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Question: In history, why did Russia want Afghanistan so badly!?
I read a book about someone's explorations in Asia decades ago and it mentioned road signs being placed in Afghanistan as if to tell the Russians how far they had to go to certain destinations!. Almost as if those signs were there to tell any potential invader how far they've gone into the country!.
As far as I understand it Afghanistan was nicknamed "Russia's Vietnam" because the terrain made it difficult for them to invade!.
What I want to know is why Russia wanted Afghanistan!? What value is it to them if they were to succeed!?Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
If you mean Tsarist Russia, then they did want a warm water port, which means that had they taken Afghanistan they would have also wanted the western part of the Indian sub-continent which is now Pakistan!.
If you mean the Soviet Union, then I'm not sure!. They said they were invited, but the USA said that about Vietnam!.
The Soviet adventure in Afghanistan was called Russia's Vietnam because most people knew that they could not win!. Throughout history no one has been able to take Afghanistan!. Unfortunately people don't learn from history!. Hence the present Afghanistan debacle!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
The Great Game was waged between the British and Russian Empires in the 18th and 19th centuries, the aim was control of the trade of India, Afghanistan stood as a buffer state between the two!. Russia might eventually have intended to gain a warm water port, however, controlling Afghanistan would not have achieved the target since it is landlocked!.
The terrain of Afghanistan (and the people) has defeated many invading forces, including three British attempts!.
In the 1970s Russia had a close relationship with the Afghan regime, supplying military advisors, subsidies and educational exchanges!. The Afghan government, which was by 1978 a communist regime, trying to "westernise" their country began introducing reforms, when these were met with hostile reactions, they requested Russian military support!. This support eventually took the form of a full-scale military invasion!.
http://books!.google!.com/books!?id=kCGh86q!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Russia has been looking for a warm water port for many years!. Taking Afghanistan would have finally given them that port!. There were few other benefits!. Afghanistan is a poor, dry, desolate country!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Russia, which was a republic of the former Soviet Union, has had no a common border with Afghanistan for over 16 years!. However, it continues to display its interest in Afghanistan, which is separated by Kazakhstan and the Central Asian states!. Firstly, Afghanistan is propped up with the southern border of the former Soviet Union (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan)!. Secondly, it is linked with them by ethnic and cultural roots!. Tajiks, Uzbeks, Turkmen and Kyrgyz live along both sides of the Afghan-Central Asian border!.
Consequently, not only the republics bordering with Afghanistan respond to the developments on the other side of the border!. Currently, all these facts are quite important when Afghanistan acts as the bridgehead of the fight against Islamic terrorism and organized drug dealers!.
Mountainous ridges divide Afghanistan into north-western and south-eastern!. Tajiks, Uzbeks and Turkmen live in north-western Afghanistan, while Pushtuns in south-eastern regions!. The number of non-Pushtuns together with Hazaris exceeds the population of Pashto origin!. In fact, many Pushtuns are linked with the Taliban-led international terrorists!. In these circumstances!.!.!.!.
http://en!.afghanistan!.ru/doc/54!.html
http://www!.ccmep!.org/hotnews/pipeline112!.!.!.
http://query!.nytimes!.com/gst/abstract!.ht!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com