Originally Posted by
Warmtoast
The Russians invaded Afghanistan in 1978, but the whole thing was too much for them and they left the country ten-years later in February 1989.
Photos show Soviet troops in Kabul and as they departed the country in February 1989. (Photos from US Dept. for Defence and Novosti).
Soviet Troops in Kabul
Soviets Departing February 1989
They left because the US were weaponising the mujahideen (Charlie Wilson), the Soviets were actually doing a lot of building in the country and its infrastructure, more importantly people were employed and had a decent living. You can still see it in Kabul today, tram tracks in the roads, massive grain mills, and the bog standard off the shelf soviet apartment blocks, which are locally known as macroyans... etc.. Now if Ahmad Shah Massoud had lived it might have been a very different situation today, Karzai should never have been put into power..
And yes, sadly I personally think things will deteriorate quickly
FYI the lower photo of the USSR leaving is actually on a bridge that they built, a vital link that is still in use today..