How Afghanistan Defeated the Soviet Union (DW Documentary)

[FuturePAF]

This video seems to be more from the Soviet point of view, which we don’t hear as often. Also interesting to hear The last Soviet Commander’s point of view; Gromov.

 

[CrazyZ]

Bad documentary. Map of Kashmir is wrong. Exaggerates the significance of Ahmad Shah Massoud.

 

[INS_Vikrant]

US arming mujahedeens Boomeranged on them pretty hard.

 

[CrazyZ]

US arming mujahedeens Boomeranged on them pretty hard.

It largely contributed to the disintegration of USSR and made USA the main super power for about 30 years. It allowed them to avenge Vietnam. It was a very successful collaboration for them. USA's main mistake was not working with Musharraf, they could killed OBL and eliminated Al Qaeda in the late 90's if they did so.

 

[Titanium100]

Didn't Massoud get humiliated by the Taliban as soon as he went out of Panjshir?

This. Dude was chased like a road runner

 

[Awan68]

Afghanistan did not beat the Soviet Union, period, Pakistan did with US help.

 

[Hakikat ve Hikmet]

The next episode is on “How Afghanistan Defeated the USA”....

 

[Awan68]

All of the historical warriors that Afghans shamelessly claim as their own were Turkish. Even the Mughal dynasty was mongo-turkish.

 

[Gangetic]

All of the historical warriors that Afghans shamelessly claim as their own were Turkish. Even the Mughal dynasty was mongo-turkish.

Turkic*. They were Uzbeks/Kyrgyz, not Anatolians.

 

[Awan68]

Turkic*. They were Uzbeks/Kyrgyz, not Anatolians.

Patato, patato, hence the mention of the mongol in the Turkish, mongols were not anatolians. Read my post again mate, cheers.

 

[aziqbal]

Mujahideen had a very tough long fight against the Soviet Union

On the other hand Soviet Union was very very brutal to the poor Afghans

I always say there was 2 events during the 1980s which were catastrophic for this area

Fall of Shah of Iran + Soviet Union invasion of Afghanistan

had these two events not happened I wonder where we would have been

 

[CrazyZ]

Afghanistan did not beat the Soviet Union, period, Pakistan did with US help.

I met a number a number of Americans at the start of USA invasion of Afghanistan that felt Pakistan was not relevant to the USSR's defeat and the USA could easily work with others and win. After 20 years of working with the Northern Alliance/Kabul Regime and RAW....they could not decisively defeat the Taliban. A stark contrast to the clear victory in the 80's when they were working with the ISI. That should speak for itself.

The USA's tilt toward India and hostility toward Pakistan starting in the 90's till today....hasn't really helped the USA if ones looks at it rationally. I have American friends that just want India and Pakistan to stop fighting so they can work with both sides. That wont happen anytime soon, IMO.

 

[Indus Pakistan]

Fall of Shah of Iran + Soviet Union invasion of Afghanistan

Both were disasters. What did Pakistan get for helping USA defeat Soviets? What did the poor Afghans get for defeating Soviets? Nothing. Instead -

• it helped to free all of Eastern Europe. I doubt any Pole or Latvian is even going to accept this. Indeed Poles are busy with their Islamaphobia policies.
• it helped make USA the sole power which mean't it could go on rampage through Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Libya.
• as soon as the last Soviet pulled out of Afghanistan USA slapped sanctions on Pakistan and then prompty began approach to India.

So I have no idea why Pakistani's or Afghans celebrate this defeat.

 

[Gangetic]

Both were disasters. What did Pakistan get for helping USA defeat Soviets? What did the poor Afghans get for defeating Soviets? Nothing. Instead -

• it helped to free all of Eastern Europe. I doubt any Pole or Latvian is even going to accept this. Indeed Poles are busy with their Islamaphobia policies.
• it helped make USA the sole power which mean't it could go on rampage through Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Libya.
• as soon as the last Soviet pulled out of Afghanistan USA slapped sanctions on Pakistan and then prompty began approach to India.

So I have no idea why Pakistani's or Afghans celebrate this defeat.

The whole "Soviets wanted Balochistan" is the dumbest argument I've heard. No evidence to suggest this. Pakistan would be in a better position today if it didn't collaborate with the Americans in Afghanistan.

 

[KurtisBrian]

Obviously I could be wrong but:
Wasn't the Soviet Afghan war just a Soviet make work and stimulate the economy project?
Same thing as the US Vietnam war was for the US. Have you looked at how much US equipment was destroyed and soldiers were killed in the Vietnam war? it must be 10-20x what the Russians lost in their Afghan adventure.
Both tried the Zorg model from the Fifth Element...break the glass and look at how all these people have things to do now.

If Vietnam didn't destroy the US how could the much smaller Afghan war collapse the USSR?
Didn't the USSR collapse/break up due to a power struggle coup (a bloodless civil war)?
To Russian officials Afghans would be just a bunch of glasses to break or stones to break Russian glasses.