Shit, just realized why the turn in the Syrian conflict seems so uncannily familiar. It rhymes very strongly with the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan in the 80s (which led, among other things, to the Kashmir insurgency).
This is not a good rhyme.
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Roughly, the 1980s/now mapping would be (purely structural balance of power, with no value judgments of politics/ideologies in play)
US = USSR
Russia = US
Kurds = Mujahideen
Syria = Afghanistan
Turkey = India
Pakistan = Iraq+ISIS
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Americans of course have a very... interesting memory of what happened. Basically, Rambo 3 (1988). Noble US supplies noble Mujahideen to force evil empire to withdraw. Led by Rambo.
The withdrawal was 1988-1989. Kashmiri insurgency began like 5 minutes later.
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Do you know of a good summary/book/whatever that provides an impartial history?
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