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Afghanistan: USSR Invasion Meets Resistance

By VVAW

The Soviet Union, in its most blatant act of aggression yet, has sent 100,000 of its troops into Afghanistan. The invasion was preceded by a coup using Soviet troops (apparently the Afghan puppet troops were not sufficiently reliable) to attack, arrest and execute the President. In fact, the deposed President was himself a Soviet puppet who had overthrown his predecessor in a round of coups similar to the U.S. engineered merry-go-round in Saigon in the '60's

The Soviet Union came up with all sorts of excuses about protecting the "independence of Afghanistan," "rallying to the defense of an ally," fighting the reactionaries stirred up by "the U.S., China, and Pakistan"; as of the time this paper is being written, the new government of Afghanistan is still denying that any invasion took place, that the 100,000 Soviet troops are "invited guests."

What the USSR did not say was that increase guerilla attacks by Afghan nationalists and Moslems were slowly liberating the country from its Russian puppet government. The Soviets also did not mention that its troops are now in strategic position to hit Iran on two fronts, directly confront Pakistan, and put itself within striking distance of the Persian and Arabian Gulf and oilfields.

Far more dangerous than the Soviet's invasions of Czechoslovakia or Hungary (where there were already Soviet troops stationed), this latest move represents a move toward increased confrontation and world war.

The USSR has been getting over on the U.S. especially since the U.S. defeat in Indochina. The U.S. was discredited not only in the eyes of the world (which already had a bellyful of its pious talk about democracy, backed by troops and corrupt local puppets) but also by the American people who saw the war in Vietnam for what it was; a rich man's war for rich man's profits. The Russians got their foot in the door under the cover of "socialism" and aid without any strings attached. Many nations in Africa and Asia saw the USSR as an ally in opposing the moves of the U.S. It got over using Cuban troops in Africa. But far from is propaganda humanitarian or internationalist aims, the USSR was there for the same reasons as the U.S. corporations: markets and mineral wealth. Building up its economy on the backs of neo-colonies, social imperialism, Russian style, was challenging U.S. imperialism--and still is today!

Afghanistan is a real leap on the part of the Soviets, but a leap into a morass. The Afghans have fought before; they are certainly fighting now. Although VVAW fully supports the struggle of the Afghan people, we know that spears and flintlocks and raw courage will not alone turn the tide. They need help and need it now. We see it as imperative that the U.S. give immediate aid with not strings attached. It's not that we see the U.S. as having changed; it is no friend to the peoples of the world. But, at the same time, these Afghan patriots could use some M-72 Laws against Soviet tanks or a few Red-Eye missiles against Russian MIG's.

It is not out of character for VVAW to call on our government to supply arms. During the Vietnam War, we supported the guerilla fighters and certainly did not condemn them for the source of their arms. In Afghanistan, we support the rebels who are fighting, like the Vietnamese, for their own liberation; we condemn aggression--either the U.S. or the USSR variety. We demand that the U.S. put its money--and weapons--where its mouth is, and supply the needed arms--with no strings attached!