The "want to be" gun confiscators would have a daunting job ahead of them

[phishfood]

You're focusing on the wrong aspect of the Russian occupation of Afghanistan. The salient point is not that they eventually withdrew, but that the widespread ownership by Afghans of rifles and other small arms did not deter the Russkis from invading in the first place.

No, the salient point is that a poorly armed (relative to their opponent) insurgent group is not necessarily doomed to failure.