CHAPTER 5: AFGHANISTAN

“THE SOVIET UNION’S VIETNAM!”(1979-1989)

The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan is known as “Russia’s Vietnam”! Do u know why? - -

Because Russia invaded an Islamic and mountainous country that has been using guerrilla warfare to fight superior enemies for 2000 years. Sound familiar?!

America also helped the Afghans knowing that it would eventually bankrupt Russia, and that’s exactly what the war in Afghanistan did, costing tens of billions of dollars. Actually, Afghanistan was the final nail in the coffin of the Soviet Union. Russia invaded in 1979, didn’t leave until 1989, and then died by 1991!

And then, after 9-11, the US invaded Afghanistan in 2001 and I’m afraid never really left.That means that America has been at war in Afghanistan for 16 years (3X longer than WWII) and 75% of Americans don’t even know what the capital of Afghanistan is (its’ Kabul by the way), so it would behoove us to study it a little bit.

Did America make the same mistake in 2001 that Russia did in 1979? Yup! Has it cost us a lot: $ 2 trillion probably, and we simply can’t completely win. What’s the biggest lesson here?? DON’T EVER INVADE AFGHANISTAN!!!!!!!

It’s not that you’ll lose, it’s just that you’ll NEVER win. The Islamist fighters and guerrilla warfare tactics of Afghanistan will swallow you up like quicksand. As one Afghan tribal leader put it, “Congratulations, you have taken Kabul but how do you expect to ever leave?

Afghanistan:- Location: Central Asia/ Middle East - Borders both Iran and Pakistan (naughty, naughty)- Capital: Kabul (pronounced Kah-bull)- Population: 35 million- Currency: Afghani ($1.00 = 69 afghani)- Whole GDP: less than $20 billion- Average person makes $567.00 per year!! (you’d be mad too !!)- Illegal export: heroine

- 99% Islamic population- Language: Pashto and Dari (some Arabic, some Farsi)

Pashto message for 7th and 8 th hour : Translation: I’ll never tell:

زده کونکو زده لوړو د زمازده کونکو زده لوړو د زما

TECHNOLOGY:You see, developmentally Afghanistan is a country thousands of years behind the rest of the world in terms of technology, infrastructure, electricity, the internet, literacy, health, women’s rights and religious freedom. In some ways they’re still stuck in the Middle Ages.

It is wrong to even refer to Afghanistan as a “country”: it’s really just a collection of tribes that have never referred to themselves as “A NATION”. It has been their Muslim faith which has bound them together, that and killing invaders!

Here are a list of ALL the countries that have invaded Afghanistan (and why they’re such fierce fighters)1. 500 BCE- The Persian Empire2. 330 BCE- Alexander the Great3. 700 CE- The Islamic Empires4. 1200 CE- The Mongols (they invaded everyone!)5. 1383- Genghis Khan’s great grandson6. 1506: The Mughal Empire of India7. 1838: England8. 1878: England again!9. 1919: England a 3rd time!10.1979-1986 The Soviet Union11.2001-2017 (and counting): The United States

This is an ancient fighting force which does not look kindly upon foreigners entering their country with guns. In fact, a common Afghan insult is “Your father died in bed, not at war!”

They are also experts at guerrilla warfare because that’s all they’re ever known. Plus, Afghanistan is a mountainous country where the use of conventional weapons like tanks and helicopters will be relatively ineffective. Mountains are simply really good places for guerrilla fighters to hide and really difficult to attack from land or air. The only way to do is successfully is to bomb the hell out of everything like the Russians would thereby killing tens of thousands of women and children in the process. You may take control of a country that way but you will have a rebellious insurgency on ur hands forever. (Like 7th hour)

The parallels between Vietnam and Afghanistan are obvious: In both cases you have a very poor country which has been attacked by outsiders for thousands of years. In both countries you have different religions and scary environments (jungle in Vietnam and mountains in Afghanistan) which make a conventional war difficult.

DON’T 4GET: You can write about either of these wars within the context of the Cold War on Paper #3, or as wars themselves on Paper #2.

