Energy and Afghanistan

摘要

If the U.S. succeeds in overthrowing the Taliban and replacing them with a "pro-western" government, it will have substantially altered the energy security picture in East Asia. Although Afghanistan has some oil and gas of its own, it is not nearly enough to qualify as a major strategic concern. Indeed, that is not the issue. Rather, the countries to the north of Afghanistan have substantial energy resources and pipeline access to markets, via Afghanistan; this is a critical energy security issue.