Description
Object description
American civilian worked as Special Assistant to Assistant Secretary of Defence in Washington DC, United States of America, 1982-1988
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of period as Special Assistant to Assistant Secretary of Defence in Washington DC, United States of America, 1982-1988: degree of United States Government interest in Afghanistan prior to Soviet invasion, 1979; Soviet Union's role in supporting Communism in Afghanistan in particular the 1978 coup; start of small covert American operations after Soviet invasion of Afghanistan; degree of significance of assassination of American ambassador Adolph Dubs in Afghanistan, 14/12/1979; background to Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and effect of Iranian Revolution on American policy; different views on Soviet Union's invasion in United States of America; question of potential American response to invasion of Afghanistan; reaction of Pakistan to receiving American aid; degree of fundamentalism in Afghanistan, 1979.
REEL 2 Continues: Pakistan political interference in Afghanistan; nature of United States Government involvement in Afghanistan, 1979-1982; growth in American political interest in Afghanistan from 1983; American views on Afghanistan before 1979 and changes that took place from 1983; United States Government State Department and Central Intelligence Agency views of war in Afghanistan; changes in Pakistan's approach to war in Afghanistan; question of divisions in United States Government State Department and Central Intelligence Agency approaches to supporting resistance groups in Afghanistan; attitude of United States Government to Pakistan's nuclear programme.
REEL 3 Continues: benefits to Pakistan of relationship with United States of America during war in Afghanistan; United States Government attitude towards Soviet indications of withdrawal from Afghanistan; nature of negotiations for withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan; changes in Soviet approach to potential withdrawal from Afghanistan; divisions in United States Government's approach towards Soviet withdrawal and shape of future Afghanistan government; importance of Afghanistan conflict to collapse of Soviet Union; question of blame for later situation in Afghanistan.