The USSR and US in Afghanistan

Paper Summary:

The paper describes the geopolitical significance of Afghanistan to the Americans and Soviets before and during the Cold War. The paper analyzes Russian and Soviet policy in Afghanistan and relates that policy decisions in the United States relating to Afghanistan have been historically affected by the Soviet presence in the country. Finally, the paper explores the nature and limits of the United States' role in the Afghan war and the present US involvement in Afghanistan.


Outline:
Abstract
Objective
Introduction
Geopolitical Significance of Afghanistan
Soviet Policy in Afghanistan
Nature and Limits of the Role of the US in Afghanistan
Present US Involvement in Afghanistan

From the Paper:

"Afghanistan is a region characterized by mountains and desert terrain that are practically impassable and is a country that has been dominated by the culture of Islam since 882 A.D. The Soviet war that occurred in Afghanistan lasted approximately nine years and was a conflict that centered upon the Soviet military support of the Marxist People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA), the government of Afghanistan and the Mujahideen insurgents that were trying to overthrow the government in Afghanistan. The work of Singleton (1981) relates "Soviet-Afghan contacts began when Amir Amanullah Khan expelled British control during the Third Afghan War.""

Sample of Sources Used:

• Threat from the East? Soviet Policy from Afghanistan and Iran to the Horn of Africa(2007) Democratization and Security in Central Eurasia - ARI Movement 9th International Security Conference Istanbul 14-15 June 2007. Online available at: http://www.ari.org.tr/english/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=86&Itemid=2
• Kuczewski, Andre (1984) Threat from the East? Soviet Policy from Afghanistan and Iran to the Horn of Africa - Book Reviews. Nov. 1984. Online available at: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1132/is_v36/ai_3496626.
• Savranskaya, Svetlana (2001) The Soviet Experience in Afghanistan: Russian Documents and Memoirs - Volume II: Afghanistan: Lessons from the Last War. Online available at: http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB57/soviet.html.
• Garthoff, Raymond L. Detente and Confrontation. Washington D.C.: The Brookings Institute, 1994. p. 1017-1018
• Johnston, Laurie (1991) US Policy in Afghanistan: Time for a Change. National War Collection Washington, DC 25 Feb 1991. Abstract Online available at: http://stinet.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA437594

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