The Dishonest Invasion: The Soviet Invasion

After the September 11 attacks, it was widely believed that the terrorists responsible were hiding throughout the hills and caves of Afghanistan. The United States chose to invade Afghanistan because it was searching for the terrorists. President Bush believed that the Taliban was hiding Osama Bin Laden and his people. The United States and our allies were successful at removing the threat during World War II, but while our military was able to overthrow the Taliban and capture some of Bin Laden’s associates, we are still involved in a war in the Middle East.

The United States didn’t think there was anything imperative about Afghanistan as a country, but their location was perfect and had great surrounding areas. Afghanistan was a significant setting simply because of the ports and sea lines that were along the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf but other than that there wasn’t much importance. The United States still ended up playing a role in the Afghan-Soviet war. They ended up being an aid for the rebels of Afghanistan. This specific group of people, also known as the Mujahideen, were mountain tribesmen that were led by their Islamic leaders. At the current time, the United States’ initial strategy was “to prevent excessive Soviet influence” (Galster). The United States was worried that Soviet

For the Afghanistan invasion, Operation enduring freedom which initiated after the 9/11 attacks. The aim of the war was to dismantle Al-Qaeda and deny it a safe base for its operations by removing the Taliban from power. Before the war, the US had requested the Taliban on two separate occasions to turn over those responsible for the 9/11 attacks, including Osama Bin Laden, in order to avoid preemptive action by the US. However, the Taliban refused as they sought for

The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan just to see themselves as the big “Losers” of the war. The defeat of the Soviet Union in Afghanistan was a serious blow to the prestige of the Army, to national pride and faith in the soviet political leaders. The scars it left on many of the remaining soldiers created social and political problems. A reform of the military was necessary. In the midst of all these turmoil, “there was also corruption and inefficiency within the states bureaucracy” (p.3 smitha.com) and nothing seemed to get done. The soviet people and some Eastern European countries were fed up of all these ongoing problems the Soviet Union was facing. The soviet people were fed up with the high communist party which stood ground and dominated the entire soviet politics, as this was the only party in the states since Stalin’s regime. The party had become rigid and corrupt which discouraged younger party members who saw little chance of advancement. At this stage corruption was the order of the soviet system of government which buoyed lack of commitment to the government.

When the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan on December 1979, the goal was to help Afghan communist forces set up a communist government. The Soviet Union felt Afghanistan had key resources and a foothold in the Middle East to spread communist ideas. The result would be a war that the Soviet Union wishes it never got involved in and likened to their “Vietnam War”, meaning winning a number of battles but not the war like what happened to the U.S. in Vietnam. The background of the war, outcome of the war, and impact on the United States are key to understanding the Soviet-Afghan War.

When the soviet union invaded afghanistan the war lasted for 9 years 1979-1989. Between 1 million to 1.5 million people were killed in that war and millions of people when to a diffrent countries such as pakistan or iran as refugees. The United States supported Afghanistan by supplying arms to the Mujahadeen. Ronald Reagan sent billions of dollars to the Mujahadeen so he can help Jihad against the Soviet Union. “Reagan believed this defense shield could make nuclear war impossible. Reagan deployed CIA special activities division paramilitary officers to train, equip and lend the Mujahideen battalion against the Soviet army”. Reagan’s objective was winning the Cold War and the rollback of communism. The United States also offered financial and

THE COLD WAR The cold war was from 1947- 1991. During that time, the world was on the brink of a nuclear war, where the whole human population was in mere seconds of extinction. The cold war was called the cold war because it was an indirect war, not physical(hot) but non physica(cold). It was a war of two types of governments. Socialism and Capitalism. It was a dreaded time for both countries, and their people. There is evidence that the USSR started it, but there are many advocates for that now. So, it is up to our dear reader to decide for himself/herself who was really to be pointed to.

