I hope you understand that the situation there in late-80s was much more under control then what you guys have in Iraq now. At least noone kidnapped and killed US diplomats. And Afghanistan had a legitimate government that only got some support from USSR. And Afghanistan wasn't occupied.
Sorry to say this - but what US govt does in recent years looks absolutely insane
If only you didn't bomb Yugoslavia - RF probably could provide all possible support in Iraq, but that 1999 aggression was tooo much. Now occupants are responsible for all such accidents with diplomats, so it goes.
Do you have such an idiomatic expression as "stepping on a rake"?