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Hanson & Arshia — Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan Overview (Brittanica)

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Hanson & Arshia — Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan Overview (Brittanica)

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Introduction:
- December 1979:  Soviet Union invades Afghanistan, in support of communist government.
- Ongoing conflict with anti-communist Muslim guerillas.
- Remained there until mid-February 1989.

Initial Overthrow:
- April 1978: Afghanistan centrist gov't (Pres. Mohammad Daud Khan) overthrown by left-wing military personnel (led by Nur Mohammad Taraki)
--> Power shared between People’s (Khalq) Party and the Banner (Parcham) Party, two Marxist-Leninist groups.
--> Develops into People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan.
- Gov't had little popular support
- Ties with Soviet Union
- Totalitarian
- Extensive land and social reforms resented by Muslim/anti-communist population.
- Tribal and urban groups (mujahadeen) rebelled.

Uprising Response:
December 24, 1979: Soviet Union invades Afghanistan in response to internal fighting and coups btwn the People’s and Banner factions,
- President briefly replaced.
- THEIR OBJECTIVE: Prop up state led by Babrak Karmal (unable to appease people)
United States:
-Support muhajadeen rebellions, spreading to all parts of the country.
- Soviets relied on Afghan Army, plagued by mass desertions.
- Stalemate develops as Soviets invade

Stalemate:
- 100,000 Soviet troops control the cities, larger towns --> mujahadeen moving throughout using guerilla warfare
- Soviets try to depopulate rural areas via bombs (destroy mujahadeen support).
- large emigration to Pakistan, 1.5 million Iran, 2.8 million Pakistan
- United States provide anti-aircraft missiles to help mujahadeen.

Mujahadeen:
- Became fragmented politically into independent groups, largely uncoordinated.
- Quality of arms, equipment improved due to shipments from U.S., Pakistan, sympathetic Muslims.
- Arabs travel to Afghanistan to support mujahadeen.

End of War:
-Soviet Union disintegrating by late 1980s, so presence in Afghanistan became hard to implement.
- Failed to give Afghan people favorable gov't
- February 15, 1989: USSR signs accord with U.S., Pakistan, Afghanistan to withdraw troops
- nonaligned status

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Britain, to protect its Indian influence from Russia, tried to annex Afghanistan, which resulted in a plethora of British-Afghan conflicts.

1920s: In the Third British-Afghan War (1919-21), the British are defeated and Afghanistan becomes independent, and their new leader, Amanullah, starts heavy pushes for socioeconomic reform. Amanullah declares himself as king, which eventually leads to him leaving after he asked too much power.

1930s: Zahir new king and US formally recognizes Afghanistan.

1940s: Britain withdraws from India, creating a secular state between Hindu and the Islamic state of Pakistan. Pakistan has an uncontrollable, long boarder w/ Afghanistan.

1950s: Prime minister, Daoud, of Afghan. looks to Soviets for economic and military assistance. Women also gain a more public presence in his rule. Krushchev agrees to help, two countries, becoming close allies. Daoud allows women to attend university and enter the workforce.

1960s: The Afghan Communist Party comes togther in secret. Babrak Karmal and Nur Mohammad Taraki lead the group.

1970s: Khan overthrows King Zahir Shah, creating a democratic state and abolishing the monarchy. The new Rep. of Afghan. are close allies with the USSR. Khan creates a new constitution working to modernize communist state. Khan killed by communist coup. Afghan Comm. Party takes control and proclaims independence from Soviet influence, base their principles on Islam, and be more socioeconomically just.

More 1970s: Because of all the radical changes, many new political groups are emerging and arming themselves (Parties with different religious or Comm. beliefs). US cuts off assistance to Afghan after American Ambassador dies.  USSR invades Afghanistan on Dec. 24 1979, executing Amin, the new Communist leader of Afghanistan, on Dec. 27. Karmal becomes new Prime Minister, causing widespread opposition and conflict between Soviet invaders and USSR-backed Afghan army.

