The Unseen Alliance: America's Support In Afghanistan's Soviet War

The Soviet-Afghan War was a major conflict of the Cold War, fought between the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, the Soviet Union and their allies, and the Afghan Mujahideen and their foreign allies. The war, which lasted from 1979 to 1989, resulted in the deaths of approximately 3,000,000 Afghans and caused millions more to flee the country as refugees.

The war began when the Soviets, under Leonid Brezhnev, invaded Afghanistan to support the local pro-Soviet government. In response, the US and its allies devised measures to force the Soviets to withdraw, including economic sanctions and trade embargoes. The US also began supplying non-lethal aid to the Mujahideen.

The Soviets had initially planned to swiftly secure Afghanistan's towns and road networks, stabilise the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan government, and withdraw their forces within six months to a year. However, they faced fierce resistance from Afghan guerrillas and experienced operational difficulties in the country's rugged, mountainous terrain. By the mid-1980s, the Soviet military presence in Afghanistan had increased to approximately 115,000 troops, and the war effort was inflicting a heavy toll on the Soviet Union's military, economic, and political resources.

In mid-1987, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev announced the Soviet military's complete withdrawal from Afghanistan, which was finalised in February 1989. The Soviet-Afghan War is often viewed as a significant factor that contributed to the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War.

The US funnelled money to Pakistan's intelligence services, who then passed it to the Mujahedeen

The US support for the Mujahedeen was part of a Cold War struggle. The US saw the conflict in Afghanistan as an opportunity to gain a foothold in the country and counter Soviet influence. The US began by financially supporting the Mujahideen, but after the Soviet invasion in December 1979, the CIA expanded the program and began providing weapons and money to the Mujahideen through Pakistan's intelligence services.

The US support for the Mujahideen was not without consequences. It has been argued that the US support for the Mujahideen led to the rise of the Taliban and contributed to the September 11 attacks. Some analysts, journalists, and government officials have described the September 11 attacks as "blowback" or an "unintended consequence" of American aid to the Mujahideen.

However, the US government, US government officials involved in the operation, and several journalists and academics have denied this theory. They argue that the aid was given by the Pakistani ISI and that it went to Afghan and not foreign Mujahideen. They also deny that there was any contact between the CIA and Osama bin Laden, arguing that there is no evidence of direct support or training.

The US exploited the Mujahedeen to their advantage

The Mujahedeen was a diverse coalition of groups with different aims and ideologies, including Islamists, leftists, military defectors from the Communist Party, and ordinary people who simply picked up arms to fight. While the US primarily supported the more organized groups, the bulk of the Mujahedeen consisted of ordinary people who lacked any particular ideology or vision for the future government. These ordinary people received little to no training or funding from the US or Pakistan.

The US support for the Mujahedeen was part of a broader strategy to counter Soviet influence in Afghanistan. The US was nervous about Daoud Khan's increasing alignment with the Soviet Union and began to funnel money to resistance groups following his overthrow and the establishment of a Marxist-Leninist government in 1978. The US hoped that by supporting the Mujahedeen, they could induce a Soviet invasion, which occurred in late December 1979. Once the Soviets invaded, the US threw its full support behind the Mujahedeen and allied itself with the anti-communist resistance movement.

The US inadvertently imported Ayman al-Zawahiri, who later became second-in-command of Al-Qaeda

Al-Zawahiri was a close associate of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. He held significant sway over the group's operations and was wanted by the United States and the United Nations for his role in the 1998 US embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania and the 2002 Bali bombings. He merged the Egyptian Islamic Jihad with al-Qaeda in 2001 and formally became bin Laden's deputy in 2004.

Al-Zawahiri was killed in a US drone strike in Afghanistan in July 2022. He had been rumoured to be in Pakistan's tribal area or inside Afghanistan. His death is considered to be the biggest hit to the terrorist group since Osama Bin Laden was killed in 2011.

