Connection: Afghanistan to now

Invasion path of the Soviet Union

Near the end of the cold war the USSR invaded Afghanistan. It was a costly failure, one that aided in the collapse of the Soviet Union. It became known as the Soviet's Vietnam. Like Vietnam it was a great failure for them, and weakened their national pride. Also like Vietnam the opposing side in the cold war tried to stop them any way possible. The United States, and the United Kingdom supported the Saudi Arabians in their defense. To do so the U.S., and the U.K funded their war and helped train their soldiers and leaders. This war gave lots of funds and military weapons to the Saudi Arabians. One of the Saudi Arabian's leaders was Osama bin Laden.

Osama bin Laden

Osama bin Laden left Afghanistan at the end of the war to start a group that would take a more active militant role, known as al-Qaeda. Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda would take responsibility for the 9/11 attack. Meaning that at the end of the Cold War the United States created their own enemy while trying to stop communism from spreading.