Carter administration and Afghanistan Reagan Doctrine

— u.s. president ronald reagan, march 21, 1983

president reagan meeting afghan mujahideen leaders in oval office in 1983

at least 1 component of reagan doctrine technically pre-dated reagan presidency. in afghanistan, carter administration began providing limited covert military assistance afghanistan s mujahideen in effort drive soviets out of nation, or @ least raise military , political cost of soviet occupation of afghanistan. policy of aiding mujahideen in war against soviet occupation proposed carter s national security adviser zbigniew brzezinski , implemented u.s. intelligence services. enjoyed broad bipartisan political support.

democratic congressman charlie wilson became obsessed afghan cause, , able leverage position on house appropriations committees encourage other democratic congressmen vote cia afghan war money, tacit approval of speaker of house tip o neill (d-ma), democratic party lambasted reagan cia s secret war in central america. complex web of relationships described in george crile iii s book charlie wilson s war.

wilson teamed cia manager gust avrakotos , formed team of few dozen insiders enhanced support mujahideen, funneling through zia ul-haq s isi. avrakotos , wilson charmed leaders various anti-soviet countries including egypt, saudi arabia, israel, , china increase support rebels. avrakotos hired michael g. vickers, young paramilitary officer, enhance guerilla s odds revamping tactics, weapons, logistics, , training used mujahideen. michael pillsbury, pentagon official, , vincent cannistraro pushed cia supply stinger missile rebels. president reagan s covert action program has been given credit assisting in ending soviet occupation of afghanistan.