richlind33: You're obviously unaware that Brzezinski has publicly admitted that the US began supporting the mujahideen *before* the Soviets invaded, knowing that it could cause such an invasion -- which it did -- and hoping it would lead to a Soviet "Vietnam" -- which it also did.
I don't like Communism at all, but it's a stone cold fact that the soviet-backed regime in Kabul was vastly preferable to what they ended up with thanks to the US getting it's "Soviet Vietnam". It's been war for them ever since, mostly civil, because when the US had gotten what it wanted it packed up and left the poor Afghans to the tender mercies of the warlords ht had trained and armed, via Pakistan. And unlike the Soviet-backed regime, the warlords didn't look kindly on women being educated. Nor did Pakistan, which did everything it could to fuck them over while we conveniently looked the other way. So I'd say that Carter wasn't the wimpish dove that many have made him out to be. Not at all. And I'd also say that you'd be a much better human being if you had the good fortune to experience that sort of hell firsthand, preferably as a woman. If nothing else, you'd not be a fanboi with a hard-on for hawkish cunts.
dick1982: Ok you have both a hard-on for Soviet Russia in charge of feminist rights and you don't like commies. Sure. And somehow most of the population of Afghans and Pakistanis backing militants and religious nutjobs is all USA's fault. You're spindoctoring and apologising too much for the rather dumb and brainwashed populance of Afghanistan/Pakistan.
USA cut off support for the proto-Taleban. That was the right thing to do. You want more weapons in the hands of fundamentalists?
I don't see Russia for anything other than what it is, and at this point in time it's a lot less aggressive than the US. And if you post bullshit about the Ukraine I'll gladly rub your nose in the disgusting shit that the US has been involved in there, which is documented in the public record. So do yourself a favor and don't.
And how in hell do you know that most Afghans want to live in a constant state of war? The only thing I know for certain is that many of them are afraid to speak against the extremists that have made their lives a living hell. Because, ya know, it tends to get you killed. ya know. o.O
dick1982: As for Pakistan, well they're like Turkey now, two-faced as fuck. USA keeps giving them aid because they would rather have a stable dictatorship in place, but the people within have different ideas. They were brainwashing kids with anti-western propaganda even while receiving aid to keep themselves afloat. The only good thing to come out of support for Pakistan is that their nuclear weapons will probably never fall into the hands of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan. Oh well, and their economy not totally collapsing causing thousands if not millions of civilians to die of famine or whatever. Yeah, blame the west for even trying.
Pakistan is nothing like Turkey. Pakistan has provided nuclear tech and expertise to nations like North Korea, while Turkey, ya know, has not. But even that was insufficient for the US gov't to list it as a terrorist nation. And it's incredibly stupid to assume that it's nukes are safe and secure. There are very few places more dangerous than Pakistan, and *anyone* who becomes a target is likely to end up dead.
I made no mention of Soviet or Russian feminism. I simply stated that the Soviet-backed regime in Afghanistan was preferable to everything that has followed in it's collapse, and that's as true as truth gets. Women in Kabul were being educated. Probably poorly, but educated nonetheless, and that's a whole lot better than what came after.