9: From Helsinki to Afghanistan

Overview:

• Helsinki Conference

• US hostages taken in Iran

• Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan

• Helsinki Conference (1975)

• US hostages taken in Iran (1979-1981)

• Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan (1979)

Helsinki Conference

• 35 nations to discuss Euro security/political/economic/HR issues

• intended to improve East-West relations during Cold War (“detente”)

Criticism

• harshly criticized for doing little (ex. by NTY)

US Defence of Conference

• Kissinger (US Secretary of State and National Security Advisor under Ford): defended idealism it represented

  • since post-war, first time HR and fundamental freedoms became recognized subjects of East-West discourse

  • put forth standards many hoped for

Impact on Dissidents in Eastern Europe

• looked favourably/hopefully

  • Lech Walsea (Poland)

  • Vaclav Havel (Czechoslovakia):

    • organized Charter 77 to advocate for HR and undermine communist regime

    • invoked HR obligations regime agreed to and right of citizens to monitor compliance with provisions and report findings to the world

    • Charter 77 faced repression

  → tactical: regime already agreed to what Charter 77 demanded

Legacy of Helsinki

• formation of “Helsinki Watch” (later HR Watch)

  • publicly denounces HR violations, war crimes, abuses worldwide

  • works on behalf of political prisoners, refugees, migrants

  • contributed to democratic transformation of late 80s

  • US, Asia, Africa, Middle East Watch established → formally adopted inclusive name of HR Watch (1988)

    • national NGO

Nuclear Arms Code

• simple (12 0s)

• Lieutenants could have started WW3 (not only Generals)

Iran Background

• 1963: CIA backed Operation AJAX overthrew Mossadeq gov)

• Shah Pahlavi in power, close relations with US

Conditions:

• disparity in wealth, high unemployment, frustration

Ruhollah Khomeini:

• publicly warned Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlvai he was compromising Islam and Iranian sovereignty

  • later exiled

US Visit to Iran

• President Carter visited in Dec-Jan 1977/78

• praised Shah for “great leadership” and making Iran an “island of stability”

Result

• Shah as traitor

• call for Islamic forms of government in Iran and A (1978)

  • Holy War against “Godless” Communists

  • Islamic governance as an alternative to East or West

• street demonstrations (1979)

  • Shah Pahlavi fled

  • Khomeini returns

Afghanistan

• military coup brings left leaning gov into power (1978)

  • supported by Soviet Union; framed as popular revolution; advisors sent to advance socialism

• policies: land reform, women encouraged to stop wearing veils, put into classes with men

• local challenges: felt culture genocide in favour of communism

  • ex. trying to make everyone equal (land reform) but God decides who is rich or poor so against God’s will

• response: mujahideen

  • armed by CIA

  • goals: rejection of Soviet instated gov; Islamic governance

  • burned schools, unis

Khomeini’s Return

• the Imam: returned to redeem people and Islamic governance

• anti-American

• on Women’s Rights

  • took away those under Shah

    • women barred from becoming judges

    • female gov workers had to observe Islamic dress code

    • sex segregation

    • legal age of marriage was dropped

  • Mar 1979: women take to streets to protest hijab law

Iranian Hostage Crisis

• 1979-1981

• lranian student militants storm US embassy

• took 66 Americans hostage

• motivation: in retaliation for US protecting Shah, giving him medical treatment in NYC

• some released in the month (African Americans, women)

• others released over 444 days later

Canadian Ambassador Role

• 6 Americans from embassy escaped and made it to Canadian Ambassador Taylor’s house

• secretly sheltered for 3 months; left on Canadian passports

• led to Canadian appreciation

Impact on Carter

• scapegoat; could not run after

Conditions in Soviet Union

• deposits of oil insulated it from oil price rises West faced

• civilians told their economy was thriving and could match West in anything

• in reality: economically drained from Space and Nuclear Races; civilians losing hope in communism

Preclude to Invasion

• July 1979: Carter authorizes US CIA to secretly aid mujahideen (”freedom fighters”) in A

False Narrative

• US aid supplied in 1980 (after invasion)

• significance: US deliberately provoked Soviet Union to bleed them further

• Brzezinski (National Security Advisor): it was an excellent idea. what was better: the Taliban or collapse of Soviet empire, liberation of Central Europe, end of the Cold War

Invasion Stats

• 1979-1989 (civil war continued after)

• 10m landmines (ongoing devastation)

• 1.8m Afghan 25,000 Soviets died (1979-89)

• Soviets: 96b USD

• US: 2b

Invasion Events

• Afghans wanted more troops; they refused

• PM Amin launched campaign of terror; determined to carry out reforms

• Soviets want to oust him (tell President); plans leak; kills President

• Amin killed; replaced with Karmal

US Response to Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan

1. Carter issues statement: if Soviet Union invade Pakistan or Iran, this is a US security threat and would invoke a retaliation (possibly nuclear)

2. ban US grain exports to Soviet Union

3. boycott of 1980 Moscow Olympics

4. increase financial/military support to mujahideen

   • provided advanced weapons (Stinger missiles), tools, training

   • Brzezinski urged them to fight against Godless killers

   • 1984: CIA embarked on special training program for Afghan mujahideen at two US army camps

     • muslim volunteers especially from North Africa sent to A

   → thus A became a place of advanced weapons and where people were brought from outside to be trained and counter Soviet Union

5. funded Pakistan to purchase weapons for Afghan fighters

⭐ marks end of detante

⭐ allows US to fight for their goal with Indigenous blood (important in post-Vietnam War era)

Knomeini’s Response

• from Iran, urges resistance against West and East influence; reliance on Islam

US Political Stance

• Carter out

• Reagan wins (1980), inaugurated (1981)

• critiques US ‘inaction’ in 3rd world

• amplified cold war; anti communist

  • continued support to mujahideen

• demonstrated more strength compared to Carter’s

• under him continued support to mujahideen