Ep 197 Brzezinski and the Soviet-Afghan War feat Gunar Olsen

Guest: Gunar Olsen. Gunar recently published a response to an historian's analysis of the Soviet Afghan invasion and the question of whether or not Zbigniew Brzezinski's goal (under the Carter administration) in assisting the mujahedin was really about provoking the Soviet military intervention. There is also a bonus question on why there was so much push back and resistance to Trump's last ditch effort to withdraw troops from Afghanistan and what the real reasons behind it.  Gunar Olsen is an independent scholar, writer and journalist who covers the politics of U.S. imperialism. His articles have been published in The New Republic, The Nation, Jacobin, The Grayzone, Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting and other publications. He also provides research for the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. FOLLOW @GunarOlsen. Find him and his work at his website gunarolsen.com Around the Empire is listener supported, independent media. Pitch in at Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire or paypal.me/aroundtheempirepod. Find all links at aroundtheempire.com.  SUBSCRIBE on YouTube. FOLLOW @aroundtheempire and @joanneleon.  SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW on iTunes, iHeart, Spotify, Google Play, Facebook or on your preferred podcast app. Music by Fluorescent Grey. Reference Links: "We Don't Need a Smoking Gun": U.S. Provocations and the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, Gunar Olsen