Russians+in+Afghanistan

RUSSIAN INVASION OF AFGHANISTAN

Afghanistan 1979:
 * Prime Minister Hazifullah Amin was trying to eliminate Muslim tradition
 * Amin ran a communist based government
 * The Russians invaded in order to help maintain Amin's communist rule
 * On December 27th, the Russians shot and killed Amin
 * Babrak Kamal replaced Amin
 * Kamal was dependant upon Russian military

What were the Russians doing in Afghanistan?
 * In Christmas 1979, Russian troops landed in Kabal, the capital of Afghanistan.
 * Soviets were trying to continue the spread of communism throughout Afghanistan.
 * On December 27, 1979 700 Russian troops dressed in afghan uniforms invaded Kabal. They were after the Tajbeg Presidential Palace. During the assualt on the palace the Russians killed president Hafizullah Amin. Their mission was complete by the following day.
 * The Country was told that the president had been executed for his crimes by the Afghan Revolutionary Central Committee. The committee then placed Babrak Karmal as the head of government. Soviet Union used this man to control their power within Afghanistan.



How did communism find a doorway into this very God fearing country?
 * Communism found its way into Afghanistan with the establishment of Karmal as the president of Afghanistan.
 * When rebels called Lashkar and Afghan Army units tried to rise against the government, Karmal ordered the Soviets to fight them off. Most of the fighting was done in the open streets. Russian artillery and air power dominated the fighting.
 * The Russians began forcing their spread of Communism. They used Afghan infantry along with their armored ground support as well as air support to take out rebels. The troops were difficult to use because they were not loyal to a Communist government. Many cities throughout Afghanistan would not become Communist so the Soviets Bombed and raided them.
 * Some of the fighting had poured into Pakistan. There was a scramble for control of government and a constant state of war throughout the country.

What Russia would gain if their take over of Afghanistan were a success:
 * Control over Afghanistan would give Russia a larger area to expand their army and communist views.
 * Control of Afghanistan would also increase their military numbers from the recruits they would take.
 * The Invasion of Afghanistan lasted nine years before Russia was weakened to the point where they had to withdraw from Afghanistan.



America's involvement:


 * During Russia's assault Afghanistan was supported by many nations to help fight against Russia. A lead supporter was the United States of America, aiding approximately 600 million dollars a year for as long as this occupation lasted. In 1978 the United States began directing propaganda from Pakistan to Afghanistan.
 * President James Carter also brought attention to what he called "Soviet aggression", and noted that it could not be viewed as an isolated event which could become a potential threat to Us influences in the Persian Gulf.
 * Once Muhammad Zia Ul Haq began to accept finacial aid from western powers to support Mujahideen.
 * Muajahideen (Muslim Fighters) Rebeled against Pro Soviet groups in Afghanistan.

Operation Cyclone:

Operations cyclone was a code name for the United States Central Intelligence Agency program that trained, armed, and financed the Afghan Mujahideen. This program leaned heavily towards supporting militant Islamic groups that were supporters of Pakistan rather then other major powers.Operation Cyclone was one of the longest most expensive covert CIA operations ever undertaken. Money started at around 20 - 30 Million, then in 1987 jumped to an astonishing 630 Million per year. Operation Cyclone was President Carters reaction to the Soviet invasion. The Russians also had orchestrated meetings with Afghan powers saying the the Soviet Union had no intention of invading. The Russians had also planned theses meeting so that they were easy to intercept by the United States to make the illusion of peace. Immediately after the invasion the Russians brutally murdered the Afghan presidents and replaced him with a puppet figure head in fear that the United states were plotting with him.

Bin Laden and the US:

In 1979 after the Russian invasion Bin Laden began supporting Afghan resistances which became Jihad or holy war. The United states became a major supporter of the Afghan resistances mainly Mujahideen and other resistors against soviet aggression. By the mid 1980's Bin Laden had moved to Afghanistan where he established an organization named Maktab al Khidmat to recruit soldiers from around the world to establish a international network. The Taliban was formed within two years of Russia's invasion, and in 1996 supported Bin Laden. The United States has been criticized after the Cyclone operation, although the Cyclone operation allowed Afghanistan to resist Soviet aggression, it also allowed Afghan veterans the means to start their own organizations. Critics of the Us consider Operation Cyclone to be responsible for setting in motion many terrorist acts such as September 11th 2001. Many say that these Afghanistan forces were trained, equipped, or funded by the U.S or its allies during the 1980's.