Afghanistan Flashcards | Quizlet

Afghanistan

Type of terrain
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Terms in this set (66)
Type of terrain
Landlocked and rugged, 3/4 of the country is mountains and travel is difficult
Type of climate
Wide varation throughout country
Name the 4 regions
Herat
Qandahar
Mazar-i-Sharif
Kabul
How has the terrain contributed to politics
Geographic divisions have always contributed to how the country is ruled
Different regions ruled by tribes and clans
Name the ethnic groups of Afghanistan
Pashtun (majority), Tajik, Uzbek and Hazara (shia)
Main religion and sects
Isalm - Sunni and Shia
when did the main religion arrive ?
652
Importance of religion
Created common bond among different ethnic and tribal groups
Religion interwoven with daily life
What is Afghan identity tied to
Afghan identity is tied to ethnicity, tribe, and family
Strong sense of nationalism
Percent population of each ethnic group
Hazara: 9%
Uzbek: 9%
Pashtun: 42%
Tajik: 27%
Others (Turkmen, Aimaq, Baluch, Nuristani, Kizilbash): 13%
Where did the Hazara descent fromMongol descent - possible Gengis KhanWhere do the Hazara liveOccupy mountainous areas of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and IranAre the Hazara sunni or shiaAre shi'aHow/ why are the Hazara discriminated againstDiscriminated on the basis of physical features and religion, economic, and political status, languageWhat struggles do they face as a poepleSocial, economic, and political inequalities persist for the HazaraWhat three major empires was Afghanistan caught betweenSafavid Empire in Iran Mughal Empire in India Uzbeks in the northWho was the first king of Afghanistan and when did he come into power1747: Ahmad Shah Durrani became first king of Afghanistan His successors ruled until 1978Why did the Afghan people not like outsidersOne hundred years of foreign interventions fostered a sense of unity and resistance to outsidersWhat two countries did Afghanistan get caught in between (politically not geographically)Britain and RussiaWhen was Afghanistan invaded by the British and whyBritain invaded Afghanistan in 1839 to prevent Russian aggressionWhat happened in response to the British invading AfghanistanAfghan resistance pushed the British out Another military campaign by the British again ended in failureWhat did Britain do to attempt to rule from afarBritain made Afghanistan a protectorate which it ruled from IndiaWhen was the British puppet king installed and what was his nameInstalled puppet king Abdur Rahman Khan in 1879 Further bred hostility of Afghanistan to outsidersWhy did the british decide to use a puppet instead of brute forceBritish decided it was easier to but cooperation of Afghans than to fight them Helped king stay in power with money and weaponsHowever, what was the british installed king doing in AfghanistanAt the same time, Rahman was stoking religious fervour against the BritishWhen did Afghanistan proclaim independence and under what ruler?In 1920 - Afghanistan claimed independence from Great Britain under King Amanullah Khanwhat did King Amanullah Khan do to Modernize Afghanistan?Emphasized educational opportunities for girls Reformed justice system Attempted to modernize economyWhy were the people resistant to his changesChallenged traditional values, especially those relating to women Modernization efforts threatened power of rural and religious and tribal leaders Programs cost money which led to new taxesWho was the next king after King Amanullah Khan and from when did he ruleZahir Shah 1933-1945What were some of Zahir Shah's main actionsRepealed Amanullah's reformsWhat did Afghanistan in the pre WWII era and whyAfghanistan mistrust of Great Britain and Russia (USSR) leads Afghanistan to seek assistance from Germany and Japan during pre-war eraWhat 2 superpowers emerged from WWII? Who declined as a world power?Soviet Union and US emerge from WW2 as superpower - Britain declines as world powerWho became king in 1973 and how?In 1973, king was ousted in a coup by his cousin and prime minister, Mohammed DaudWhat were some of his first (and questionable) actions? What were the results of these actions?Daud purged government and opposition - arresting and torturing those who spoke against him Many fled Allied himself with Iran - at the time, they were allies of the US Freaked out the soviets who thought they would lose influencewhat happened in 1978? what did Daud do as a result of these actions?anti-government protests by communist students Daud ordered them arrestedWhat happened 4 days after the 1978 protests and why did this happen ?Daud was assassinated by Soviet supporters within Afghan army who wanted to create a Soviet-style governmentWho was named the new puppet president in 1978?Mohammad Najibullahwhat happened that ended Mohammad Najibullah's reignThe Soviet Union collapsed 2 years after its withdrawal from Afghanistan This also ended Soviet financial support of Najibullah's regime He resignedName some causes for the Soviet InvasionOut of concern that the communist government in Afghanistan would be overthrown, Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in December, 1979 - believed they would only be there for a few months to stabilize the situationName some consequences for the Soviet InvasionMore than 1 million Afghans were killed 5-7 million fledWhy did the US intervene in AfghanistanAs part of the Cold War policy, the US intervened to contain the expansion of Soviet power and influence US was