CIA Actions In Afghanistan

Improved Essays
The covert CIA actions in Afghanistan from 1979-1989 to support Mujahedin rebels fight off the invading Soviet influence, were necessary for not only stopping the spread of communism and preventing a hot war, but central to the beginning of the fall of the Soviet Union. “The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan was viewed in the West — and not just in the United States — as the ultimate proof of aggressive intent.” Afghanistan is not as much a regime change instigated by the CIA, as it is an effort by the CIA to provide aid in removing direct Soviet forces from Afghanistan. The Director of the CIA at the time, William Casey said, “here is the beauty of the Afghan operation. Usually it looks like the big bad Americans are beating up on the natives. …show more content…
Zbigniew Brzezinski, President Carter’s National Security Advisor, said regarding the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan “we now have the opportunity of giving the USSR its Vietnam War” His words are a direct acknowledgement of the CIA’s ability to provide all the necessary resources and armaments to the Mujahedin to weaken the Soviet hold on Afghanistan to the point they where they were spread to thin globally and would collapse. Overtime that became a reality as “the war turned into a bloody stalemate” and disheartened Soviet and Afghani Communist forces “tended to define themselves as help me the Soviets hold the fort against the onslaught of “reactionary” Islam rather than carrying out revolutionary changes.” The CIA’s efforts to covertly aid the Mujahedin staved off the Soviet conquering of Afghanistan, and again diminished communism’s global sphere of …show more content…
The CIA acted on the basis of what it felt was necessary for protecting United States national security against the spread of communism. In Iran, the CIA was able to depose Prime Minister Mossadeq by infiltrating the ranks of Iranian government and the communist party and manipulated the image of the Prime Minster, turn attention away from his initial cause for challenge the shah onto the large idea he support communism and must be taken out of power. In Guatemala, the CIA masterfully lied to entire nation and convinced them they were about to come under attack. They proved intelligence could disarm an entire military and eventually lead to a President’s resignation, in order to stop the spread of communism. Guatemala was truly an amazing feat for the CIA as it showed how agency could reverse the roles of the Asymmetrical warfare, by carefully manipulating peoples ' fears. In Afghanistan, the CIA secretly armed the Mujahedin rebels and through asymmetrical proxy war was able to put the Soviets through their own version of Vietnam and help to weak the Soviet so much their sphere of Influence retreated back to within the Iron Curtain and withered away as the Soviet Union fell and the Cold

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