The Reagan administration in its anti-communism fight was helping countries that were against Communism and isolating countries that were pro-communists or had ties with communist States.
The administration took advantage of the huge doctrinal difference of the Sunni and Shia factions in Afghanistan to cause a political divide and alienate Afghanistan. This is an example of a classic "divide and conquer" scenario where two different factions are pitted against each other so they would grow weaker collectively and be easy to conquer.
By strengthening the earlier Fugitive Slave Act of 1793, the later laws further pressured citizens to take sides regarding the issue of slavery. Tensions between the North and South quickly increased, leading to the eventual secession of the South and the ensuing Civil War.
