> The American Government, deciding that instability in Afghanistan is
> more dangerous than Soviet control there, decides against supporting
> the Afghan Rebels -- the future basis both for the Taliban and for Al-
> Qaeda.  What would have been the consequences of the American
> government not supporting the Rebels in Afghanistan, in the 1980's:
>
> Specifically on,
>
> 1.  The future of the Soviet Union.
>
> 2.  The future of Eastern Europe.
>
> 3.  The future of Afghanistan
>
> 4.  The future of Islamic Extremism.
>
> 5.  The future of the Islamic world, in general.
>
> Mikhael Gorbachev still argues that Soviet Communism, under his ...

> The American Government, deciding that instability in Afghanistan is
> more dangerous than Soviet control there, decides against supporting
> the Afghan Rebels -- the future basis both for the Taliban and for Al-
> Qaeda.  What would have been the consequences of the American
> government not supporting the Rebels in Afghanistan, in the 1980's:
>
> Specifically on,
>
> 1.  The future of the Soviet Union.
>
> 2.  The future of Eastern Europe.
>
> 3.  The future of Afghanistan
>
> 4.  The future of Islamic Extremism.
>
> 5.  The future of the Islamic world, in general.
>
> Mikhael Gorbachev still argues that Soviet Communism, under his ...

> On Mar 7, 9:41 am, Jerry Kraus yahoo.com> wrote:

>> The American Government, deciding that instability in Afghanistan is
>> more dangerous than Soviet control there, decides against supporting
>> the Afghan Rebels -- the future basis both for the Taliban and for Al-
>> Qaeda. What would have been the consequences of the American
>> government not supporting the Rebels in Afghanistan, in the 1980's:
>>
>> Specifically on,
>>
>> 1. The future of the Soviet Union.
>>
>> 2. The future of Eastern Europe.
>>
>> 3. The future of Afghanistan
>>
>> 4. The future of Islamic Extremism.
>>
>> 5. The future of the Islamic world, in general. ...

>

>> As for the Islamic World, what would it have been like without the
>> flood of weapons and training from the CIA resulting from the massive
>> American intervention in the Soviet-Afghan War in the 1980's?  Could
>> Al-Qaeda have developed?

>
> the "what if" scenario is interesting monday morning quarterbacking,
> and the answer you are implying SEEMS true enough
>
> the fear of losing another country to Communism drove U.S. policy
>
> afghanistan subsequently devolved into religious totalitarianism,
> absurdism, craziness, and ugly seeemingly futility today
>

>>> As for the Islamic World, what would it have been like without the
>>> flood of weapons and training from the CIA resulting from the massive
>>> American intervention in the Soviet-Afghan War in the 1980's?  Could
>>> Al-Qaeda have developed?

>

>> the "what if" scenario is interesting monday morning quarterbacking,
>> and the answer you are implying SEEMS true enough

>

>> the fear of losing another country to Communism drove U.S. policy

>

>> afghanistan subsequently devolved into religious totalitarianism,
>> absurdism, craziness, and ugly seeemingly futility today

>
> Isn't this really a question about the more general sub-class
> conflict, The Cold War, generally, the period of conflict, tension and
> competition between the United States and the Soviet Union and their
> respective allies from the mid-1940s until the early 1990s, a rivalry
> between two superpowers which was played out in multiple arenas:
> military coalitions; ideology, psychology, and espionage; military, ...

> The American Government, deciding that instability in Afghanistan is
> more dangerous than Soviet control there, decides against supporting
> the Afghan Rebels -- the future basis both for the Taliban and for Al-
> Qaeda. What would have been the consequences of the American
> government not supporting the Rebels in Afghanistan, in the 1980's:
> Specifically on,
> 1. The future of the Soviet Union.
> 2. The future of Eastern Europe.
> 3. The future of Afghanistan
> 4. The future of Islamic Extremism.
> 5. The future of the Islamic world, in general.
> Mikhael Gorbachev still argues that Soviet Communism, under his
> government was progressing in stages towards democratic socialism,
> somewhat along the lines of the Swedish model, in accordance with the
> principles of Marxist-Leninism. And that Ronald Regan -- or, perhaps,
> his ambitious wife Nancy, given Regan's developing dementia -- used
> American weapons such as the Stinger Missle to bankrupt the Soviet
> Union in Afghanistan for no useful purpose.
> ...

> The American Government, deciding that instability in Afghanistan is
> more dangerous than Soviet control there, decides against supporting
> the Afghan Rebels -- the future basis both for the Taliban and for Al-
> Qaeda. What would have been the consequences of the American
> government not supporting the Rebels in Afghanistan, in the 1980's:
>
> Specifically on,
>
> 1. The future of the Soviet Union.
>
> 2. The future of Eastern Europe.
>
> 3. The future of Afghanistan
>
> 4. The future of Islamic Extremism.
>
> 5. The future of the Islamic world, in general.
>
> Mikhael Gorbachev still argues that Soviet Communism, under his ...

> On Mar 7, 12:13 pm, Jerry Kraus yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>

>> The American Government, deciding that instability in Afghanistan is
>> more dangerous than Soviet control there, decides against supporting
>> the Afghan Rebels -- the future basis both for the Taliban and for Al-
>> Qaeda.  What would have been the consequences of the American
>> government not supporting the Rebels in Afghanistan, in the 1980's:

>

>>  Specifically on,

>

>> 1.  The future of the Soviet Union.

>

>> 2.  The future of Eastern Europe.

> ...