Moscow eyes Afghanistan in fear

[bemildred]

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Russia has other regional concerns, though. Its decision to conduct military maneuvers with Kazakhstan went largely unreported, yet this demonstrates Moscow's increasing worries over a possible threat from the east - Afghanistan. And while Russia is convinced it can withstand considerable pressure from the West, this is not the case with the danger posed by Afghanistan.

When the Taliban took power in 1996, they evoked much apprehension among Russian leaders, including General Alexander Lebed, the strongman who many had regarded as the most likely successor to president Boris Yeltsin.

As it turned out, it was the newly elected Vladimir Putin who in 2001 acquiesced to the US's invasion of Afghanistan and ouster of the Taliban, as well as to the placement of US bases in Central Asia

This was not just to please the George W Bush administration, but because of the belief that the US could play a large role in erecting a protective shield around the Taliban and other Islamic extremists.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/JI13Ag02.html

[kansasblue]

1. interesting... we make Russia our enemy again and we'll have more trouble in Afghanistan. nt