Historians Afghanistan

Question 1

Suzanne McGee

Answer 1

Afghanistan. USSR invaded Afghanistan because people from Tajikistan, Turkmenistan & Uzbekistan shared common identity, culture & religion with Afghan people, hence Afghan rebellion could inspire rebellion in those areas.

Question 2

David Stone (A)

Answer 2

Afghanistan.
- The PDPA was so overly consumed with internal feuds that it was incapable of dealing with the growing insurgency against it.
- The official Soviet reason for invasion was to provide fraternal assistance to Afghanistan after repeated requests. The true reason was to prevent a pro-Soviet regime from collapsing.
- De facto, Soviet aircrafts were not shot down more, but the Stinger missiles made war on the ground more difficult for the Soviets.
- The mujahideen did not respect the ceasefires because they simply hadn’t been included in the talks for Soviet withdrawal that had taken place in Geneva with the USSR, US, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Question 3

Major Harry York

Answer 3

Afghanistan.
- The single most important factor for the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan was the appointment of Mikhail Gorbachev as General Secretary of the USSR in 1985.
- The Taliban were not militarily strong, but succeeded in gaining control of most of Afghanistan by 1996 thanks to external support.
- Najibullah’s govt collapsed just 4 months after the USSR collapsed, which shows that this govt was extremely dependent on the USSR.
- Afghanistan was divided and local warlords protected tribes.

Question 4

Archie Brown

Answer 4

Afghanistan. As Gorbachev tried to reduce support for Najibullah’s government gradually, this contributed to weakening Afghanistan’s political stability.

Question 5

Political scientist Marvin Weinbaum.

Answer 5

Afghanistan. The Peshawar Accords were perhaps Pakistan’s most significant contribution to the Afghan civil war.

Question 6

Researcher Hussain Nadim.

Answer 6

Afghanistan. Despite Pakistan’s involvement, the Talibans would have emerged victorious because their ideology appealed to many people.

Question 7

Political scientist Barnett Rubin.

Answer 7

Afghanistan.
- Very few warlords accepted to share power with Najibullah, which was a testimony to the strength of the Islamic hatred of any atheist government and the government’s subservience to the Soviets.
- By accepting to share power with the local warlords, Najibullah managed to calm the mujahideen insurgency, but it could resurface at any time.