Abstract
This introductory chapter provides an overview of the Soviet–Afghan War. It discusses the interplay of Marxism–Leninism and Islam in Afghanistan in line with how the Kremlin saw Islamism during the Soviet–Afghan War. The Soviet–Afghan War was the defining conflict of the late Cold War wherein the conflict revolved around the Soviet Union and its People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan client against the mujahideen. The chapter presents the communist views and policies on Islam in Afghanistan that help understand the evolving Soviet perceptions of and goals in Afghanistan and the enduring tension between ideology and pragmatism in Soviet decision-making. It considers the competition between ideology and realpolitik in driving decision-making during the Cold War.
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