What were we fighting for in Afghanistan, and was it in vain? In the minds of some citizens of our society there exists the opinion that eighteen-year-old boys were sent by the trainload to slaughter in a meaningless war no one needed. These citizens do not realize that false ideological clichés dwell in their own heads, and, most importantly, it does not occur to them that different people’s minds are structured differently.
As is proved in the book presented to your attention, the entry of Soviet troops into Afghanistan in 1979 was not an adventure, not a mistake, as liberals strive to convince the public, but a strategic necessity. In that specific historical situation, after the expulsion of the Americans from Iran and the sharp activation of nationalist groups dangerously close to our southern borders, the Soviet leadership had no other choice. Soviet troops entered Afghanistan unimpeded at the end of 1979, fulfilled all their tasks, and returned home in an organized manner. Nine years of the Afghan war were nine years of peace and tranquility for the Central Asian Soviet republics. Was it worth it, considering how events unfolded later? The answer: yes, it was worth it...