Here are the mountain ranges of Afghanistan:1. Hindu Kush between Afghanistan and Pakistan2. The Baba mountain range next to Iran3. The Tora Bora area near Kabul.

In fact, the Americans know that the fighting really gets tough around March because that’s when spring comes and the snow on the mountains melt. Then, the Afghan guerrillas come down from the mountains and we get what is known as the “spring fighting season”.

Don’t 4get Mao Zedong’s advice on how to win a war against a superpower: get the peasants on ur side and use ‘hit and run’ tactics. When the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979 it really brought all the tribes together. The “shoot and evade” techniques of the guerrillas came together.

Traditionally, some of the tribes hated each other and some didn’t, but the only group they hated more is either Russia, America, non-Islamic nations, or communists. Good luck!

You see, communism HATES religion. Karl Marx called religion “the opiate of the masses”. Yet if you try to rid Afghanistan of Islam you will find yourself in a battle to the death.

ISLAM IN AFGHANISTANThe Afghanistan branch of Islam is especially fierce in their interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia Law

Sharia Law (Islamic Law)- A man can have up to 4 wives. (Polygamy or “lots of headaches” in Russian)- Women are NOT allowed to learn to read or write (8th hour)- Women are NOT allowed to work outside the home - Women MUST be veiled at all times, head to toe (Plantation High dress code)- Even in Pakistan, which is relatively more advanced than Afghanistan, blasphemy, or making jokes against Islam is PUNISHABLE BY DEATH.

That means that literally making a joke about Islam will get you the death sentence in Pakistan….. And Russia tried to rid Afghanistan of 1000 years of Islam.

Russia didn’t like the idea of veiling a woman or having 4 wives. You can argue that theoretically, Communism’ insistence on Women’s Rights was its only positive attribute, but forcing another country to practice your religious beliefs is recipe for continuous insurgency. (Although I see polygamy as the next Supreme Court case for religious freedom here in the United States.)

THE SOVIET INVASION OF AFGHANISTAN. Y DID THEY INVADE

BACKGROUND:If you remember correctly, Russia already controlled several Central Asian Republics; Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan etc. So they wanted Afghanistan too. Of course, America was not going to let this happen because Iran and the oil fields of the Persian Gulf were too close. Don’t 4get that on an IB Exam, Afghanistan is part of Asia, not the Middle East. Some essays require you to choose one country from 2 different regions. Plus, Iran became an Islamic government in 1979 and there was no way Russia was gonna let that spread to the rest of Central Asia.

IRANIn 1979 Iran went through an Islamic Revolution. The Americans supported the King, who was not an Islamist and was known as the Shah, but the Islamic fighters won a Civil War against him. Afterwards, they took Americans hostage as payback against Jimmy Carter and the US.

In November, 1979, 2 weeks before Thanksgiving, a group of Islamic Revolution High School and College students took the American Embassy in Tehran hostage. (The Capital of Iran is pronounced Tay-Rahn)

They keep 55 American citizens (embassy employees) hostage for 444 days.

6 American hostages escaped and went into hiding at the Canadian Embassy. The CIA plan to get them out of Iran without anyone knowing is what the movie Argo is all about. The CIA people dress up like a film crew and pretend to be making a movie. The movie’s name is…Argo and it stars Ben Affleck (P.S. It won ‘Best Picture’ over Lincoln which was a mistake!) Iran only lets the other 444 hostages go when President Ronald Reagan (1980) tells them if they don’t he will send in the Marines and attack Tehran! The day after he is sworn into office (January 20th or 21st) the hostages are released.

In 1979 the leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran is: AYATOLLAH KHOMEINI

The Ayatollah makes the following Islamic laws: Women must wear the hijab, or head covering at all times. Men and women cannot hold hands and kiss in public. God help you if they are two men cuz the Iranians won’t. Confiscated obscene material like pornography.

Although women were a big part of Ayatollah Khomeini’s Islamic Revolution, after they won the Ayatollah: Lowered the marrying age to 9! After a lot of protests he raised it to 13! (That’s better!) Made it illegal for married women to go to school (like Afghanistan under the Taliban) Made all beaches sex-segregated Sports were strictly segregated and all female athletes, even those in the Olympics, had to wear the hijab Women COULD NOT become judges It is now legal to have 2 wives if u can afford it.

