At one time the West believed the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, one of the worst mistakes of the Soviet leadership. USSR "stuck" in Afghanistan for a decade. Afghan war cost the lives of thousands of Soviet people, high financial costs, and that if you do not talk about the human tragedies and broken lives of many people, the last war and never have found themselves in civilian life. But it took only a little more than a decade, and in the "Afghan trap" were already the Americans and their NATO allies, which not so long ago were happy Soviet losses in Afghanistan.
In response to terrorist attacks 11 September 2001 the US and its allies began military operations in Afghanistan "Enduring Freedom", which was officially directed against the movement "Taliban" and other radical organizations, operating in Afghanistan. The formal reason for the operation of American troops was the "Taliban" of the government's refusal to extradite US Osama bin Laden and other senior leaders of the "al-Qaeda" (banned in Russia), It was at that time in Afghanistan. The operation began in the evening 7 October 2001 year - participated in the first attack 40 combat aircraft, and ships with the US Navy and Royal Navy were released about 50 missiles.
Since that time, we began regular air strikes of the American military installations of the Taliban, allowed the Northern Alliance forces go on the offensive. 25 November, Afghanistan, landed the first contingent of American troops - 1000 soldiers and officers of the US Navy Marine Corps. A little later, in Afghanistan were deployed to ISAF (ISAF), from 2003 has been under NATO command. TO 2011 , the number of ISAF was 132457 troops from 48 countries of the world, and the number of US troops in the contingent was over 90 thousand. human.
In this way, The United States launched in Afghanistan, a very large group of troops. Of course, "Another Vietnam" for the US operation in Afghanistan did not. At first, Unlike the Vietnam War, Afghanistan war contractors (and during the Vietnam War, the American army was recruited by conscription). Secondly, disproportionately lower and personnel losses, due to the lack of mass support of the Taliban from the population, almost complete solidarity of the international community - the operation in Afghanistan is supported not only by close allies of the US, but the majority of Muslim countries, and the Russian Federation.
But it is hardly worth considering US Afghan operation as successful. After seventeen years of fighting the ultimate goal, namely, the complete destruction of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, and has not been reached. You can draw a parallel with the Afghan war, which was conducted in 1979-1989 gg. Soviet Union.
Afghanistan - a fascinating country. A significant part of its territory and has not been able to conquer any British colonizers in the XIX-XX centuries., no Soviet troops, or modern American army. The reasons for this - not only the specifics of the topography, climatic conditions, but also in the special mentality of the local population. Soviet Union, Nevertheless, had in Afghanistan is much more difficult, what is now the United States. Just the Afghan operation of the Soviet Army and can be compared with the US Vietnam.
At first, Soviet troops on Afghan territory were in a very difficult situation, "the lack of rear". Strike could be applied at any time and anywhere. Lay explosive device, shot in the back, could throw a grenade and "civilian", and even a woman or a child. This greatly complicates the position of the Soviet troops. Soviet soldiers and officers are not taught to fight with civilians, so for many was a shock similar attacks by "civilians".
Secondly, Soviet troops did not have the proper level of training for action in the conditions of Central Asia relief. By 1970-ies. thought, that the war on the Soviet Union if it will have to, either with NATO in Eastern Europe, or with China in the Far East. These two areas and it is the main focus as in the training of personnel, and with arms and material support of the Soviet armed forces. probably, if Soviet troops initially had another level of training for operations in the countries and regions, like Afghanistan, they would carry smaller losses.
Thirdly, The Soviet Union was faced with condemnation from many countries around the world. Western powers, including the US and UK, maintained substantially open mojaheds, in many formations were American and British advisers and instructors. Support for anti-Soviet formations provided Iran, Pakistan and China - the nearest neighbors of Afghanistan. Mujahideen was very convenient to have bases in neighboring Pakistan, where prepared fighters, We treated the wounded, Headquartered. Financial and organizational support to the mujahideen exerted the oil monarchies of the Persian Gulf, international Islamic organizations, It was public opinion, even those Muslim countries on their side, which formally preferred not to quarrel with the USSR. Finally, It split on the question of the attitude to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the opinion of the world's socialist and communist parties. All these circumstances make the conduct of the war in Afghanistan is a very difficult task.
In the same time, The Soviet Union also had a number of advantages in comparison with the United States. At first, the Soviet Union and Afghanistan was a long common land border, which greatly facilitates the delivery of military cargo issues, personnel, Food of the Soviet republics in the DRA. In the immediate vicinity of the base in Afghanistan were, airfields, military units, located on the territory of Soviet Central Asia.
Secondly, the Soviet Union entered the Central Asian republics, inhabited by the same peoples, as the provinces of Afghanistan - Tajiks, Uzbeks, Turkmens, Kyrgyz. Conscripts and officers from among the representatives of the peoples of Central Asia served as part of the SA troops in Afghanistan. This was a big plus, if only because, that eliminated language and cultural barriers - CA Central Asian soldiers could easily find contacts with the local population. Finally, USSR at that time had a distinct and attractive ideology, the Soviet Union had many sincere supporters among the local population, and among the most educated and 'modern' segments of Afghan society.