The US pressured Egypt to release a group of Islamists, who then went on to form Al-Qaeda

During the Soviet-Afghan War, the United States provided support to the Afghan resistance movement, which was fighting against the Soviet Union. This support included weapons supplies, funding, and assistance from the CIA through the Pakistani intelligence services, in a program called Operation Cyclone. The US also sold arms to Pakistan, an ally of Afghanistan, and refused to sell arms to Afghanistan, pushing the country closer to the Soviet Union.

Following the Soviet withdrawal in 1989, some Afghans began to blame the US for the country's problems, including the rise of the Taliban. Despite this, the US has continued to support programs to improve human rights and the lives of women, girls, and minority communities in Afghanistan.

Now, regarding the role of Egypt and the formation of Al-Qaeda, it is important to note that Egypt was one of the countries that provided support to the Afghan resistance movement during the Soviet-Afghan War. However, I was unable to find specific information confirming that "the US pressured Egypt to release a group of Islamists who then formed Al-Qaeda." Here is what I can tell you about Al-Qaeda's expansion in Egypt and its implications:

Al-Qaeda's leadership includes several Egyptians, such as Saif al Adel, who have deep roots in the country's jihadist scene. During and after the 2011 uprisings in Egypt, senior jihadists associated with al-Qaeda were released from prison. Some returned from safe havens abroad, such as Iran. The protest in front of the US Embassy in Cairo in September 2012, which turned into an assault, was instigated by these freed "old-school" jihadists.

The expansion of Al-Qaeda in Egypt raises concerns about the group's ability to recruit members and establish terrorist cells with limited interference from security forces. There are reports that even while imprisoned, top jihadist leaders have maintained communication with the outside world. To counter this, it has been suggested that the US should pressure the Egyptian government to take a more nuanced approach, differentiating between legitimate political dissent and security operations. Ensuring respect for human rights and democratic principles in Egypt can also help safeguard against the influence of extremist forces.

The US and the Soviet Union withdrew their influence, creating a power vacuum

The Soviet-Afghan War was a major conflict of the Cold War, fought between the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, the Soviet Union, and their allies against the Afghan Mujahideen and their foreign fighters. The war lasted from 1979 to 1989 and resulted in the deaths of approximately 3,000,000 Afghans, with millions more fleeing the country as refugees.

The war began when the Soviets, under Leonid Brezhnev, invaded Afghanistan to support the local pro-Soviet government. This invasion was met with worldwide condemnation, and the international community imposed numerous sanctions and embargoes on the Soviet Union. The Soviets occupied Afghanistan's major cities and communication networks, while the Mujahideen waged guerrilla warfare in the uncontrolled countryside.

The Soviet government initially planned to secure Afghanistan's towns and stabilize the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) government before withdrawing within six months to a year. However, they faced fierce resistance from Afghan guerrillas and operational challenges due to the rugged terrain. By the mid-1980s, the Soviet military presence had increased to approximately 115,000 troops, and the war effort inflicted heavy costs on the Soviet Union.

By mid-1987, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev announced the Soviet military's complete withdrawal from Afghanistan. The final wave of disengagement began on May 15, 1988, and on February 15, 1989, the last Soviet military column left Afghanistan. The PDPA government continued to receive Soviet backing and pursued a solo war effort against the Mujahideen, leading to the Afghan Civil War.

The US played a significant role in the conflict by supporting the Mujahideen. Under Operation Cyclone, the US provided funding, training, and weapons to the Mujahideen through Pakistan's intelligence services. This support was part of the Cold War rivalry between the US and the Soviet Union, as the US sought to counter Soviet influence in the region.

The Soviet-Afghan War had far-reaching consequences. It caused widespread destruction in Afghanistan and contributed to the dissolution of the Soviet Union, marking the end of the Cold War. The war also left a legacy of guns, drugs, and terrorism in Afghanistan, transforming its society and political landscape.

The withdrawal of both the US and the Soviet Union from Afghanistan created a power vacuum, leading to a civil war between different factions of the Mujahideen. This civil war gave rise to the Taliban and al-Qaeda, with the Taliban eventually establishing the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in 1996. The US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, marked another chapter in Afghanistan's tumultuous history.

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