Russia does NOT want Iran’s Islamic Revolution to spread to Afghanistan!!!!!!!!!!!!………So Russia helps to install a Communist government in Afghanistan in the 1970’s- They immediately started making strict Islamic laws illegal (no more veiling of the women, no more polygamy etc.). In addition, Russia allowed all Afghan girls to go to school, even the married ones (Gasp). This the tribal leaders, religious imams and mullahs (religious leaders) could not stand.

- Even today, in 2013, the Afghan Constitution states that a woman must sexually satisfy her husband.- In Pakistan for a woman to prove she was raped, she must find 4 witnesses-which is of course impossible.

Finally the stupid Russians started collectivizing the land, and this went against thousands of years of tribal and cultural tradition. Plus, Islam forbids alcohol and the Russians have vodka with their oatmeal. Alcoholism is WIDESPREAD in Russia!!!!!! Even today.

A group of tribal and rebel organizations called THE MUJAHEEDIN start to fight back.

The MUJAHEEDIN are Afghan Islamic rebels trained in the art of guerrilla warfare, and they feel they have a mission from GOD to get rid of the godless atheist Commies! This is where the TALIBAN will come from in 9-11. And guess who’s gonna give them $$$ and guns……America!!!

EVERYTHING GOES TO HELL FOR RUSSIAIn 1979 Afghan Communist leader #2 (Amin) assassinated Communist leader #1 (Taraki). Then, the Russians assassinated Communist #2 Amin, who they were afraid was working with the CIA. There was chaos!!

That’s when the Afghan communists called Soviet President Leonid ‘Lenny’ Brezhnev and the Soviet Army, and he was more than willing to oblige. He said for years that the Afghans invited him but we all know it was an invasion. The people were NOT given the right to vote and the manner in which the invasion took place was pure horror.

LEONID BREZHENVThe Cuban Missile Crisis was such an embarrassment for the Soviet Union that Moscow decided to get rid of Nikita Khrushchev. They didn’t kill him or anything, they just sent him to live out his life in the countryside. For their next leader, Moscow wanted the most boring and predictable guy they could find. Enter Brezhnev

The Brezhnev Doctrine states:“Communist countries anywhere have a duty to protect Communism everywhere. Therefore, if you start to revolt, in the name of global communism, Russia will go in.”

DON’T 4GET that in the Communist Manifesto Karl Marx writes that “communism will SPREAD throughout the globe, with the use of GUNS!!!!” And I just have to say that when Brezhnev went into Afghanistan, the world really saw what Russian communism was all about; spreading their belief system. Something the United States did as well but to equate the two on an essay would be unwise.

**Even the Communist sympathizers here in the United States had no way to defend Russia’s actions. Actually, the invasion of Afghanistan and the Berlin Wall both laid to rest ALL the excuses Russia made for the Iron Curtain. Their true objectives laid bare.

In fact, after the Soviet troops went in the commies would execute people by the thousands; 27,000 one month, 24,000 the next. Actually, their own Afghan Communist army of 90,000 got so disgusted with their tactics, they actually QUIT!!!

The Russians knew that there was NO WAY they were gonna defeat the Afghans unless they fought a brutal war with no consideration for civilians or rules of war. Entire villages would be destroyed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Russians would just kill everybody instead of going door to door like the US Special Forces do today. Its more dangerous but you prevent civilian deaths. The Russians had no such moral qualms. This was their wartime strategy!

The Russians: killed 1,000,000 CIVILIANS (women, children, senior citizens) wounded probably around 3,000,000 more They would bomb hospitals, bridges, factories, whatever This is what victory would require

Of course we dropped 2 atomic bombs on Japan so do we really have the moral high ground here?! We also firebombed the civilian city of Dresden, Germany during WWII to break Hitler’s back,

Also, this is EXACTLY what Russia is doing in Syria now. In fact the United States has just accused them of bombing 20 UN food trucks meant for the villagers. (But there’s not enough proof)

IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT JIMMY CARTER IZ A GENIUS!

