Dispelling the Mythology The swift response by the U.S. and her allies
in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, has generated
a host of thoughts, including inevitable comparisons with the Cold
War failures of the superpowers, particularly the Soviet Union's invasion
of Afghanistan and America's intervention in Vietnam.
These two conflicts were strikingly similar in their causes, impact
and prosecution, as well as in outcome. The Soviets, on the verge
of collapse, pulled out of Afghanistan and entered a new world; the
Americans, on the other hand, witnessed a change in public opinion
which effectively forced a change in foreign policy. Both conflicts
were heavy in costs (human life, resources and political will), and
their historical shadows may influence the course of the present situation
in Afghanistan.
However, as the comparisons below demonstrate, it is doubtful that
"history will repeat itself," as the players, the forum,
the casus belli and the stakes are all different. Only the
geography remains the same.
The Players: Large invading Soviet army
vs. the Afghani mujahideen
Incident that Sparked the Invasion: Coup against Afghani King Daoud, 1978 -- Soviet
support enlisted
The Terrain:
High desert, mountainous, broken country; dry climate with few major
urban centers.
Strategic Justification:
Soviet fears of Islamic fundamentalism destabilizing the southern
Soviet republics
