Conflict History: War in Afghanistan

By Laura Hoberg

Afghanistan has seen little time of peace within its history.  Throughout the 19^th and 20^th century Afghanistan has encountered conflicts with Anglo-Saxons Britain, Russia, civil wars, Taliban, Al Qaeda and The United states.  There have been such brief periods of peace between each dispute that Afghanistan has had no time to rebuild, each war seeming to result in further civil wars between the tribes of Afghanistan. The Afghan-Soviet war perhaps began a trend that brought about what is the current state of Afghanistan.  In 1979 Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan, attempting to bring the communist ideas that had already been spreading through Europe.  The Soviets would later claim that they were requested to aid in the holy wars or Jihad, going on at the time in Afghanistan.  The Prime minister at the time, Hafizullah Amin began an attempt to westernize Afghanistan, pushing aside Islamic tradition.  The majority of Afghanistan was outraged at this, the vast majority consisted of those of a Muslim faith, and the population became furious.  Amin ran a communist government, backed by the Soviet Union, one that rejected any and all religion.  Followers of Amin and his police arrested religious leaders.  Those who weren’t caught or captured fled to escape persecution. 

The Muslim rebels created a group known as the Mujahideen who began a guerilla war and proclaimed Jihad against Amin and his supporters.  Then on December 27^th, 1979 Amin was killed by soviet Russian soldiers, and replaced by Babrak Karmal.  Karmal knew he could only stay in power as long as he had the support of the soviets, who were providing the funding and power for the communist government they hoped to create using Karmal.  Many Afghan soldiers deserted and joined forces with the Mujahideen, leaving an army of mostly Soviet soldiers.  The Mujahideen, because they were fighting in their native land, had an illimitable cognition of land and climate, providing a strong and steady force against the Soviets, gaining much land against the Soviets.  By 1989 the Soviets had left Afghanistan. 

After Russia departed Afghanistan, they left the country broken and with no government to take over.  When a form of government could not be agreed upon, the people turned on each other in disagreement, creating a state a mayhem and chaos.  With nobody in charge and Afghanistan left in a civil war, this created the perfect breeding grounds for a new group to take over.  The Taliban, a group of Islamic student fighters, founded by Mullah Mohammed Omar an Islamic religious leader, trained in Pakistani camps, took over the government of Afghanistan.

During the Soviet-Afghan war a group of Islamic students with ties to the Mujahideen began training in Pakistani camps.  As the group grew they increased by joining with Pashtun tribesmen forming their own coterie, calling themselves the Taliban.  The majority Taliban had been trained in Pakistani camps, by Islamic religious leaders, and mostly consisted of men with Pashtun ethnicity.  After the Soviets left Afghanistan the Taliban did not disintegrate, remaining in training camps and searching for more and more recruits.  Pakistan at one point requested the at the time small group of Taliban to guard an armored convoy crossing a mountain pass.  When the Taliban proved that they were more than able to do the job requested they began a stunning advance, gaining supporters along the way, which eventually aided in the capture of the capital city Kabul.  Because of the lack of government in Afghanistan after the departure of the Soviets, the Taliban easily gained capture of Kabul. 

Soon after, the Taliban began to enforce strict Muslim laws, the worst of which were the heinous restrictions placed on women.  With the laws came brutal and barbaric punishments for crimes committed against the Sharia laws including public execution.  The Taliban received much criticism from Afghan Scholars, stating that the Taliban were incredibly ignorant, causing they’re calloused and barbaric ways.  While the Taliban were in control of Afghanistan, 1996 until 2001, they occupied an estimated 90% or the country, and still hold a strong influence in various cites.  Although the Taliban re-united a large majority of the people, they were unable to end the civil war. 

Afghanistan has been infected with war since the nineteenth century, leaving little time for social, political, or economical development.  When the Soviets left Afghanistan they left the country vulnerable, which became an easy target for the Taliban’s rise to power.  Pakistan soon became friendly with the Taliban in order to form good relations in Kabul.  By 1977 the Taliban were recognized by many countries to be the reigning government of Afghanistan.   Eventually the Taliban and Osama Bin Laden’s Al Qaeda would join forces, to fight against the U.S. bombings of Al Qaeda training camps.  And would lead to the joint effort in the U.S-Al Qaeda war on terror.  The country eventually attempted to make political advancements, but was so overwhelmed by fraud that it has been a slow and painful process.  Leaving Afghanistan not far from where it has been for a long period of time, still at a standstill, waiting for a government, that helps the people, and not merely a strong government that only concerns itself with power.