HIST1094 Lecture Notes - Lecture 26: Mikhail Gorbachev, Islamic Fundamentalism, Berlin Wall
Document Summary
The presence of soviet troops exacerbates tensions within afghanistan, and insurgency breaks out: a number of powers are interested in aiding the afghan insurgents: the us (as a cold. War strategy), pakistan (as a way of managing a neighboring state), saudi arabia (as a way to extend their influence: the cia coordinated funding money and weapons (often provided by saudi funds) to. Isi (influenced by saudi-funded hardline clerics) generally chose islamic fundamentalist insurgents, the mujahidin, as recipients of their aid. The soviet-backed afghan government never stabilizes and is incapable of defeating the mujahidin: 1987: after soviet reformer mikhail gorbachev takes power, soviet troops withdraw. Mujahidin factions fight amongst themselves until 1996, when the taliban takes power. About 2 million afghans killed (almost all civilians) and about 3. 5 million become refugees. Communist rule in eastern europe: 1988: starting in poland, where the independent labor movement solidarity led a democratization movement, the countries of the eastern bloc vote in new, non-
