Soviet war in Afghanistan

[Joe McCarthy]

Any opinions on this war?

The Soviet war in Afghanistan was a nine-year proxy war during the Cold war involving the Soviet Union, supporting the Marxist-Leninist government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan against the Afghan Mujahideen guerrilla movement and foreign "Arab–Afghan" volunteers. The mujahideen received unofficial military and/or financial support from a variety of countries including the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, Israel, Indonesia and China. The Afghan government, with the Soviet Union as its ally, received different aid from the government of India under Indira Gandhi.

The initial Soviet deployment of the 40th Army in Afghanistan began on December 24, 1979 under Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev. The final troop withdrawal started on May 15, 1988, and ended on February 15, 1989 under the last Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Due to the interminable nature of the war, the conflict in Afghanistan has sometimes been referred to as the "Soviet Union's Vietnam War" or "the Bear Trap".

The headquarters of the Soviet 40th Army in Kabul, 1987. Before the Soviet intervention, the building was Tajbeg Palace, where Hafizullah Amin was killed.

Soviet ground forces in action while conducting an offensive operation against the Islamist resistance, the Mujahideen.

A Soviet Spetsnaz (special operations) group prepares for a mission in Afghanistan, 1988.

Three mujahideen in Asmar, 1985.

Soviet paratroopers aboard a BMD-1 in Kabul

Mujahideen leader Ismail Khan walks among his fighters.

Afghanistan War Memorial, Kiev, Ukraine

Afghans commemorating Mujahideen Victory Day.

[Mosov]

Soviets carpet bombed Afghanistan during their invasion without much regard. They didn't care what the civilians thought about them, hence, they lost the war.

[Joe McCarthy]

Soviets carpet bombed Afghanistan during their invasion without much regard. They didn't care what the civilians thought about them, hence, they lost the war.

It's interesting that the media does not focus more on this war given the nature of the atrocities and bloodshed:

One 1986 report on Afghanistan read: "In three small villages near Qandahar, last year, the Soviets killed close to 350 women and children in retailiation for a Mujahidin attack in the vicinity. After slitting the throats of the children, disemboweling pregnant women, raping, shooting and mutilating others, the Russians poured a substance on the bodies which caused instant decomposition."

About a million Afghans, 1/16 of the country's population, died in the conflict. Yet we don't hear much about a 'Soviet Holocaust' or whatever.

[Mosov]

It's interesting that the media does not focus more on this war given the nature of the atrocities and bloodshed:



About a million Afghans, 1/16 of the country's population, died in the conflict. Yet we don't hear much about a 'Soviet Holocaust' or whatever.

Well I don't think it was a "Holocaust" but just disregard for civilians during the war campaigns. If everything was done more professionally, Soviets may have won the war. It should be a lesson to the current NATO forces in Afghanistan.

[Joe McCarthy]

Well I don't think it was a "Holocaust" but just disregard for civilians during the war campaigns. If everything was done more professionally, Soviets may have won the war. It should be a lesson to the current NATO forces in Afghanistan.

It was certainly a genocide of sorts at the very least.

And I dare say the NATO occupation has been conducted more professionally, even if only in the sense that we haven't just wantonly massacred people.

[Mosov]

It was certainly a genocide of sorts at the very least.

And I dare say the NATO occupation has been conducted more professionally, even if only in the sense that we haven't just wantonly massacred people.

No a genocide signifies a governmental intention to exterminate a certain race. Soviets had no such intention, they just wanted to bring Afghanistan under their control.

NATO occupation has been more professional thus the results have been better for NATO than was for Soviets.

[Joe McCarthy]

No a genocide signifies a governmental intention to exterminate a certain race.

Bit of an ironic opinion given the wailing over the 'Armenian Genocide', no? Or are you now going to claim the Young Turks were trying to exterminate a certain race?

[Mosov]

Bit of an ironic opinion given the wailing over the 'Armenian Genocide', no? Or are you now going to claim the Young Turks were trying to exterminate a certain race?

No it's not an ironic opinion. Turkish Government along with military elements were intent on eliminating Armenians in Ottoman Empire. They were partially successful at it as no Armenians are left in the western portion of our ancestral land where we have lived for ages. What happened in Afghanistan was war crimes against humanity, but it was not genocide as they had to intention of cleansing/eliminating the Afghan people.

[Joe McCarthy]

No it's not an ironic opinion. Turkish Government along with military elements were intent on eliminating Armenians in Ottoman Empire. They were partially successful at it as no Armenians are left in the western portion of our ancestral land where we have lived for ages. What happened in Afghanistan was war crimes against humanity, but it was not genocide as they had to intention of cleansing/eliminating the Afghan people.

What evidence is there of a deliberate, preconceived decision by the Turkish government to annihilate the Armenians as a group? That is the standard, pedantic definition of 'genocide' if we're to get strictly technical.

[Mosov]

What evidence is there of a deliberate, preconceived decision by the Turkish government to annihilate the Armenians as a group? That is the standard, pedantic definition of 'genocide' if we're to get strictly technical.

There's a lot of evidence of correspondence between government officials and Western diplomats, which clearly spell out what was being done. For example, the US ambassador's interactions with Talat Pasha - made clear of his intentions towards the Armenians. You also have an organised effort by military elements in cleansing and eliminating Armenians. The Genocide label is also accepted by much of academia and people specialising in studies of Genocide.

http://www.voelkermord.at/docs/Schol...nying_IAGS.pdf

http://www.armenian-genocide.org/Aff...on_detail.html