Why Great Powers Invaded and Failed in Afghanistan

Abstract

Abstract : Afghanistan is a country which has been keeping the attention of the international community for more than three decades. In its most recent history, two great powers have tried to invade this country. The Union of Soviet Socialistic Republics (USSR) failed and the United States is trying to avoid the same fate. Not only those two great powers struggled in Afghanistan. Many great powers throughout history have shown their presence in Afghanistan, starting from the great Persian Empire (6th and 5th century BC) through the Macedonian Empire (4th century BC), then the White Huns (5th century AD), the Muslim Arabs (7th century AD), the Islamic Turks (10th century AD), the Mongolian Empire (13th century AD), and later on the British and Russian Empires (19th and 20th century AD). This paper will lay out historical evidence that shows why all of the great powers failed to occupy Afghanistan successfully and ends with some short recommendations based on the historical facts of the three cases. Some of the recommendations might be taken into consideration in the current NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) campaign in Afghanistan.