Soviet War in Afghanistan a Mistake: Gorbachev

[kskiska]

The Soviet Union's 10-year invasion of Afghanistan was a mistake, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev acknowledged on the eve of the 15th anniversary of Soviet withdrawal.

"The fact that we moved our troops into Afghanistan was a political mistake, which had to do with the Soviet Union's ideological approach to international policy in those years," Gorbachev was quoted by Interfax as saying on Saturday.

"An attempt to force an extraneous social model on a country that has deep traditions of its own is always doomed to failure," Gorbachev said.

The Soviet Union launched its invasion of Afghanistan with a night-time raid by elite forces on the presidential palace in Kabul on December 25, 1979, to back up the Marxist regime that had taken power in the country the year before.

more…
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_573077,00050003.htm

[lcordero]

1. He couldn't have said it any better

"An attempt to force an extraneous social model on a country that has deep traditions of its own is always doomed to failure," Gorbachev said.

Too bad these Washington jokers didn't pay attention and learn the bloodless way.

[burrowowl]

2. Oooooh!

"extraneous social model ...."
Interesting!
In Afghanistan, womwn got the right to vote in !920, a few months before women in the U$ got the right.
What has happened between now and then...?
The U$?

[mobuto]

3. Afghan women never voted in any election

Amanullah Khan, a modernist pro-Western ruler, did in fact decree an ambitious slate of civil rights (but never women's suffrage, and they came in 1923 not 1920). But they were never implemented and all mention of them ceased when Amanullah was usurped.

So what's your point?

[loudnclear]

8. I guess the point might be that notions of freedom and democracy did not

originate with the Republican party in the US. Women were given the right to vote in this country and so were blacks and it wasn't until long after that these rights were implemented and protected...and using election 2000 as a reference point, I wonder if these rights are being implemented for all? That other nations have cultures and civilizations of their own seems to be lost on most Americans. The religious zealots in Afghanistan are not much different from the religious zealots in America, in fact there is very little difference--they both think that American culture and morals are evil. Just ask Pat and Jerry.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Thanks for the into. which provoked a quick trip to google

Found it was very worth pondering that Afghanistan did undergo a level of very interesting progress in the 1920's!

(snip)
Upon Amir Habibullah's assassination in 1919, his son King Amanullah and Queen Soraya ascended the throne marking the full-fledged modernization period of Afghanistan. The Amani government led by King Amanullah declared that women may chose not to be seen in public wearing the veil; women were encouraged to go to school and receive an education. King Amanullah went as far as sending some women to Europe for an education. In fact, in 1928 the King and Queen received honorary degrees from Oxford University.

"He planned to open six schools for women, the first being Essmat Lycee which opened in 1921. Later renamed to Malalai Lycee, Essmat operated under the guidance of Queen Soraya. Queen Soraya believed that the education of women would improve their social status and permit them to play a more meaningful role within society. To promote this cause, Queen Soraya and her mother founded the first women's weekly magazine Irshad-i-Niswan (The Guide for Women). Other achievements included the formation of the Anjuman-i-Himayat-Niswan (Women's Protective Association) was headed by Shah Amanullah's sister Kobra" (Sadat, 2001)
(snip)

"Gregorian (1969) asserts that 'Amanullah, determined to improve this situation and maintaining that his support of the feminist cause was based on the true tenets of Islam, took more steps in this direction in his short rule than were taken by all his predecessors together.' (P. 243). He sent them to Muslim countries such as Turkey to study in the field of medicine. Shah Amanullah reasoned that this would save women in Afghanistan the embarrassment of being examined by male doctors" (Sadat, 2001).
(snip)

http://www.afghanmagazine.com/2001/articles/afghanwomen.html

[Aidoneus]

5. he was doing good things, so the British had him "regime change'd"

the British imperialists sent the spy Lawrence ("Lawrence of Arabia") in to stir up reactionary forces and spark a civil war--this ended up deposing Amanullah. The empire was terrified at the prospect of there being great progress in a land it didn't occupy and lord itself over, especially right on the border, thus it had to be stamped out.

[cubsfan6969]

6. Too little too late

How many people died in the Afghan-Russian war before Gorbachev had this epiphany? He's a weasel.

[DavidDvorkin]

10. Gorbachev wasn't responsible for the invasion

The Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979. Gorbachev came to power in 1985.

[robcon]

7. A mistake?

Do ya think? A little understatement from Gorby.

[AngryAmish]

9. NEWS FLASH

Red Sox say trading Babe Ruth was a "Mistake."

[bicentennial_baby]

11. I guess late is better than never

But not for the families of the Afghan people and the mothers of Soviet soldiers.