Afghanistan’s Emerald Mines

When you think of Afghanistan, you think of perpetual turmoil. Wars, crimes, killings, bombing, and so on. But the country has so much to offer.
Maybe that is one of the reasons Western countries want to “rule over” Afghanistan. The mountains of the country are rich with mines of semi-precious stones. Those include emerald, ruby, garnet, and tourmaline.
The abundance of these stones has made the cutting, polishing, and faceting of gems, as well as wearing of jewelry, an integral part of Afghan culture.
Can the country harness 1,000 billion Euros worth of natural resources in order to lift the nation out of poverty?