THE AFTERMATH OF THE SOVIET-AFGHAN WAR IS STILL BEING FELT
For decades, it was almost impossible to separate the events in the world featuring major geopolitical players from one word: communism. In many cases, especially from a United States perspective, this meant involvement in the Cold War. But there were real conflicts involving the spread of the ideology. America’s involvement in the Vietnam War is arguably the more predominant from our point of view, but the Soviet-Afghan War is another prime example. Although the U.S. wasn’t one of the belligerents directly involved, history would show our not-so-secret involvement. The results would also come to affect the U.S. through ripple effects. Read next:Wait, the Battle of Fallujah Was Actually Two Conflicts?
What Was the Soviet-Afghan War?
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan would spark the Soviet-Afghan War. From December 24, 1979, until February 15, 1989, the Soviet Union was backing communist Afghan government officials fighting Muslim guerrilla forces opposing their rule. Following the overthrow of President Mohammad Daud Khan, Nur Mohammad Taraki and his fighters would overrun the government in place throughout Afghanistan. From here, two communist groups would rule. Both the People’s (Khalq) Party and the Banner (Parcham) Party came from the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan, which worked together before separating only to ultimately come back together for revolution before separating once again. Because many Afghans didn’t like the government, the communists began befriending the Soviet Union, the world’s leading sympathizer for communism throughout the world. During this time, the communists would seize land and stifle domestic fighters rebelling against the new government. This would, in turn, create further infighting by a variety of groups known as a whole simply as the mujahideen, or fighters who commit jihad. These turbulent times combined with the opportunity to help continue the spread of communism presented an opportunity for the Soviet Union. This led to an invasion. But even with a chance to spread its power, things wouldn’t go as planned. Ultimately, this would lead to the fall of the Soviet Union.
Who Won the Soviet-Afghan War?
The Soviet-Afghan War would be won by no one because, although the superpower was able to establish itself throughout cities, the mujahideen never relinquished control of more rural areas. There were plenty of efforts to eliminate the mujahideen, but this led to rural areas dispersing to other areas as refugees. Primarily, millions of Afghans would move to Pakistan and Iran as a result. The U.S. provided anti-aircraft missiles to counter the bombings and airpower shown by the Soviet Union in a move we surely would never live to regret. Despite political infighting, various cells splintering, and a power vacuum among the many sides, the Soviets never completed their mission. When it was all said and done, at least 1 million civilians were killed, 90,000 mujahideen fighters died, 18,000 Afghan troops lost their lives, and around 14,000 to 15,000 Soviet troops also perished. This would also set in motion the events that would lead to a civil war and, ultimately, the control of the region by the Taliban. In 1988, the decline in communism, along with the inability to secure the region, would lead to the Soviet Union agreeing to leave. This stalemate may not have directly involved boots on the ground, but it had major implications for military conflicts with the U.S. and the Middle East for decades to come.
Was the Soviet-Afghan War a Proxy War?
Yes, in many ways, the Soviet-Afghan war was a proxy war between the Soviet Union and the United States of America. Although actual conflict occurred, America’s support helped prevent Afghanistan from completely falling, setting up a stalemate that would not succeed the territory. In an unfortunate show of irony, we continue to see these types of battles paralleled today. Putin was expected to win the Ukraine war quickly, but after many months of fighting, Russia is now facing a new Afghanistan with the U.S. and NATO providing Ukrainian fighters with the tools necessary to keep the Russians at bay. Such incidents are breeding grounds for conspiracies and looking back at what could have been. But in the same way that ousting the Soviets aligned with American interests, so, too, does getting rid of Russian forces in Ukraine. If the Soviet-Afghan War taught us anything, it’s that larger nations aren’t guaranteed a victory. Most importantly, what it should have taught us, is that such wars do nothing but spend resources and cost the lives of those affected by the brutality of such events. Suggested read:Russian Missiles in Ukraine Are Hitting Decoys Thanks to Drone Confusion
Image: Soviet troops withdrawing from Afghanistan in 1986 | The Institute of World Politics
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