Minerals.

This is coolbert:

"There were two separate (Afghan) airborne surveys during 2006. Ours was in a P-3, a naval aircraft, a research-configured P-3, and our was at sort of 20,000 to 30,000 feet. The second aircraft, equipped with different sensors, was flown at about 50,000 feet. That was the WB-57".- - Dr. John Brozena, the Chief Scientist of US Naval Research Laboratory.

From the German Voice [DW] thanks to the tip from D.E. this item.

"Did Afghan minerals change Trump's mind about Afghanistan?"

"Going against his election promise, Donald Trump decided to keep US troops in Afghanistan for an indefinite period of time. To what extent is this policy change a result of Trump's interest in Afghan mineral wealth?"

AFGHAN NOW HAVING BEEN DETERMINED TO HAVE ENORMOUS POTENTIAL, MINING AND MINERAL PRODUCTION ON A MASSIVE SCALE!!

Aerial reconnaissance and mapping as able to determine mineral deposits in measure carried out by WB-57 Canberra high-flying NASA aircraft. For a period of sixty years now Canberra performing yeoman duty and doing so in exemplary fashion!

See also from the Internet additional discussion of this topic:

https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-minerals-mapped/24651540.html

http://www.riazhaq.com/2010/06/finding-pakistans-mineral-wealth-from.html

War as a means of acquiring mineral resources [oil in this case] to include The Chaco War not always bearing fruit as they say. Devoted readers to the blog will have to read for themselves that war for possession of  the Gran Chaco and the results.

coolbert.