The Soviet-Afghan War: Reagan's Perspective On Moscow's Motives

On Christmas Eve, 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, claiming they were invited by the new Afghan communist leader, Babrak Karmal. This invasion was a watershed event of the Cold War, marking the only time the Soviet Union invaded a country outside the Eastern Bloc. The invasion was met with worldwide condemnation, and the US government, under President Jimmy Carter, began supplying non-lethal aid to Afghan mujahedeen, or Islamic insurgents. When Ronald Reagan became president, he increased aid to Pakistan, using the CIA’s partnership with the Pakistani ISI to funnel aid to the Mujahedeen. Reagan believed that the Soviets were bent on world domination and wanted to redefine national policy toward the Soviet Union. In 1983, Reagan issued a security directive stating that the US objective in Afghanistan was to keep maximum pressure on Moscow and ensure that the Soviets' political, military, and other costs remained high. In 1985, Reagan escalated American pressure on the Soviets by introducing the Stinger anti-air missile, which destroyed the CIA’s policy of plausible deniability. Reagan's strategy after 1985 was to force the withdrawal of Soviet forces, but his escalation did not factor into the Soviet decision-making process. The main reason for the Soviet defeat was the failure of the Red Army to conduct a successful counter-insurgency operation. Reagan concluded in 1989, when the Soviets finally withdrew, that the CIA’s aid had contributed to a major victory.

Reagan's belief that the Soviets were weaker economically than the intelligence community thought

Ronald Reagan believed that the Soviets were weaker economically than the intelligence community thought. As early as June 18, 1980, Reagan told reporters and editors at The Washington Post,

> it would be of great benefit to the United States if we started a buildup because the Soviets would be unable to compete and would come to the bargaining table.

Reagan's belief in the Soviets' economic weakness was not universally shared by his advisers and the intelligence community. Some analysts believed that the Soviets would not occupy Afghanistan given the political and economic costs. However, Reagan's decision to increase military spending and take a harder line against the Soviet Union reflected his conviction that the Soviets were weaker than they appeared and that a strong military posture was necessary to counter their global influence.

Reagan's anti-Soviet rhetoric

Ronald Reagan's anti-Soviet rhetoric was a key feature of his presidency. Reagan believed that the Soviet Union was bent on world domination and that Communism was an immoral and destructive ideology. He described the Soviet Union as an evil empire and called the Soviets "the focus of evil in the modern world". Reagan's anti-Soviet rhetoric was paired with a significant increase in military spending, which he believed would show America's traditional allies that he was serious and encourage the Soviets to come to the bargaining table.

> "Rather than achieving its aim, the Soviet action resulted only in destruction and continued suffering for the Afghan people. More than 1 million people are thought to have died or been injured, while at least one-third of the population was forced to take refuge in neighbouring Pakistan and Iran or to flee to the large cities of Afghanistan to escape the carnage in the countryside."

Reagan also believed that the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan was part of a wider pattern of Soviet-backed Marxist and leftist regimes around the globe. He was particularly concerned about Central America, where he continued the Carter administration's support for El Salvador's efforts to wipe out Marxist rebels and viewed the Marxist government of Nicaragua as a menace to hemispheric stability.

Reagan's support for the Mujahideen

Ronald Reagan's support for the Mujahideen was part of his administration's strategy to counter the Soviet Union's influence globally and end the Cold War. Reagan's policy, known as the Reagan Doctrine, involved providing overt and covert aid to anti-communist guerrillas and resistance movements to "roll back" Soviet-backed communist governments.

In Afghanistan, Reagan significantly expanded the covert CIA program Operation Cyclone, which provided military aid and funding to the Mujahideen. This program, which began under the Carter administration in 1979, funnelled billions of dollars' worth of weapons, training, and financial support to the Mujahideen through the Pakistani intelligence services. Reagan's expansion of the program included the introduction of the Stinger anti-aircraft missile in 1986, which proved decisive in striking against Soviet helicopter landings.

Reagan justified his support for the Mujahideen as aiding "freedom fighters" in their struggle for self-determination. In a 1983 meeting with Mujahideen leaders, Reagan expressed his nation's "continued strong support for the resistance" and praised their "valiant" fight for freedom. Reagan also linked the goal of self-determination to the broader Cold War conflict, stating that the Soviet presence in Afghanistan was a "major impediment to improved U.S.-Soviet relations".

Reagan's strategy ultimately contributed to the Soviet Union's withdrawal from Afghanistan in 1989 and the eventual collapse of the Soviet regime. However, critics argue that the escalation of aid after 1985 prolonged the war and that the emergence of the Taliban and al-Qaeda can be partly attributed to the U.S.-supported jihad.

Reagan's belief that the Soviets were bent on world domination

Ronald Reagan believed that the Soviet Union was bent on world domination. In a famous speech on March 8, 1983, he referred to the Soviet Union as an evil empire and called the Soviets "the focus of evil in the modern world". Reagan believed that the Soviets had taken advantage of détente, as practiced by the Nixon, Ford, and Carter administrations. He thought that the SALT II nuclear treaty, negotiated by Carter, imposed greater limits on the United States than on the Soviet Union. Reagan was also convinced that the Soviets were weaker economically than the intelligence community believed.

Reagan's belief in Soviet expansionism was evident in his response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. He increased aid to Pakistan and used the CIA to funnel aid to the Mujahideen, or holy warriors, fighting against the Soviet Union. Reagan issued a security directive in 1983 stating that the US objective in Afghanistan was "to keep maximum pressure on Moscow for withdrawal and to ensure that the Soviets' political, military, and other costs remain high while the occupation continues". This policy assisted the Mujahideen in increasing pressure on the Soviet military.

Reagan's strategy after 1985 was to force the withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan. He escalated American pressure on the Soviets, including the introduction of the Stinger anti-air missile, which destroyed the CIA's policy of plausible deniability regarding its aid to the Mujahideen. Reagan's escalation, however, had the opposite effect and prolonged the war. The timing of the escalation allowed the Soviet forces to develop different tactics and countermeasures, and the introduction of the Stinger missile did not hamper Soviet operations.

Reagan's actions in Afghanistan must be understood within the broader context of his anti-Communist foreign policy. He believed that it was necessary for the United States to combat the spread of Soviet-backed Marxist and leftist regimes throughout the globe. Reagan was particularly concerned about Central America, where he continued the Carter administration's support for El Salvador's efforts to wipe out Marxist rebels and viewed the Marxist government of Nicaragua as a menace to hemispheric stability. He pursued a doctrine of "democratic militance", proclaiming overt and unabashed support for anti-Communist forces "from Afghanistan to Nicaragua".

Reagan's belief that the Soviets took advantage of détente

Ronald Reagan believed that the Soviets took advantage of détente as practiced by Presidents Nixon, Ford, and Carter. Reagan contended that the SALT II nuclear treaty, negotiated by Carter but never ratified by the Senate, imposed greater limits on the United States than on the Soviet Union. Reagan also believed that the Soviets were weaker economically than the intelligence community believed.

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