On June 22, 1941, the Nazis launched what they thought would be a quick and victorious war against the Soviet Union. Hitler believed that the Jews were responsible for Germany’s defeat in the first world war, and had the idea that Jews played a central role in bolshevism making this war more than strategic. He also believed that Russian territory would be better used as Lebensraum, or living space, for German citizens. Even before the invasion was launched, Hitler made clear to his officers how to handle the Soviets. In a March 30th meeting with advisors, Hitler said the war was a struggle of 2 ideologies, and that communism was a threat to German future. He said It is a “matter of struggle of annihilation... of Bolshevik commissars and communist intelligentsia.” The combination of these ideas would lead to policy aimed at destroying an entire generation of people. Through this essay, I will argue that the brutal Nazi policies in the east failed to pacify the civilian population, adding to the Partisan movement against Nazi occupation along with aiding the German resistance and ultimately did more harm than good.

The Failure of One, the Fall of Many: Featuring the US and the Soviet Union

In April 1978 Afghanistan’s centrist government, led by President Muhammad Daud Khan, was overthrown by Soviet left-wing military officers, led by a man named Nur Muhammad Taraki. The Soviet Union was in support of the communists in Afghanistan and against the anti communist, “Muslim guerrillas”. The Soviet Union wanted to replace Afghanistan’s existing government to spread communism. The war ended up straining the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union nearly to the breaking point. The United States was not in favor of the Soviet Union trying to invade Afghanistan. This ineffective war lasted eight years, cost many lives and a lot of money, and was often compared to the Vietnam War. The Muslim rebels eventually succeeded

Following the attacks of September 11, the United States government responded with military force. It was clear that Al Qaeda was behind the attacks, and knowing that Al Qaeda and Osama Bin Laden were based in Afghanistan, President George W. Bush gave the Taliban an ultimatum: either hand over Bin Laden and his organization or the United States would strike with full force. Congress passed legislation authorizing the use of force in striking against terrorist targets.. Answer was NO. United Nation decided to solve the problem really fast and show to all world what UN power means. In October 2001 American bombs has hit first targets. To avoid sending tousands of troops so far away, CIA was recruting Local Warlors, Milicia etc and using The Afghan Northern Alliance (a military-political umbrella organization) to punish TALIBAN for terrorist

One of America’s nightmares in the height of the Cold War started coming to fruition in the December of 1979, the Soviets have invaded a country outside of the Eastern Bloc. The invasion of Afghanistan marked a ten year bloody occupation of the region to try install a friendly government, and curve the Civil War within Afghanistan. Ten years, million of lives, and billions of dollars later the Soviets failed, and withdrew from Afghanistan. The failed “intervention” contributed to the fall of the USSR, it also led to a major drive of terrorist activity throughout the Middle East, and Africa. The war also led to the creation of Al-Qaeda who was responsible for the 9/11 attacks on the US which is most likely the main effect of the war that the

are with the terrorists."….(Pellegrini) In the quest to put an end to terrorism and to pressure Taliban to hand over Osama Bin Laden, United States and Britain invaded Afghanistan on October 4, 2001. The invasion of Afghanistan was named Operation Enduring Freedom. Along with Britain, United States launched massive airstrikes combined with land battle operations performed by Special Forces. The main objective of invading Afghanistan was to overthrow al Qaida and Taliban forces and,” to change the government of Afghanistan so that the country was no longer a safe haven for terrorists” (Brown).

Internal Response to Soviet Military Intervention in Afghanistan The General Secretary’s foreign policy adviser purportedly persuaded the General Secretary to initially reject his three key leader’s recommendation in March of 1979 to engage in a troop deployment to Afghanistan in response to the request from the Communist government of Afghanistan, however;

The CIA made efforts to support the Mujahideen against the Soviets in this war which it could not be proven that the Americans were involved. The way that the CIA did this was by aiding those who wanted to see the Mujahideen succeed against the Soviets. This included wealthy Saudi individuals who had the ability to channel millions, and eventually billions, through charity organizations. Intelligence resources from the Pakistani intelligence