particularly concerned with proximity of Afghanistan to Middle East, particularly since the Iranian Revolution of 1979 ousted pro-US regimeWhat was stated in the Carter Doctrine?The US would not allow any other outside force to gain control of the Persian GulfWhat was stated in the Reagan Doctrine?The US would provide overt and covert aid to anti-communist guerrillas and resistance movement US bankrolled mujahideen, reaching $630 million a year - called Operation Cyclone Relied heavily on Pakistan and the ISI (Inter-Service Intelligence - Pakistan's CIA) to be the intermediary between the US and the mujahideenWhat did the US (and Saudi Arabia) finance for the MujahideenMoney financed a mix of weapons, tactics, logistics, and training to enhance mujahideen's ability to fight the SovietsHow much did Saudi Arabia spend Financing the Mujahideen in relation to the US?Agreed to match dollar for dollar what the CIA was spendingWho were the Mujahideen? What does the name mean?Afghans became united by a common purpose: to resist the soviets - saw it as a valid reason for jihad - to struggle against the enemies of Islam Those who struggle were mujahideenHow did the Mujahideen fight agains the Soviets ?Mujahideen fought an effective guerilla war - without any centralized leadership - based on ambush and knowledge of the rough terrainHow were the Mujahideen organized?Groups of mujahideen were organized along ethnic and geographic lines From different regions of the country with different political beliefs Did not coordinate efforts and often fought each otherWhat happened when the soviet union pulled outrivalries between the heavily armed mujahideen groups quickly turned into a civil war and old ethnic rivalries took overWhat does Talib and Taliban mean?Talib = student Taliban = studentsWho were the Taliban?Taliban were largely former mujahedeen who studied at religious schools in Afghanistan and PakistanWhat did the Taliban believe in?Believed Afghanistan's problems could be solved by returning to 'proper religion' - very strict interpretation of shariaHow did the Taliban generate public support?by protecting population from abuse and crimes committed by warlords Many young Afghans, who had seen decades of war and were deeply impoverished, flocked to the TalibanWho was the leader of the TalibanMullah OmarWhat did he do to take on almost mythical status?He wore what is believed to be the cloak of the Prophet Muhammad in public to rally the TalibanWho formed the Northern AllianceThe one promising resistance to the Taliban, mujahedeen hero, Ahmad Shah Massoud, finally convinced the CIA to support him in 2001When was Ahmad Shah Massoud killed (in relation to other major events) and what was the significance of his death.He was killed 2 days before 9/11 in a suicide bombing, likely ordered by al Qaeda. The only possibility of beating the taliban but he was killed right before 9/11What was life like under the Taliban?Restricted freedom Communists punished Cultural icons not Sunni Islamic were destroyed eg: Bamiyan Buddhas Shi'as seen as infidels and persecuted7 Year Reign of Terror: name things women could not do (there is a lot)Complete ban on women working Women could not leave the home without a male relative Women could not deal with male shopkeepers Women could not go to school All women must wear burqa in public Public beatings of women for showing too much skin was common Public stoning of women accused of adultery Women could not laugh in public Women could not wear nail polish or high heals Women could not play sports or ride a bicycle Women could not gather in public Women could not wash clothes in the river Women could not stand on balconiesWhat restrictions were applied to everyone during the 7 year reign of terror?Banned listening to music Banned movie and TV Ordered all people with un-Islamic names to change to Islamic ones Forced haircuts on men Ordered that men wear 'Islamic clothing' and a cap Ordered that men shot shave or trim beards, and that it must be long enough to protrude from a fist clasped under the chin Banned kite flying Anyone who converts from Islam will be executed Banned the internetWhat were some common punishments for violating all those rules?Public stoning to death for adultery Amputation of limbs for various crimes, including stealing, drinking alcohol or taking drugs Homosexuals were killed, often in brutal ways, such as rolling over them with tanks Flogging up to 100 lashes for unmarried people found guilty of 'adultery'Where did a lot of these punishments take place and why?Many punishments were carried out in Kabul's Ghazi stadium, with public viewingHow did the US use Pakistan to interact withe the MujahideenUS Relied heavily on Pakistan and the ISI (Inter-Service Intelligence - Pakistan's CIA) to be the intermediary between the US and the mujahideenWhat did Pakistan do to help the Afghan's fight against the soviets?Pakistan encouraged volunteers from other Arab states to join the Afghan resistance in its struggles against the Soviets Pakistan in particular supported groups that it thought would support its own political interests in AfghanistanDid Pakistan support the Taliban? why or why not?Taliban was supported by ISI who were hoping for a pro-Pakistan Islamic government to be instituted in AfghanistanWhat role did Iran play during the Soviet invasion ?Iran intervened at the same time as the US Wanted to export the success of their Islamic Revolution of 1979 Supported and trained shi'a mujahideen