1980s: Approx 2.8 million Afghans flee from the war to Pakistan, and approx 1.5 million flee to Iran. Afghan guerrillas take crural areas; Soviet troops control urban areas. The Mujahadeen receive supplies and arms from the United States, Britain and China via Pakistan. Osama bin Laden and and other Islamists form  al-Qaida. The U.S., Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the Soviet Union sign peace accords in Geneva guaranteeing Afghan independence and the withdrawal of 100,000 Soviet troops. Mujahadeen continue  resistance against the Soviet regime of Dr. Mohammad Najibullah.

1990s: The Mujahadeen storm the capital, ousting Najibullah from power. Ahmad Shah Masood leads the troops into the capital. The United Nations offers protection to Najibullah. The Taliban, rises to power. Most Afgahns approve of the Taliban.

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The history of US intervention in Afghanistan, from the Cold War to 9/11

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The history of US intervention in Afghanistan, from the Cold War to 9/11

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- During the Cold War, the US and Soviet Union sought to gain footholds in Afghanistan through infrastructure investments and military interventions. Their withdrawal in the late 1980s gave rise to the Taliban to come to power.
- After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the US later invaded
- The Soviet Union and the United States sign an agreement known as the Geneva Accords in 1988 and the United States agrees to no longer fund the mujahedeen.
- However, within three years, this causes the government to collapse and  civil war emerges between these old and mujahedeen factions.
- It is during this civil war that the Taliban is formed

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- More than 10k people were executed as Afghanistan's communist party began a campaign to kill anyone who opposed the new government. It was inspired and supported by the Soviet Union and KGB.
- The opposition form of the new communist party were the people who believed that a government was not legitimate if it was not based on Islam. Thus, Ismali Khan led a revolt by killing Soviet political advisors and their families. However, it backfired as the Soviet-trained Afghans killed 20k people in Herat.
- Mujahideen - groups that oppose Soivets for Islam

Societal impact
- The Soivets created fear amongst the Aghanistan population (especially in the countryside), causing the major city of Kabul to triple.

RESULT
- Mujahideen won against 110,000 Soviet forces!!!!
- The war became unpopular in the Soviet population like Vietnam.
- Although Soviets lost the war, they put Mohammed Najibullah as president. They kept providing financial and military power to Afghanistan until the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991.

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Reasons behind involvement...

Soviet Union:
- Afghan Socialism was failing, causing the Soviet Union to intervene as the spreader of Socialism, they believed Socialism could not fail.
- The Soviet Union wanted to reach Afghanistan before the US did.

United States:
- US feared the Soviet Union gaining control of Afghanistan and its Oil reserves.
- Iran, a long-time US ally had recently cut ties with the US by overthrowing the shah and becoming hostile.
- In 1977-81, President Jimmy Carter issued military support towards the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence agency, which was in charge of giving weapons to the mujahideen groups that fought against the Soviet troops.
- In 1981-89, President Reagan sent hundreds of millions of dollars to shoot down Soviet aircrafts.

Pakistan:
- Wanted to have an ally in its fight against India.
- Pakistan's military dictator named Muhammed
Zia al-Haq wanted to support the Muslim beliefs of Pakistan that were coming under attack by the Soviets.
- Thousands of Afghans received military training in Pakistan to fight Soviet troops.
- US resupported Pakistan even though they cut ties in the past due to nuclear weapons.
"“We must remember that without Zia’s support, the Afghan resistance, key to making the Soviets pay a heavy price for their Afghan adventure, is effectively dead.” —U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz,
November 29, 1982

Saudi Arabia:
- Saudi Arabia believed the war was also a religious issue.
- They wanted to support Islamist groups known as the Sunni Islam
- Saudi Arabia’s intelligence services helped the ISI distribute aid
- Several hundred jihadist groups from across Saudi Arabia entered Pakistan to fight against the Soviet forces.
- One of the Jihadist members was Osama bin Laden.

China:
- Sold weapons to the CIA which sold weapons to the ISI which gave weapons to groups fighting the Soviets.
- CIA bought weapons from China to make it harder to trace weapons back to the US.

Iran:
- Iran supported and trained Shi‘i mujahideen who practiced the same type of Islam.