere is a contact sport. it is obviously a difficult set of issues, but i think in afghanistan is much more so, where increasingly politicians to stand up against the taliban and other forces find themselves in very tough positions, including assassinations. most of you read just last week the young 7-year-old who was hanged because his grandfather was trying to push back on some of the taliban in the region, and obviously this has some significant consequences for all our books. i just met daoud today, but i have read some of his statements over the years, and the resonated with me. this is someone who is fighting not only for better afghanistan, but someone who is standing up and making bold statements, as well as the needfor faster, quicker, andetter political reform in afghanistan. politics everywhere is tough, and is that much more so in afghanistan. we are delighted today to be able to host daoud sultanzoy, who is the chairman of the economic

some of the world's last remaining superdeposits or some other terms, certainly, for environment, lithium, tin, timber, gemstones. it has some coal, it has some natural gas and oil. so, again,hey're not super desits. but it has extraordinary potential. and again, helping business find its way to that in partnership with the military that is trying to create the security foundation on which they can build and operate i think is a very important initiative and i appreciate the committee's support for that particular initiative. that's one of the areas in which we've learned huge lessons in the context of counterinsurgency erations in the last five years or so. >> let me just add that i think that what the picture that's pointed from the u.s. geological survey that was done, which is only a parpgs survey, that under mr. brinkley's sponsorship, really paints a brighter economic picture for afghanistan midterm and long-term. and it creates at least the prospect of a much more sustainable economy that can actually support some of the capabilities that we are putting in place today, like the arm

caller: i was just going to talk about the minerals and lithium is one of the biggest deposits they have there. i think we need to revamp the idea that afghanistan needs our help and support in becoming an independent country and build up their infrastructure, but it will take serious business for long-term investment to bring this about. you have all those other countries that have a vested interest to boost their country at the expense of the afghan people. host: china would be investing, iran would be investing, you see that as a geopolitical concerns for afghanistan as opposed to have private sector coming in there and putting their money in so it becomes more like a trading halt rather than a trade barrier? caller: that is where i see the problem. china does not honor human- rights rules. they violate them. they are becoming grossly what -- wealthy but they do not share with their own people. the government and their people are two separate entities, not one. guest: i agree, but i think it is hard to criticize many of these governments. they are playing by the roles of the jungle in

has some of the world's last remaining superdeposits or se other terms, certainly, for environment, lithium, tin, timber, gemstones. it has some coal, it has some natural gas and oil. so, again, they're not super deposits. but it has extraordinary potential. and again, helping business find its way to that in partnership with the military that is trying to create the security foundation on which they can build and operate i think is a very important initiative and i appreciate the committee's support for that particular initiative. that's one of the areas in which we've learneduge lessons in the context of counterinsurgency operations in the last five years or so. >> let meust add that i think that what the picture that's pointed from the u.s. geological survey that was done, which is only a parpgs survey, that under mr. brinkley's sponsorship, really paints a brighter economic picture for afghanistan midterm d long-term. and it creates at least the prospect of a much more sustainable economy that can actually support some of the capabilities that we are putting in place today, liie the arm

extensive resources when it comes to lithium, iron ore, coal, 10, it has precious gems and so forth, but this all has to be -- you have to extracted to me that at the extraction industries and the line of communication and security. you also have a government structures in which that can function. there has to be a legal framework that provide sufficient incentives. but it is my hope in all seriousness that we could see what is called adventuress venture capitalist enter afghanistan who could see -- help the government take advantage of these extraordinary mineral blessings that they have. >> thanks, very much, general, and thank your commitment. >> thank you. >> thank you, senator jim was. senator ben nelson, and then senator graham will follow center in nelson, and then we will take a 10-minute break. >> thank you and your wife in your family for your continuing assistance to our country. we appreciate it, and the country is in your debt for taking on this assignment. i would like to start off with a couple of questions that i had a couple of weeks ago about the afghan population a

extensive resources when it comes to lithium, iron ore, coal, 10, it has precious gems and so forth, but this all has to be -- you have to extracted to me that at the extraction industries and the line of communication and security. you also have a government structures in which that can function. therehas to be a legal framework that provide sufficient incentives. but it is my hope in all seriousness that we could see what is called adventuress venture capitalist enter afghanistan who could see -- help the government take advantage of these extraordinary mineral blessings that they have. >> thanks, very much, general, and thank your commitment. >> thank you. >> thank you, senator jim was. senator ben nelson, and then senator graham will follow center in nelson, and then we will take a 10-minute break. >> thank you and your wife in your family for your continuing assistance to our country. we appreciate it, and the country is in your debt for taking on this assignment. i would like to start off with a couple of questions that i had a couple of weeks ago about the afghan population an

some of the world's last remaining superdeposits or some other terms, certainly, for environment, lithium, tin, timber, gemstones. it has some coal, it has some natural gas and oil. so, again, they're not super deposits. but it has extraordinary potential. and again, helping business find its way to that in partnership with the military that is trying to create the security foundation on which they can build and operate i think is a very important initiative and i appreciate the committee's support for that particular initiative. that's one of the areas in which we've learned huge lessons in the context of counterinsurgency operations in the last five years or so. >> let me just add that i think that what the picture that's pointed from the u.s. geological survey that was done, which is only a parpgs survey, that under mr. brinkley's sponsorship, really paints a brighter economic picture for afghanistan midterm and long-term. and it creates at least the prospect of a much more sustainable economy that can actually support some of the capabilities that we are putting in place today, like t

representatives, including our efforts to start building electric cars in america rather than china, building lithium ion batteries. will put hundreds of ou-of-work auto workers. many are not specified in this resolution. mr. chaffetz: reclaiming my time. i concur with the gentleman that we need to pursue green technologies. that includes nuclear technology, getting the regulatory bodies out of the way so we can pursue the adoption of natural gas vehicles and other types of things and technologies that would truly help our environment. i would simply also, mr. speaker, suggest that when the characterization of where the scientific community is on this, i do personally object to the quote, all scientists agree, end quote. i don't think that is the case. from my purview and perspective, i don't think that, quote, all scientists agree. i do think there is still debate in the scientific community and i think that's a healthy thing. so with that i'd like to reserve the balance of my time, mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. members are reminded to address

some of the world's last remaining superdeposits or some other terms, certainly, for environment, lithiumtin, timber, gemstones. it has some coal, it has some natural gas and oil. so, again, they're not super deposits. but it has extraordinary potential. and again, helping business find its way to that in partnership with the military that is trying to create the security foundation on which they can build and operate i think is a very important initiative and i appreciate the committee's support for that particular initiative. that's one of the areas in which we've learned huge lessons in the context of counterinsurgency operations in the last five years or so. >> let me just add that i think that what the picture that's pointed from the u.s. geological survey that was done, which is only a parpgs survey, that under mr. brinkley's sponsorship, really paints a brighter economic picture for afghanistan midterm and long-term. and it creates at least the prospect of a much more sustainable economy that can actually support some of the capabilities that we are putting in place today, like the