Sample Essay on Effects of Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
There were many effects of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan as seen from the day the Soviet Union sent troops to Afghanistan in 1979. The effects of this war were far-reaching in Afghanistan, the US, and the Soviets. This war led to an increased number of refugees from Afghanistan to Pakistan. Others became internal refugees during and even after the war.
The Soviet Union troops were sent to Afghanistan to bolster the pro-communist government. However, the effects of this war were more than anticipated. This is because the effects of the Afghanistan invasion by the Soviet Union lasted for decades and they also spread to other countries across the world.
What followed the invasion was a civil war that lasted for 10 years. Troops of the Soviet Union were involved in this war where they fought the Afghan guerrillas commonly known as the mujahedeen. Basically, the invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Union led to the emergence of insurgence or the Mujahedeen.
Another effect of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan was the emergence of holy war or jihad. It was also the rallying point that many Muslims in Afghanistan associated with. Young men drawn from different parts of the country fought the Soviet Union troops on the side of guerrillas.
The 9/11 commission reported that schools, boarding houses, and mosques acted as the recruiting stations in different parts of the country and even outside Afghanistan. Even in the United States, there were Muslims recruited to join the war on the side of guerrillas.
This invasion created a virtual stalemate that lasted for seven years. Eventually, the invasion drew Great Britain and the United States into the war. 1986 became the turning point when Great Britain and the United States supplied surface-to-air and shoulder-fired missiles to the guerrillas in Afghanistan. This gave the guerrillas the weaponry that they needed to defeat the Soviet forces in the air.
The invasion led to expenses in some countries. For instance, the report by the 9/11 commission indicates that the United States and Saudi Arabia together provided assistance amounting to billions to the rebel groups in Afghanistan secretly. This was aimed at helping the rebels to resist the occupation of the country by the Soviet Union.
In addition, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan fueled the extremist ideology among the Muslims. They now view jihad as a legitimate and holy war. Experts argue that this invasion prepared the ground for the establishment of some of the deadliest terrorist networks today.
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Online sources:
http://www.military-history.us/2011/09/how-did-the-soviet-invasion-of-afghanistan-impact-the-cold-war/
https://sites.google.com/site/sovietinvasionofafghanistan/soviet-withdraws/effects
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/asia-july-dec06-soviet_10-10/