External Actors in the Afghan Problem continued...

During the period of the Cold War, the two socialist powers, the Soviet Union and China resolved to contain the upsurging influence of capitalism and strongly supported “national liberation warfare” (as Soviet Union called it) or “people’s war” (as the Chinese called it) in countries where such revolutionary conditions existed. These modes of indirect conflict were relatively safe methods of carrying on the international revolutionary movement, compared with the more dangerous methods of direct confrontation with a nuclear-superior West. If one Super Power intervened in a Third World internal war, the other usually felt the temptation, pressure or tendency to do likewise in support of the opposite side. In the 1960s, the United States, the Soviet Union, and China intervened at various times in several Third World countries creating insurgency situations, particularly in Asia. Since the 1970s, Asia and Africa were arenas of competition among the major military powers. In the 1980s, Afghanistan and Central America constituted the principal area for competitive superpower intervention.

In the case of Afghanistan, external factors such as large-scale arms aid, training and advice, political support, and economic assistance have been decisive along with the internal factors like morale, training, leadership and strategic-tactical doctrines of revolutionary and governmental forces, in creating and perpetuating conflict.

To be continued.....