At first blush, the story sounds win-win: China "invests" in Afghanistan, hires out of work Afghans, helps stabilize economy. US troops make it safe for Chinese "private" company to exploit mineral resources.

Exploit is the right word. Two thirds of the economies in the developing world are still structured by past imperialistic dictates to supply North America, Europe, and Japan with raw materials to make products for themselves and to sell worldwide are greater profit. So Afghan copper profits will go to Chinese banks and when copper runs out, what do Afghans have? In a number of African nations who have sold such rights to Chinese, they did not get the jobs either; the Chinese brought in Chinese workers. Imperialism 21st century style is no kinder than it was in 18th century.