Some other thoughts:
Russia was not a free enterprise economic system. Russia also had to spend significant bucks at the same time because Reagan was building up US capability with modernized equipment, and it cost the Russians tons of money to try to keep pace in Europe. The Wall came down Nov 89, Soviets left Afghaistan in Feb 89. Between December 25, 1979, and February 15, 1989, a total of 620,000 soldiers served with the forces in Afghanistan (though there were only 80,000-104,000 serving at one time): 525,000 in the Army, 90,000 with border troops and other KGB sub-units, 5,000 in independent formations of MVD Internal Troops, and police forces. That was the total served there, with rotations over 10 years. By contrast, the Soviets had 570,000 troops at any one time, in four Eastern European nations--East Germany, Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia from the end of WWII (1945) till the wall came down in 1989. I take that as 44 years. 44 years times 570,000 troops is 25 million manyears of effort in Europe, vs Afghanistan at 10 years and 104,000 troops which is only 1.04 million.
Afghanistan didn't bankrupt Russia, they were doing it on a shoe string anyway. I think its more likely the US broke Russia than the ragheads.
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