Editing Operation Cyclone (section)

==Background and Objectives==
The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in December 1979 to prop up the communist government of the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA), which faced internal dissent and an insurgency from Afghan mujahideen groups. The U.S., under President Jimmy Carter, viewed the invasion as a threat to its geopolitical interests, particularly in the Persian Gulf, and feared Soviet expansion toward oil-rich regions. National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski advocated for a robust response, arguing that supporting the mujahideen could “induce a Soviet military intervention” to drain their resources, a strategy later described as giving the Soviets “their Vietnam.”

Operation Cyclone was authorized by Carter on July 3, 1979, with an initial budget of $695,000 for covert aid to the mujahideen, escalating significantly under President Ronald Reagan in the 1980s. The program’s primary objectives were:

	•	To arm and finance Afghan resistance fighters to weaken Soviet forces.

	•	To destabilize the Soviet-backed Afghan government.

	•	To prevent Soviet dominance in the region, aligning with the broader U.S. Cold War strategy of containment.