Obviously Russian intervention in Afghanistan was a bad mistake, with some good intentions, which ended up making things worse. Like the present business.

The events that led up to the Russians moving in troops in 79 were pretty complicated, pretty murky, and pretty bloody - and backing by the USA for opponents of the pro-Russian government played a major part. And a major motive of these opponents, along with tribal rivalries, was the fact that the Kabul government was in favour of women having rights.

For America the aim was a Cold War victory and a defeat for the Soviet Union, and the interests of the Afghan people just didn't come into the picture.