. ▁U . S . ▁support ▁for ▁the ▁mu j ah ide en ▁in ▁Afghan istan ▁would ▁continue ▁until ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁with d rew ▁from ▁Afghan istan ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 . ▁ ▁Middle ▁East ▁ ▁Histor ian ▁J ør gen ▁J ense h au gen ▁arg ues ▁that ▁by ▁the ▁time ▁Carter ▁left ▁office ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁he : ▁was ▁in ▁an ▁odd ▁position — he ▁had ▁attempted ▁to ▁break ▁with ▁traditional ▁US ▁policy ▁but ▁ended ▁up ▁ful fill ing ▁the ▁goals ▁of ▁that ▁tradition , ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁to ▁break ▁up ▁the ▁Arab ▁al liance , ▁side - line ▁the ▁Palest ini ans , ▁build ▁an ▁al liance ▁with ▁Egypt , ▁weak en ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁and ▁secure ▁Israel .< ref > J ør gen ▁J ense h au gen . ▁ ▁Arab - Is ra eli ▁Diplom acy ▁under ▁Carter : ▁ ▁The ▁US , ▁Israel ▁and ▁the ▁Palest ini ans ▁( 2 0 1 8 ) ▁p . ▁ 1 7 8 , ▁quoted ▁on ▁H - DI P LO ) </ ref > ▁ ▁Camp ▁David ▁Acc ords ▁ ▁On ▁taking ▁office , ▁Carter ▁decided ▁to ▁attempt ▁to ▁medi ate ▁the ▁long - running ▁Arab – Is ra eli ▁conflict . ▁He ▁sought ▁a ▁compreh ensive ▁settlement ▁between ▁Israel ▁and ▁its ▁neighb ors ▁through ▁a ▁recon ven ing ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁Gene va ▁Conference , ▁but ▁these ▁efforts ▁had ▁col lapsed ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