(7) Feature History - Soviet-Afghan War

Introduction to the Soviet-Afghan War

• Overview of the conflict: battles won, war lost.

• Afghanistan as a strategic crossroads for powers.

Historical Context of Afghanistan

• Landlocked, harsh terrain.

• Mixed tribal groups; self-isolated, indifferent to global politics.

The 19th Century

• Interest from Russian and British empires.

• Borders established as buffers, dividing ethnic groups.

• 1919: Afghanistan recognized as an independent emirate.

Modernization and Cold War Influence

• 1960s: King Mohammad Zahir Shah promotes modernization.

• Rise of U.S. and U.S.S.R. interests in Afghanistan.

The Coup and Communist Takeover

• 1973: Mohammed Daoud Khan stages a bloodless coup.

• Proclaims Afghan Republic and enforces Pashtun nationalism.

• 1978: Daoud Khan ousted by the Communist People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA).

Conflict under PDPA Rule

• Prime Minister Hafizullah Amin implements radical changes.

• Pushback from traditionalists and rural populations.

• Government instability allows for civil unrest and violence.

• Taraki killed by Amin, leading to greater chaos.

Soviet Intervention

• 1979: Soviet Union invades to install control.

• Amin executed; replaced by Babrak Karmal.

• The conflict viewed as an invasion by the West and Muslim countries.

Rise of the Mujahideen

• Afghan tribal warlords unite against Soviet forces, branding the conflict a Jihad.

• U.S. supplies arms to Mujahideen, seeking to counter communism.

• Guerrilla tactics employed by leaders like Ahmad Shah Massoud.

Soviet Losses and Political Changes

• Despite military victories, the Soviet Army struggles against persistent guerrilla warfare.

• Shift in Soviet politics under Mikhail Gorbachev (1985) leads to withdrawal strategies.

• 1988: Geneva Accords signed for USSR exit; last troops leave Afghanistan in 1989.

Aftermath of the War

• Mujahideen continue to resist Najibullah's government post-Soviet withdrawal.

• 1992: Civil war erupts as factions struggle for power.

The Rise of the Taliban

• Gulbuddin Hekmatyar versus Ahmad Shah Massoud and others. [Hekmatyar unites with taliban?)

• Taliban, led by Mullah Omar, seizes Kabul in 1996.

• Continued resistance from Massoud until his assassination in 2001.

Impact on Global Politics

• 9/11 terrorist attacks and subsequent U.S. war on terror.

• Taliban's refusal to surrender Osama Bin Laden leads to U.S. conflict.

Legacy of the Soviet-Afghan War

• Ongoing instability, millions of Afghan deaths, and refugees.

• Origins of contemporary Islamic terrorist groups trace back to the war.

• Importance of recognizing the war's impact on present dynamics.