Afghanistan War

Afghanistan has been at constant war, and is still in one today known as the “Afghan War”. Due to constant war, Afghanistan’s health care, economy, and education has been devastated, but how did the war really effect Afghanistan? This war would be known as the equivalent to the Vietnam War for the United States, both in economic stresses brought upon by the war, and by the social discontent that it caused.

Long before the Afghan War, Afghanistan was still a LEDC (Less Economically Developed Country). Beginning in 1979 after the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, the health care of the country was completely destroyed. Medical professionals responded to the incentive, the war, in a predictable way, and fled the country making health care very scarce. In 2003, there were 18 physicians and 11 nurses per 100,000 people, and the infant mortality rate was 165 deaths/1000 births around the beginning of the war, one of the highest in the world (Health in Afghanistan, 2011).

Along with the crippled health care, the economy wasn’t doing any better. The war destroyed its limited infrastructure, and interrupted its normal trade activity. Throughout the war, the average GDP per capita was between $700-800 .35% of the population was living under the poverty line) and in addition to this, there was a 4-year drought that severely limited the agricultural production. For the 37% of the population working in agriculture, this was a disaster, especially because many used subsistence farming, farming to feed themselves and their family (Health in Afghanistan, 2011). Their economic decision to use subsistence farming for the primary source of food had consequences that lied in the future, and so when the drought came, they were overwhelmed. The large percentage of the population working in Agriculture shows that Afghanistan is a LEDC because the industry and service sector is not very developed due to lack of technology and jobs.

After the fall of the Taliban government, Afghanistan’s trade with other countries greatly increased. Trade with America has increased 1333% since 2004 (TIFA) up t0 2.2 billion dollars from 150 million in 2004. The economy is also rising with the help of international assistance, and the end of the 4-year drought. Afghanistan is said to have trillions of dollars’ worth of resources, and they are signing deals with countries like China already. While the GDP per capita is still $900, mining for the resources can create thousands of jobs, and statistics show that the number is increasing. None of this would not have been possible without the help of other countries which were drawn by the war.

Pakistan saw economic fluctuations, both progressive and adverse, from various components of the Soviet-Afghan war.

A. Pakistan receives significant foreign aid to stimulate its economy.

1. Reagan offers Zia 6 year, $3.2 Billion assistance package that would stimulate Pakistan’s economic strength.
2. Economic aid enables Pakistan to improve agricultural, health, and energy development as well as repay loans.

B. Economic deficiencies.

1. Economic gain was seen in consumer imports but not education, health, and rural development.
2. The Soviet withdrawal afforded Pakistan a significantly less support for future development

Since December 1979, when Soviet troops first entered Afghanistan, the country has remained a focal point in regional and global politics. With a focus on the 1980s, The Impact of the Afghan-Soviet War on Pakistan delves into both Afghanistan’s history and the involvement of superpowers in shaping its present situation. Through the investigation of a complex and highly politicized war, the author demonstrates the direct correlation between Pakistan’s society, politics, and economy with the state of affairs in Afghanistan.

Since December 1979, when Soviet troops first entered Afghanistan, the country has remained a focal point in regional and global politics. With a focus on the 1980s, The Impact of the Afghan-Soviet War on Pakistan delves into both Afghanistan’s history and the involvement of superpowers in shaping its present situation. Through the investigation of a complex and highly politicized war, the author demonstrates the direct correlation between Pakistan’s society, politics, and economy with the state of affairs in Afghanistan.

The conflict and instability in Afghanistan in the aftermath of 9/11 attacks and their regional implications had very negative repercussions, for the years following the US invasion of Afghanistan not only saw a huge influx of Afghan refugees across the border into Pakistan but also witnessed a sudden spike in the frequency and scale of terrorist attacks in Pakistan. The cumulative impact of these developments adversely impacted the overall growth rate in all major sectors of the economy. Pakistan continues to pay a heavy price both in the economic and security terms due to this situation and a substantial portion of precious national resources both men and material, have been diverted to address the emerging security challenges for the last several years. The rise of violent extremism and increase in terrorism in Pakistan due to instability in Afghanistan not only caused serious damage to Pakistan’s economy but has also been responsible for wide-spread human suffering due to indiscriminate attacks against the civilian population.

This situation disrupted Pakistan’s normal economic and trading activities which not only resulted in higher costs of business but also created disruptions in the production cycles, resulting in significant delays in meeting the export orders around the globe. As a result, Pakistani products have gradually lost their market share to their competitors. Consequently, economic growth could not have picked up as planned. Investment outflow and negative trends of out sourcing of capital in Pakistan has further added to the woes of dwindling performance of the export-oriented industry.