![]() ![]() Instead, they fed wars in various parts of the world, sending guns to the people who live there to do the fighting and dying. Both superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, recognized that direct confrontation could result in nuclear holocaust. Though the story of the mujahideen was presented as straightforward-Afghans fighting for freedom and peace with the help of an international coalition-foreign governments stoked the war with weapons to achieve other political and security-related objectives.The Cold War was a golden age for proxy wars. The Saudi government, its religious institutions, and citizens also supported the mujahideen for religious reasons. Participating in this program strengthened the Saudi government’s security alliances with both the US and Pakistan. Saudi money flowed from the government to this international pipeline, and from private donations directly to the mujahideen. They used this as an opportunity to improve Zia’s image as a leader and Pakistan’s own security. Pakistan’s dictator Zia ul-Haq and his intelligence agency controlled the aid program. Pakistan’s government distributed the aid. President Reagan’s foreign policy approach, fighting the Cold War in other countries through proxies labeled “freedom fighters”, encouraged members of Congress and the Executive branch to expand the aid program. In the United States, President Carter escalated the aid program in response to waxing Soviet influence and waning US influence in the region. This thesis investigates the interests served by this aid by identifying key decision makers and identifying what they hoped to achieve by participating in the aid pipeline. From 1979 to 1989, an international coalition led by the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan sent aid to Afghan guerillas known as the mujahideen.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |