By Maryam Sadr | Staff Writer
When reading about the history of Afghanistan, one cannot help but come across the phrase “The graveyard of the empires”. A sentence that many people from Afghanistan won’t necessarily find flattering.This is quite understandable since with a deeper look, we will realize that the land has been more of a graveyard of its own citizens than of empires. Facing anarchy, disorder, and war, the land and its people have never gone through the process of state formation without the intervention of outside powers. The Soviet and US military interventions of 1979 and 2001 respectively, to build-state in Afghanistan are the most important and interesting among all that can teach us a lot.
In April of 1978, the People’s Democratic party of Afghanistan (PDPA), under the leadership of Noor Mohammad Taraki, was able to establish its first socialist government with the Soviet Union as its biggest supporter. The presence of a communist regime in a Muslim society eventually led to internal conflicts, which prompted the Soviets to invade the country on the night of December 24, 1979. Things look quite different when we look into the US-led intervention in Afghanistan. In 2001, then US president George W. Bush publicly announced their mission of war against terror in search of al-Qaeda’s leader, Osama Bin Laden. Hence leading to removing the Taliban from power and entering Afghanistan where they stayed for 20 years.
The two interventions, though very different, we cannot overrule the structural similarities between them. It is crucial to note that politically, while the US-led intervention had a level of international and national legitimacy, the Soviet involvement lacked this and was perceived as a direct occupation. However, the goal of each intervention was to either build a new state or enhance an already existing one. Both had substantial military presences, offered humanitarian help, worked to develop, and reinforce institutions, and dealt with insurgencies from Islamist and extremist groups.
There was a huge difference between the people in charge on both sides. In contrast to 1978, when the Soviet Union was the only intervening force having just the PDPA as their supporter within the regime, in 2001, the USA was not the only actor, but was accompanied by NATO and the European Union, and collaborated with an administration in Afghanistan that was highly diverse and heterogeneous. Additionally, the US-led operation took its time and gradually increased its aid and activities, whereas the Soviet Union sent troops and aid to Afghanistan all at once. The degree to which these powers interfere in domestic matters also differs significantly. Whereas the US-led intervention, which recognized the country’s sovereignty in the Boon discussions before the government had even been formed and allowed it to exercise power, the Soviet Union exercised direct control over internal affairs through the PDPA. The most intriguing distinction between them is how each intervention is seen by the public and how widely it is accepted. Tribal and urban groups, generally known as the “Mujahideen”, responded directly and swiftly to the Soviet Union’s takeover in 1979. The Soviets were met with great hostility by the Islamist organizations, who referred to them as “atheist invaders”. On the contrary, most groups, including the Mujahideen, generally embraced and accepted the US-led intervention. They collaborated to create the republic government rather than rebelling against them. This contrast can also be seen in how locals reacted as these forces evacuated the area. While the one-week quick evacuation of the US was met with terror and anguish rather than success or joy, the Soviets’ departure from Afghanistan was commemorated as a victory and was extensively celebrated.
Despite all these differences, both interventions attempted to establish a modern state within Afghanistan but failed. While one sought to establish a socialist/communist form of government, the other attempted to establish a more liberal and democratic system. Unfortunately, none were able to survive, and after 20 years of hard work and billions of aid, we watched as the republican government once again collapsed in a day at the hands of a terrorist and extremist group.