Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan

From: Julian Lord <julian.lord_at_GhO-EVFIEn7gpGNhelgPzdbV6akw7_Bz1RkpY8y_V08uuNe_9qdiPFvF-LAaePQZ>
Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 19:45:33 +0100


de Galeotti:

> > >The Soviets invaded in 1979 because the then-rulers only managed
> to make things
> > >worse.
> >
> > This is a rather rosy view of why the Soviets invaded.
>
> 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.

Oh, come on...

 (with all due respect)

I remember at the time, that the main objectives were to extend Soviet "influence" in the general but precise direction of the Indian Ocean. In the 1980s, there _was_ still some sort of extant ideological desire to spread the Soviet model Far and Wide ...

IMO there was indeed a Grand Plan, although I would agree with you that it wasn't a plan that sparked much enthusiasm among the ordinary people whose children were being told to go off and spill their blood for the furtherance of said Plan...

cheers,

de Immod

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