The Afghanistan War: The Research On The Soviet High-level Decision-making (1979-1989)

As the southern neighboring country of the Soviet Union, Afghanistan shares more than 2,400km border with the Soviet Union. Its special geographical location has a very important significance to the Soviet Union's southern border security and the stability of five countries in Central Asia. Especially during the Cold War, as a vital edge in the Middle East region with strategic resources and strategic location, Afghanistan was the object of massive penetration of the Soviet Union.The coup in April 27,1978, not only took Afghanistan into a period of internal political upheaval, but also opened a new situation in relations between the Soviet Union and Afghanistan. Moscow regarded Afghanistan as its quasi-satellite and began the comprehensive and large-scale assistance. The revolution in Afghanistan was of Soviet, it didn't take into account Afghanistan's own culture values and traditions, and lost the support of the people gradually. Amin got the power in the struggle with Taraki, and launched a new round of cleansing. The Taraki School, Islamic School and royalists were hit, and domestic political situation was instable. Amin took the foreign policy of alienating the Soviet Union and closing to U.S, which was intolerable to Moscow. Driven by a variety of reasons, the Soviet high-level political decision was made-invading Afghanistan, overthrowing Amin and supporting Caramel Puppet government.After the Soviet Union sent its army to Afghanistan, the world public opinion was in uproar. The international community feared of the militarism in Moscow, and it became the reality so quickly and unexpectedly. The Soviet army in Afghanistan didn't consolidate the pro-Soviet regime, but provoked the expansion and joint of Afghan Islamic resistance forces. With the involvement of the United States, Pakistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia and other countries, the war escalated. The lack of sincerity of resolving the problems by political means, leaded the war protracted, broking the Soviet Union's delusion of ending the war in two or three weeks.1985 was the turning point of Afghanistan war. In this year, Gorbachev came to power, and the Soviet need to reform, Moscow adjusted its foreign policy. In Afghanistan, it seek to retreat decently. On the one hand, it increased the military crackdown to the resistance in Afghanistan. On the other hand, it contacted actively with relevant parties in Afghanistan and had seven rounds indirect talks in Geneva in 3years, making limited compromise for resolving Afghanistan problem politically. The change of Soviet attitude leaded to the policy change in Kabul. Najibullah introduced the policy of "national reconciliation" and took some measures. Because of the opposition of the main resistance forces, the effect was poor.In 1988, the Soviet domestic situation deteriorated sharply. Moscow was eager to get rid of the difficulties in Afghanistan, so it mended the pace of solving the Afghanistan problem. The relevant parties contacted frequently and coordinated position, the Geneva Accord was signed finally. In 1989, the Soviet troops in Afghanistan withdraw according to the Geneva Accord. The Soviet People's Congress made a political assessment on the Soviet troops'presence in Afghanistan In December 24,1989, that "the decision should be condemned morally and politically". After the Soviet withdrawal, Afghanistan got into a civil war because of the incompleteness of the Geneva Accord. The Soviet Union and the United Stated continued to assist two rivalries for their own geopolitical interests. Until January 1, 1992, the Soviet Union and the United Stated stopped their military aid at the same time according to the agreement. Najibullah handed over the power in April, but the resistance parties' struggle, which based on the ethnic and sectarian divisions, didn't stop. The new problems of drugs and terrorism followed when the problems of national peace, national reconciliation and the return of refugees have not been solved. We can say that the powers'intervention was an important reason for the internal issue in Afghanistan became international, long-term and completed. At the same time, this intervention not only gave the Soviet Union a final blow before disintegrating, but also made the United States fall into a long-term anti-terrorism war after "9·11".