Jimmy Carter is actually considered one of the worst Presidents in history. He was President after Nixon (68-74) and Ford (74-76), and just B4 Reagan (1976-1980). He presided over one of the worst economies in American history, but in Afghanistan he was a genius. This is because he was responsible for Operation Cyclone.

Operation Cyclone: The United States actually starting supporting rebel Mujaheedin BEFORE Soviet troops moved in. That is, we supported the rebels to MAKE Soviet troops come in as soon as there was a Communist coup in Afghanistan. BRILLIANT!!!!!!

We knew that an Afghan war would crush the Russians. We were right. This is called playing hardball. This is called REALPOLITIK. This is called ‘no rules’ and this is called the VERY, VERY COLD WAR! It was ‘Operation Cyclone’.

JIMMY CARTER THEN GOES AHEAD AND BOYCOTTS THE OLYMPICS in MOSCOW

You see, theoretically the Olympics are about sportsmanship, brotherhood and all that jazz. But really they’re just about making $$$$ and looking good in front of other countries. In Finland if you win the gold you get $100,000. In the last Olympics, when Russia only came in 3rd Putin FIRED everyone! And for the 2016 Olympics in Rio the Russians were busted for MASSIVE doping of athletes. The ONLY people who make $$$ off the Olympics are the television networks and construction companies. Everyone else

winds up broke. The Olympics are one of the biggest scams in the world. Remind me to who you images of Rio, Athens and the Sochi Winter Olympics.

Well, in 1980 the Olympics were supposed to be held in Moscow. But how could we support a country that just INVADED Afghanistan.

Jimmy Carter told the US team they could not go. Hundreds of gymnasts and synchronized swimmers start to cry together!!!!!

Normally, every country in the world can participate in the Olympics, even the bad ones: Iran, North Korea, Uganda, Pakistan etc.- Perhaps Jimmy Carter thought that he could hurt the Soviet Union financially.- Perhaps he thought he was making a moral decision.- Perhaps he thought he could make the Soviet Union look bad in the eyes of the

world.- For whatever reason, he made the unprecedented decision to disallow American

athletes from flying to Moscow and representing the United States.

Opinion Question: Does the President have a right to cancel the Olympics and disappoint all those athletes? (HOMEWORK: ASSIGNMENTS)

FAST 4WARD TO RONALD REAGAN

Ronald Reagan’s nickname was The Gipper. Why? I have no idea. He, along with Nixon, was an anti-Communist hardliner in Congress from California. Actually, Ronald Reagan was an actor first (he made movies like ‘Bedtime for Bonzo’ about a dude with a monkey). Then, he became Governor of California, just like Arnold Schwartzenegger. And he was one of the dudes ratting out Hollywood types for alleged “communist activity” during the Red Scare and McCarthyism.

Ronald Reagan is considered by some to be one of the 4 best President ever; Washington, Lincoln, FDR and Reagan. Others disagree and think he was one of

the worst. Same as Obama: Love him or Hate him!

Actually, Ronald Reagan should be credited with bringing down the Soviet Union as much as Mikhail Gorbachev. The two of them are kind of the heroes of the 1980’s. Them, and Michael Jackson.

Born: 1911 Died at 93 yrs. old(He got Alzheimers when he was 79)

- Reagan was the oldest President ever elected (69 yrs. old)- President: 1980-1988 (2 terms)

(His V.P. was Bush’s dad; George H. Walker Bush (Papa Shrub))- Fun Fact: everyone thinks Nancy Reagan slept with Frank Sinatra

- Have you seen Nancy Reagan?

It’s true that Carter refused to go the Moscow Olympics, and its’ true that it was Carter’s National Security Advisor who started funding the Afghan rebels before the Russians came in, knowing that it would draw the Soviets into Afghan quicksand, into Russia’ Vietnam War (Operation Cyclone).

