HIS344H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 18: Maurice Bishop, Jeane Kirkpatrick, Strategic Arms Limitation Talks
Document Summary
Couldn"t get to persian gulf through ethiopia - take the other route. Politburo meetings - march - 12 december 1979. Prime minister of afghanistan travels to moscow (march 20, 1979), pleaded with politburo for immediate military assistance. We would even be happy with red army. After 2 weeks, ussr turned down afghani request. Would lose all their advantages they had gained through d tente. Seen as carrying out communist agenda and trying to undermine other states. Implementing american program of bringing in american missiles. "we have already lost and they have already gained the upper hand" Rest of the world saw it as a sign that the ussr was trying to flex its muscles. 34 islamic states met to decide what action to take. Arab and iranian volunteers signed up to support ussr. Suspension of salt ii, trade, and cultural ties. Will defend persian gulf at all costs, even if it means nuclear war.
