The USSR arguably did better in Afghanistan than the US.
By the time of the Soviet withdrawal, the government in Kabul held the entire urban core of the country. By July 2021, half of Afghanistan, including all regional capitals, was under Taliban control; within a month, they controlled the entire country.
After the Soviet withdrawal, the allied Afghan government undertook a highly successful military offensive against insurgents (the Battle of Jalalabad). Kabul fell immediately on American withdrawal; the Najibullah government held on for three more years, including half a year after the Soviet Union had collapsed itself.
Soviet casualties were about 15k, allied Afghan casualties about 18k, so, about 33k vs 80-100k Mujahideen losses. The US/NATO coalition took about 4k casualties, the allied Afghan government (oh, how the Americans love to simply never count their allies' casualties! Same as in Vietnam. Not to speak of military contractors in the GWOT) had up to 70k casualties, meaning about 74k vs 84k insurgents.
The Soviet withdrawal left behind a functioning allied regime that held the major cities and survived for years; the US withdrawal left behind immediate regime collapse and complete Taliban takeover.
Both military occupations ended up strategic failures. Neither could impose a lasting settlement that would align with their aims. Both were kind of pointless in hindsight. But overall the Soviets did better; hell, the Soviet-aligned government in Afghanistan literally outlived the Soviet Union.
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Tom |
