Myths About Afghanistan: A Thread
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Some of these are bitter facts and hard to accept but after decades of bloodshed and violence it is time to call spade a spade and stop living in a ethno-utopia
#Peace

Myth1: AFGHANISTAN IS A 5000 YEAR OLD COUNTRY/NAME.
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The word Afghanistan was used during 19th century, officially 1st time Afghanistan was used after 2nd Anglo war in Treaty of Gandamak, this land was known and still referred to as Khorosan or in few instances as Kabolistan

Myth2: AFGHANISTAN HAS BEEN NEVER CONQUERED (GRAVE YARD OF EMPIRES)
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One of the biggest myth among Afghans. this area has been cross a road of different trading routes and has been ruled by many Empires and dynasties such as Greeks, Arab, Persian, Turkic, Mongol, Mughal etc

Myth 3: AFGHANISTAN DEFEATED THE BRITISH
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Neither side won though British won strategically but faced heavy casualties due to the terrain. Britain was successful in installing many puppet Emirs/Rulers to create buffer with Russian Empire and controlled afghan foreign affairs 1/3

later British helped Afghan Kings to maintain rule in Afg with Arms and Guidance to help make a nation-state and keep it out of Russian empire. Afghan king Jan-Fishan Khan sent armies to help British in Indian war of Independence 1857 killing 1000s of muslims Dehli. 2/3

Afghan king Abdur Rehman khan with help from the British conducted a Genocide of Hazaras in Hazarajat now central Afghanistan where 2/3 of all Hazaras 64% were massacred, their land stolen and women/children sold in Bazaar as slaved 3/3

Myth4: SOVIETS INVADED AFGHANISTAN
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The soviets were invited by Afghan nationalists/communists in 1979 who saw growing opposition after committing atrocities and crimes. Afghanistan repeatedly requested the soviet troops in the spring & summer of 1979 to crush opposition 1/2

Even after withdrawal of soviets forces Afghan govt was Pro soviet & was taking aid from USSR under War Criminal Communist Najibullah who executed 1000s of afghan civilians & political prisoners. 2/2

Myth5: MUJAHIDEEN UPRISING STARTED AFTER FOREIGN COUNTRIES INTERVENED
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Mujahideen uprising took place even before soviet invasion. Afghan Communist Ethno-Nationalist govt was putting religious leaders in jails destroying mosques, killing anyone who were opposing them.

Myth6: OUR NEIGHBORS DON'T WANT PEACE
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Well Afghan neighbors do interfere in our matters but it was started by Afg itself. One of the reason Afghanistan got close with Soviet union was to get help, training and weapons against Pakistan/Iran and form ethno nation-state 1/8

relations with Pakistan suffered due to:
-Afg not accepting Pak at U.N the only country to do so
-Afg assassinated Pak PM in 51
-Afg was first country to use proxies in Pak and region in 1949
-Afg started shelling pak villages in balochistan
-Burned all pak embassy in Afg 2/8

Afg supplied arms and ammunition to proxies led by Pacha Gul in Bajaur and Faqir LPI of WZT
-In 1961, 1000s of afghan Militia invaded bajour, Pakistan
-In 70s full scale propaganda of pashtunistan was run from Afg through radio broadcasted in Pak calling it a holy war 3/8

In 1975 Pak Governor was killed in blast done by Afg proxy of NAP
-Under Najibullah Afg fired SCUD missiles in Pak the only country to do so killing civilians
-Afg govt still push for pashtunistan which according to it will annex half of pak
-Afg arms n supports Pak Taliban. 4/8

RESULTED IN:
-Pak supported mujahideens to full extent providing training n arms
-Pak supported one ethnic group after withdrawal of soviets
-Pak supported and recognized Taliban Govt and
-After 9/11 Pak still supports few militants wings in Afg like Haqani Network 5/8

Relations with Iran suffered due to:
-Afg supporting Baloch Militants in 60s still continue to do so
-Afg funded and trained Baloch militants
-Afg safeguarded Baloch separatists leaders giving them Afg land to use it for their operations which angered both Pak and Iran 6/8

Afghan Ethno-Talib Govt seized Mazar-i-sharif consulate and killed Iranian consulate members
-Bad treatment and persecution of Afg shias
-Welcoming and giving bases to U.S which considered Enemy of Iran
-Disputes over the Helmand water 7/8

Iran contribution:
-Iran supported mujahideens
-Iran supported Northern Alliance ( A Farsiban anti Taliban force)
(IRAN HAS 1MILLION & PAK HAS 3MILLION+ AFG REFUGEES) 8/8

MYTH7: THE SOVIETS WERE DEFEATED
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Soviets were not defeated in a broader sense though soviets faced major defeats in many battles specially in region of Panjshir valley from Tajik Commander Ahmad Shah Massoud. some battles won by Mujahideen while some were won by Soviets 1/2

Gorbachev calculated that the war had become a stalemate and that it was not achieving anything specially due to economic turmoil in USSR the cost of war was getting very high. Pro-Moscow Fascist Govt. was running even after soviets left. 2/2

Myth 8: AFGHANISTAN IS A ETHNO NATION-STATE
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Afg is a multi-ethnic country. it doesn't have any major majority of any particular ethnic group. Major ethnicities include Tajik, Pashtons, Hazara, Ozbek, Turkmen, Nooristanis and Pashaies 1/2

The lingua franca of country is Farsi. Almost every Afghan living in afghanistan can speak or understand Farsi. Afghanistan is multi cultural country whose culture is a mix of Turko-Persian with some elements from south asia. 2/2

Myth9: THERE WERE NO BURQAS IN AFGHANISTAN
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Burqas in Afghanistan were always there. the picture we are shown of women in skirts were mostly from posh area of kabul during 70s in which many are foreigners. most of the country was and still is conservative even in Kabul