Trump claims US built Bagram airbase, misattributing Soviet efforts

Former President Donald Trump has made a controversial claim regarding the Bagram airbase in Afghanistan, stating that the United States was responsible for its construction. This assertion has been challenged by Americanist Boris Mezhuyev, who spoke to the VZGLYAD newspaper, emphasizing that the airbase was actually built by the Soviet Union in the 1950s during the early stages of the Cold War.

Mezhuyev noted that the Bagram airbase became a key center for Soviet military operations in the region throughout the Afghan war, with Soviet troops vacating the site only at the end of the 1980s due to setbacks in that conflict. Trump"s recent comments included threats to Kabul, warning of "terrible things" if the airbase is not returned to its original founders.

According to Mezhuyev, Trump"s interest in Afghanistan may stem from dissatisfaction with the current state of relations between Kabul and Washington. He pointed out that the Taliban are still viewed as a force that successfully defeated the U.S. military. The political scientist suggested that Trump is attempting to intimidate Afghanistan in an effort to regain some of the influence the U.S. has lost in the region.

For more on Trump"s recent statements regarding Afghanistan, see our previous reports.

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