In an INN World Report interview today about his book — “The New Great Game: Blood and Oil in Central Asia” — Lutz Kleveman said that the infamous Afghan pipeline plans are being “dusted off.”
Then, I spotted this April 12 Al-Jazeera article: “Disputed Afghan pipeline reviewed.” . . . More below . . .
I certainly hope that Jerome A Paris and others weigh in but, from the Al-Jazeera article today, it looks like the project is a go and is backed by the Bush administration:
Afghanistan’s Minister for Mines, Mir Muhammad Sediq, made the comment on Tuesday after attending a meeting in Islamabad to review the 1680km Afghan-Turkmen pipeline project.
The project has been on hold since the 1990s when the Taliban came to power. Since US-led forces ousted their government in late 2001, the $3.5 billion project has been revived and has gained Washington’s support.
The pipeline would tap into natural gas wells at Turkmenistan’s huge Dauletabad-Donmez field, which holds more than 2.83 trillion cubic metres (100 trillion cubic feet) in gas reserves. …
The article goes on to quote Pakistani officials who are confident that Pakistan is able to “protect the Afghan-Turkmen gas pipeline” and that officials have no problem with India’s partnership in the plan.
I watch INN World Report every day on Free Speech TV via DISH. INN World Report is also aired on public access stations across the country. The latter portion of the half-hour news show is devoted to an in-depth interview or clip from a documentary. Yesterday and today, INN World Report interviewed Lutz Kleveman, who is promoting the paperback edition of his book, “The New Great Game: Blood and Oil in Central Asia.”
Of greatest interest on the book’s Web site is the interactive map of Central Asia — “The New Great Game territory.” If you scroll to the bottom of the page, you can click various options — Countries, Oil and Gas Reserves, Planned Oil Pipeline, Planned Gas Pipeline, and U.S. and British military bases — to add features to the map.
Your reactions?
Postscript: Kleveman has authored articles on “blood diamonds” for Newsweek and The Daily Telegraph, on Iraq for The Independent and other publications, and on Central Asia’s oil, gas and pipelines for The Nation and the Telegraph.