Soviet Union, with all the "clumsiness" of their ideological machine, still I had more reason to say, that is guided in Afghanistan only good intentions. After all, Afghanistan is bordered on the Soviet Union and the destabilization of the situation in this country could have a negative impact on the situation in the country by the Soviet, first of all - in Central Asia. Besides, The USSR appealed and progressive ideas, feeding the invasion as a modern support, national and democratic government in its struggle against "reaction" forces (and to what extent it really was, Soviet propagandists are not dissemble). As is known, The Soviet Union during its military presence in Afghanistan has not only provided military support to the PDPA, but also to build infrastructure, He contributed to the development of health, the education system. Soviet soldiers literally fed and treated locals, especially in the villages, where the standard of living was very low.
Contemporary American campaign in Afghanistan has several differences from the Soviet "Afghan war" 1979-1989 gg. Individual differences rather positive. The American army has a large and invaluable experience of combat operations in a variety of settings, nice and modern military equipment. US military commanders have little complexes regarding civilian casualties. If necessary - will bomb and put the missile attacks on residential areas, shoot civilians.
Finally, Americans to help almost all the world - just a part of the military contingent were at different times of 48 countries of the world. In Afghanistan, the soldiers checked in the most different countries of the world - from the powerful states such as the UK, France and Turkey to "dwarf" Tonga, Bahrain, Luxembourg, Baltic republics. Yet a number of countries, although it did not send its soldiers to Afghanistan, But it turns out very different contingent care. Even after Russia followed the military cargo for the needs of the US Army in Afghanistan. But even in such a situation, the US army failed to achieve desired results. What is the cause of, the United States in Afghanistan, "stepped on the same rake", that the Soviet Union?
formation, distribution and the existence of radical organizations religious extremist in Afghanistan, as in other countries of the East, It was the result of the objective characteristics of the political, economic, social development of the Islamic world in the second half of the twentieth century. Of course, at the time many of these organizations to encourage and support the American and British secret services, but they would have had without external assistance.
Islamic radicalism is a response to the crisis of values of all the other powerful ideological systems - and the Soviet Communist, and Western capitalist. For residents of the Muslim countries of Asia and Africa, a return to Islamic values was seen as the only alternative to social injustice. Not casually even some ethnic Europeans began to convert to Islam and sent to fight in the Middle East and North Africa. They saw in religious fundamentalism new ideology, capable, from their point of view, change the world.
On the other hand, significant funding for these organizations provides a stable inflow of numerous new recruits - young and active, but the poor and unemployed residents of Asian and African countries. "Mobilization resources" radical terrorist organizations is practically inexhaustible, if we recall the population, high fertility and poor living standards in many countries of the East.
We radicals, there are obvious psychological advantage – they act as defenders of religious and national traditions of the American invaders, Media alien and immoral (from their point of view) western culture. known, that in the East to the Americans and the Europeans is very cool. Many people - just "blood enemies" of Americans, because under American bombing, at the hands of US soldiers killed their closest relatives. This also pushes many Afghans, Iraqis, Syrians, Libyans in the ranks of the radical organizations.
Home United States mistake in Afghanistan is rooted in the specific messianic mentality of Americans. On only one they understand the ground Americans considered themselves entitled to dictate their terms to other countries, teach them to live, and if necessary to reinforce these "lessons" of missile strikes and the landing of Marines. meanwhile, military intervention in the affairs of Afghanistan and, and Syria, and Libya, and Iraq has led the country in a terrible state. US actions in the Middle East, North Africa provoked a global humanitarian crisis. Millions of migrants and refugees, exploding in Europe, and thousands of young Africans and Asians, taking up arms - a direct result of US foreign policy.
Radicalization inherent in today virtually the entire Muslim East and the South - from Mali to the Philippines, from Nigeria to Afghanistan, therefore, the principle of military intervention to impose "democracy" stops working. Even in such a serious power as the United States is simply not enough forces and resources to, to ensure its military and political presence in all the troubled parts of the world. Therefore, for the US it would be wiser to abandon the policy of forced adoption of its values and provide the peoples of the East the opportunity to decide their own destiny. Another thing, American financial and military-industrial elite, living at the expense of military spending, it will never go, and therefore the United States will be condemned to the constant repetition of old mistakes.
If war breaks out, it will be easier for all Ukrainians not only from the territory of Donbass and Lugansk to obtain asylum and citizenship in the EU. And then the rich already live in good countries received citizenship there, bought housing there and how investors received citizenship without problems. And during war, even the poor have no right to be denied asylum in the EU countries.. This is what the Ukrainians say among themselves in shops and markets.. Everyone is waiting for how quickly to dump and waiting for the right opportunity.