Cody Taylor
Professor Mazzucchi
ENG 111
12 November, 2009
December, 1979, tanks from the USSR roll into the capitol city of Afghanistan and proceed to occupy the country for the next ten years. Little did they know that this act would set off a chain of events leading to the creation of one of the most violent terrorist organizations in history. From the invasion of Afghanistan to the formation of the Mujahedeen, and their rise to power from there, every piece of the puzzle fell in line to allow for the formation of one of the most insidious organizations ever to exist.
December 27th, 1979. Soviet tanks roll into the capitol city of Kabul, after one of the shortest campaigns in history, and begin their ten year invasion of Afghanistan. During this time the lumbering Soviet army had serious issues with keeping control over country; they never completely controlled the entire country in their ten year occupation. Most of this was not for lack of trying, but more based on the outstanding efforts of a group of freedom fighters known as the Mujahedeen. The Mujahedeen were formed from a coalition of tribes, as well as fighters from all over the Muslim world who wished to fight off another invasion into holy land. They were backed by the best arms and training from the United States which was routed through Pakistan as a cover. Using these resources the Mujahedeen proceeded to fight using guerilla warfare against the slow moving Soviet army all along the southern and middle provinces of Afghanistan that they occupied. By using Stinger anti-air missiles, hit and run tactics, and the knowledge of their homeland the freedom fighters had driven the Soviets to the brink by 1987, and completely out by February 1989.
As the heroes of the recent war it was naturally expected that the leaders of the Mujahedeen would take control of the country, so that is exactly what they did. The only Problem with this was the fact that the new government wasn’t centralized at all. It was more like medieval system, with many fiefdoms and areas which were now completely controlled by local tribal councils. Immediately following the Soviet withdrawal the new “government” set up revolutionary programs including allowing for women to attend school. Meanwhile, some of the Mujahedeen fighting force moved into refugee camps in Pakistan and other countries along the Afghan border along with the 5 million other people who fled the country. Over the next four years those former fighters, along with many of the older male children of refugees, began to attend the madrasahs, or theological schools, in Pakistan and other countries. Here they learned many of the extreme fundamentalist ideals, and to hold the Koran’s Sharia law above all else. Due to the training received in these schools the students began becoming very distressed and agitated with the weak, moderate rule and rampant corruption in their homeland. The way of life these students had been taught about and dreamed of was that of the Koran, based solely on religious order and Sharia law, unlike what the tribal chieftains and warlords were doing in their country. So, like any other group of young, enthralled, and monetarily supported Muslims who believe they have a noble cause they decided to form a new group, the Taliban.
The Taliban, which literally translates as “students” started as a group of well intentioned young minds angry at how their homeland was being treated. Their whole goal was to take over the country from what they considered a corrupt moderate system, and to then instate a new government of “good Muslims” at which time they would step down. Starting in October 1994 the Taliban began major military operation against the Afghan government forces. Their campaign lasted just two years and by September 1996 the Taliban had control of the capitol city Kabul. What followed was the culmination of the Taliban’s hopes with one minor hiccup. They proceeded to enforce the strictest form of Sharia law ever used by any country. All rights for women were stripped; all items that were not permitted in the Koran were immediately destroyed, and any items that could be used to “exert western influences over the young minds” were destroyed. The one thing the Taliban did not do was one of their major talking points. They failed to instate a new government; in fact they decided to declare themselves the rulers of the country. Over time links were also formed between the Taliban and the organization that was formed from the fundamentalist portion of the Mujahedeen, Al-Queda. Up until 2001 these groups ruled both Afghanistan and Iraq with an iron fist, but as of 2001 much of that has changed with the U.S. invasion of both countries.
Starting with the Soviet invasion and occupation of Afghanistan the country started on a steady downward spiral. The invasion caused the formation of a group of freedom fighters called the Mujahedeen. After a ten year guerilla war that drove out the invaders they then took control of the country, but due to corruption and a moderate rule the students trained at the madrasahs who were refugees from the war formed their own group, the Taliban. They then decided to take control of the country and introduce the strictest forms of Muslim law ever seen. This group of students eventually evolved into the organization we are fighting in Afghanistan today. It is amazing how an action that almost did not even involve the U.S. has led to not only a change in Afghanistan’s history, but also a change to how wars are fought and how we now view many fundamentalist groups in the world.