But it will be Reagan who will take the hardest approach with the Soviet Union and starts to give the Mujaheedin and Afghan rebels BILLIONS of dollars in weapons. He wants them to keep fighting the Soviets knowing that it will eventually bankrupt the Soviet Union.

PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN UPS THE ANTERonald Reagan knows that Afghanistan is Russia’s Vietnam.

1. HE UPS THE ASSISTANCE TO $650 MILLION PER YEAR IN FUNDING FOR THE MUJAHEEDIN!!!!! (That’s 2 million dollars per day)

2. We gave the Afghan Rebels $20,000,000,000.00 (BILLION DOLLARS) TOTAL

3. TRAINED OVER 100,000 MUSLIM FREEDOM FIGHTERS (including many of Osama Bin Laden’s fighters). They kept the weapons we gave them.

4. We also gave the Mujaheedin Stinger Missles, which are portable, shoulder fired, and can bring down a soviet helicopter.

This is what changed the war. The Afghan rebels were now able to blow up tanks, shoot down Russian helicopters, and wait in their Afghan mountains for the right time to launch their guerrilla warfare.

The only problem is that we couldn’t be seen as openly supporting the Muslim fighters. Thus, we had to secretly and skillfully supply the mujahedeen without exposing ourselves. And this is exactly what Carter, and then Ronald Reagan will do.

We will take weapons made by the Soviets,(AK-47’S USUALLY), purchased by Israelis, given to Pakistani soldiers, who will take them and give them to the Afghan guerillas.

Thus, when a Muslim Mujaheedin gets caught with them, the United States has no connections to them and WWIII won’t begin!

Interestingly enough, some people, like Congressman Charlie Wilson from Texas, warned about forgetting about Afghanistan when the Soviets leave. After all, the country was a complete wreck. He wanted to rebuild it just like Japan and Germany after WWII.

We didn’t rebuild it because the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Eastern Europe was now free and the Berlin Wall was just torn down. Afghanistan was last on our list. Within one year the Taliban took over.

Our shortsightedness has since cost us dearly, first with 9-11 and then with Osama Bin laden and his guerillas shooting at us with weapons that we gave them………….

MAIN IDEA: The Soviet Union lost for 4 reasons1. The US gave the Mujaheedin weapons (Carter and Reagan)2. It was costing the Soviet Union WAY too much and they were already kind of broke

3. It is impossible to defeat a guerrilla force, one that has the allegiance of the peasants, with a conventional army. Even if you are as brutal as the USSR.

4. If u mess with a country’s religion, get ready for a long, protracted war.

HOMEWORK QUESTIONSLONGER RESPONSE QUESTION: Does the President have a right to cancel the Olympics

and disappoint all those scrawny athletes?

LONGER RESPONSE QUESTION: It is said that Afghanistan was Russia’s Vietnam Explain:

LONGER RESPONSE QUESTION: Why did Russia lose? (THIS WILL BE UR ESSAY QUESTION)

(It should be noted that of we didn’t fund the mujaheedin, Russia probably would have just destroyed the whole country. They would probably still be there, shooting at guerrillas . Instead, we have been there from 2001-2017. So who is the fool? The fool, or the one who follows the fool? Also, How do u explain the Afghans defeating the British and the Soviets and then the Americans goin in with such little understanding? It may have something to do with 9-11!

PART B: Please identify and explain the following themes of the Afghan War:A. The Brezhnev DoctrineB. Jimmy CarterC. Ronald ReaganD. Islam and Communism

PART C: Please answer the following questions:1. What were some differences between Afghan and Soviet culture?2. How do Afghanistan, and the Afghan people, make it difficult for conventional armies

to succeed?

3. So WHY did Russia invade Afghanistan (both stated and un-stated reasons)?

4. What is the Brezhnev Doctrine?

5. How did Jimmy Carter help the Afghans with Operation Cyclone?

6. How and why did Reagan help the Afghans?

7. What was the significance of ‘stinger missiles’?

LONG RESPONSE QUESTION (Great essay question too): Please compare the Vietnam and Afghan Wars.

NEXT PLEASE GRAB A COPY OF: CHAPTER 6: CUBA