The U.S. political technologies of influence in Afghanistan (1945-1992): the nature, content and results

The author examines the evolution of the U.S. foreign policy doctrine to Afghanistan in 1945- 1992, which was accompanied with the changes of the technologies of political influence used in that period. The essence, the content and the results of the influence of technologies used by Washington was researched in the context of the U.S. foreign policy and its effectiveness. The author notes that the U.S. foreign policy of that period was determined by the logic of confrontation with the Soviet Union in the framework of the «cold war». Conditions defined, the concept of the U.S. foreign policy transformed towards «engagement» of the «third world» in its orbit of influence. This circumstance can be traced through the example of the Afghan areas of foreign policy. Thus, Washington stepped up its Afghan policy significantly, in particular, after the Soviet invasion. Using a situation in Afghanistan, the American administration aspired to get rid of the pro-Soviet political regime in order to gain advantage within the limits of «cold war» conduct. The specified purposes of a policy of the USA remained invariable till the USSR disintegration in 1991. As a result, Afghanistan became an arena of open military confrontation between pro-Soviet and pro-American groups. To achieve its goals, Washington applied a variety of political influence technologies. The most important among them are, as follows: political, diplomatic, ideological propaganda; economic, trading, and, finally, military support. First technology is considered to be the actions directed on support of «political ignoring» and the international discredit of a regime of the «the Soviet protégé» B. Karmal, and also a tightening of negotiations regarding elimination of civil opposition in the country. Ideological propaganda technologies of influence were used during the realization of programs of the oral and broadcasting propagation which purpose was to disorganize a new regime of Afghanistan and increase the number of protesters among local population. Political technologies of influence of the USA in Afghanistan in economy, though auxiliary in character, considered small trade turnover between Washington and Kabul, and played an appreciable role there. Simultaneously, the administration of the USA gave various support to the Islamic opposition. In particular, it made organizational and the diplomatic support aimed at maintenance of unity of oppositional forces; and also the financial, military and humanitarian help. The results came to be controversial. The use of political technologies of influence was inconsistent. On the one hand, the main strategic target in Afghanistan, a victory in «cold war», has been reached. On the other hand, the USA have not managed to create a loyal and controllable political regime in the country.