One of the definitive tools that literally turned the tide of the Afghan war against the Soviet Union was the Stinger Missile. It is a high tech, highly mobile and easy to use antiaircraft with clear cut advantages over heat seeking missiles. Stingers lock on target with a high tech radar system and therefore become a formidable weapon against aircraft and especially enemy helicopters.

During the decade of Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the United States was helping the Mujahideen with weapons delivered to them through US allies such as Egypt and Pakistan. The military in these countries and especially in Pakistan served as opportunistic middlemen in the delivery of whatever they chose to pass on to Afghan freedom fighters and whatever they kept for their own country. It was with these weapons that the Afghans continued their war against the Red Army. But the arms delivered through third country military was not what would actually decide the course of the war. The Soviet Union was using its most modern and devastating arms in fighting the Afghans who were fiercely in love with their freedom and who had no or very little know-how in technology of modern weapons. The Antique indigenous arms of the Afghans and or the second hand weapons given them by the West, but through third party military establishments, were no match for the Russian Meg Fighter jets and its huge military helicopters. The highest casualty was caused by Russian huge helicopters and Meg jets that destroyed and killed indiscrminately villages and villagers and thousands upon thousands of civilians .

But in America, the realization was taking shape of the fact that in order to truly help the freedom fighters in Afghanistan the US should provide them with antiaircraft weapons and training. Congressman Wilson of Texas , a staunch supporter of freedom and a believer in the Afghan war for freedom, championed the drive for giving the freedom fighters in Afghanistan the Stingers. Finally in the late 80s, Stingers were introduced in the Afghan war with devastating effect on Soviet aircraft. With the introduction of the Stingers, the Soviet troops lost their superiority in the air and therefore suffered huge losses both on land and in the air. These losses amounted to millions of dollars in money and hundreds of body bags in human lives. All of this led to the ouster of the Red Army from Afghanistan as the Soviet Union could no more hide its losses in the Afghan war from its nation.

But the unused Stingers remained in the hands of the so called Mujahideen who were chosen to receive them by both the Pakistani military and the CIA. Errors were made in the choice of the Mujahideen groupings who were given the bulk of the military aid. Corruption and misuse were also reported. And finally after the war with the Soviet Union was over the US could not collect the unused Stingers although it had at one time opted to buy them from the so called Mujahideen for up to $ 80,000 a piece. Today of the hundreds of Stingers given by CIA to the Mujahideen, up to 100 Stingers remain unaccounted for. But Stingers have a wide international market and could be attractive to subversive elements and or terrorist groups.

Were there a strong national government in Afghanistan with a strong national army, Stingers would not pose much of a danger, because they could be collected by the government and stored or returned to the United States. But in the absence of a strong central power in Afghanistan, Stingers have been offered for sale, perhaps to many who would possibly be interested in them, including the United Nations Security Assistance Force.

A recent report quoting the Turkish commander of the international force, Maj. General Hilmi Akin Zorlu said :American-made Stinger missiles, capable of taking down aircraft, are for sale in the Afghan capital for $200,000, as well as rockets for as little as $5,000. The offer was made by unidentified men who had approached peacekeepers on the issue of rocket and missile sales.

These weapons which are apparently in the hands of warlords and some renegade former Mujahideen groupings have unfortunately proven as a great threat to peace and security in the country. It is high time, the Karzai government in collaboration with the United Nations forces start a weapons collection campaign. It should also publicize the disarming campaign that is taking place at the hand of the US forces who had for a long time given the confiscated arms to the warlords of their choice. They should now deliver the same to the central government who would use some for the developing national army and who should destroy others . Armed groupings, whether they are supporters of warlords or just armed bands, could prove one of the gravest dangers to the security of the Afghan nation. But this campaign should be carried out with equal intensity all over the country and not only in the south and south-east as a recent report said the government plan aims at. Disarming of specifically targeted provinces would create more problems as they would disturb the balance of power among ethnic groupings. This is a situation that has caused a lot of dissatisfaction already. A well thought and balanced arms collection will ensure internal security and prevent terrorist threats to a great extent. 12/14/02