Re: Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan

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From: Jeff Richard <richaje_at_nSPctyR3gwHWHb3wYydD7auyEHxEg4l0FD_xScTyUuK5dRaisk_QPbZt3Yr1WSCwNDYZ>
Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 21:10:27 -0000

Mark writes:

> > > I don't think I'd agree. There was no particular enthusiasm for
> > > intervention, and certainly no grand plan or intention to move
> > > beyond Afghanistan.

At that level of generality, I think I would agree with Mark. My uncle was an official with the US government's soil desalination program in Afghanistan in the 1970s and that is largely his impression as well (he left Afghanistan in 1978 following the PDPA coup d'etat).

On the other hand, if the Soviet Union had managed to consolidate and stabilize its position in Afghanistan, I would be surprised if the Soviet Union didn't end up with ambitions in Pakistan. But I doubt that at the time the Soviets had any grand plan or intent to move beyond Afghanistan. Russia has long been a dangerous neighbor to have.

Jeff