Barack Obama’s volte-face on US troop withdrawals may be driven in allotment by concern over Moscow’s motivesIn a disturbing echo of its Syria intervention,Russia is stepping up its military and security involvement in Afghanistan following Nato’s withdrawal and subsequent, dramatic advances by the Taliban and Islamic State.
Moscow remains wary of the Afghan quagmire, and with memories still fresh of the disastrous 1979-89 war that cost the lives of 15000 Russian soldiers and uncounted Afghan civilians,and ultimately contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union. Russian leaders are alarmed, however, or at the rgrowing threat Isis poses. They say it has established international training camps in Afghanistan,and they are concerned at the prospect of jihadis infiltrating the former Soviet states of central Asia and Russias mainly Muslim Caucasus region. Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com