By: Chris Laux, Staff Writer
Resistance, screams, terror. The year is 1979 and Communist Russia invades rebellious Afghanistan. America, filled with fear, funnels arms and money into the Mujahideen fighting core, unknowingly spawning the Taliban. America, and it’s leaders have never had a welcoming attitude towards communism,”the US government has strived to contain or prevent the spread of communist ideology” says American history teacher Brian Fritz,”almost all aspects of our foreign policy have been to prevent the spread of communism.” Mr. Fritz has taught for over 26 years, and accumulated a bachelor’s degree in Education, as well as a masters degree in American History.
When Russia invaded Afghanistan on the night before Christmas 1979, America interfered. Although they did not directly combat the Russians,” the US government covertly funneled arms to the Mujahideen fighters well into the 1980s. Osama bin Laden was a young Saudi man among those fighting the Russians.” Stated Brian Fritz. The Mujahideen, or muslims who fight on behalf of their faith, not only received aid and weaponry, but also training. This became a staple of foreign policy under the 40th president Ronald Reagan, known as the Reagan Doctrine. The Doctrine was rooted in the fear of Communist nations enslaving other states, and vowed to support any foreign body defending itself from the spread of the ideology. In 1986, the United States expanded their aid by providing stinger anti-aircraft missiles that allowed the Mujahideen to shoot down helicopters with handheld devices. This shifted the tides of the war.
After 10 years of fighting, the Afghan-Soviet War resulted in the establishment of a communist puppet government based in Kabul, and led by Mohammad Najibullah. Although roughly 1 million Afghan citizens perished in the brutal war, revolution was on the horizon. The Mujahideen freedom fighters, along with other Pakistani rogues, besieged the capital of Kabul in 1992. They trapped Najibullah for 2 years in an embassy, and eventually stormed the building in 1994. Infighting rippled through the Mujahideen militia, and the Taliban emerged as the most powerful faction. Najibullah was publicly executed, marking the first moments of Taliban rule in the Country. “ The Taliban was an ultraconservative group of student-warriors recruited from the Mujahideen fighters. They established their government in the city of Kandahar, and promised to restore order. They quickly imposed a harsh version of Sharia Law in the territory they controlled.” Brian Fritz says. With 50,000 more civilians dead, and hundreds of thousands wounded, Supreme leader of the Taliban Mullah Mohammad Omar takes control of the fragile and dismembered nation.
After the end of the Soviet war, Osama Bin Laden was banished, and took refuge in Saudi Arabia. Upon learning of the newly established government in Kandahar, “ [he] returns from Saudi Arabia with strong financial ties, and the ear of the Taliban supreme leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar. From training bases supported by the Taliban, Bin Laden begins to coordinate attacks on US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, and an explosive attack on the USS Cole at port in Yemen.”
The Taliban went on to house terrorist groups, as well as fight for control of Afghanistan throughout the War on terror started by President George Bush. In the past couple months, they have once again regained their grasp on the people. As American troops depart from what is left of Afghanistan, many are left considering if this could have been avoided. Had it not been for U.S interference in the 1970’s, thousands of lives could have been saved.
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