Washington Post: Afghans Slam Soviet Invasion Praise

Donald Trump continues a pattern of rejecting longstanding US national security policies and supporting Russian interpretations by praising the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan as a fight against terrorism. Both the United Nations and the United States opposed the invasion. US intelligence agencies supported Afghan rebels during the war, and the Soviet Union withdrew in 1989. The United States invaded Afghanistan in 2001 to target the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington. The comments “raised eyebrows among officials in Afghanistan at a time when Kabul has voiced frustration with Trump’s sudden announcement of a plan to withdraw up to half of U.S. troops as peace talks with Taliban insurgents continue without Afghan government involvement,” reports the Washington Post. The president made the comments during a meeting with his cabinet. Afghan lawmakers worry about destabilization during sensitive peace negotiations. – YaleGlobal