The Afghan War’s Origins

Follows the making of the foreign-backed Afghan forces, their later dispersion, and the blowback that Chomsky sees in subsequent violence.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Afghan Trap

The Afghan Trap Chomsky recounts Zbigniew Brzezinski’s claim that covert support for Afghan fighters preceded the Soviet intervention. Strategic Calculation The stated purpose was not simply to aid Afghan resistance; the policy aimed to draw the Soviet Union into a costly conflict. A Risky Foundation This account makes later violence part of a chain of political choices rather than an isolated eruption.

Recruiting the Fighters

Recruiting the Fighters The CIA and allied services recruit, train, and arm Islamist militants for the Afghan conflict. An International Force Many recruits called “Afghans” came from elsewhere, forming a network larger than the local war itself. Future Consequences The military infrastructure created for immediate strategic purposes outlives the original purpose and helps establish later networks.

Victory and Dispersal

Victory and Dispersal After the Soviet withdrawal, the militants’ shared campaign ends without dismantling their networks. New Arenas Chomsky traces fighters and associated groups into conflicts in places including Bosnia and Chechnya. A Changed Direction Formerly useful forces increasingly pursue their own objectives, illustrating how proxy armies may escape their sponsors’ control.

The Network Turns

The Network Turns Bin Laden and associates describe American military presence in Saudi Arabia as an occupation and direct hostility toward the United States. Former Patrons The reversal follows years in which American and allied support helped organize militant forces. Sacred Geography Saudi Arabia’s religious significance intensifies the political meaning of foreign troops for the movement.

The September Attack

The September Attack Chomsky considers it plausible that the network connected to bin Laden was involved, while cautioning against certainty about who planned the operation. Limits of Attribution A decentralized organization complicates claims about command and direct responsibility. Blowback, Not Excuse The history helps explain conditions and connections, but it does not excuse the killing of civilians.

Mid-1979

After the Soviet invasion in December 1979

1989

After U.S. forces establish a permanent presence in Saudi Arabia

September 11, 2001