The Road to Afghanistan - George Washington University

coordinate recommendations with each other. Zaplatin, naively perhaps, lamented the situation.“How could this be? Where is their communist honesty? I thought we agreed about certain things.”However, Zaplatin’s ideals and expectations regarding professional and personal honestywere shaken by some of the Afghans with whom he worked. One such Afghan was Minister ofDefense Abdul Qadir. Having met Zaplatin for the first time, the minister said, “Don’t believe mefully, Comrade General. I can trick you, lie to you easily. You don’t know our language and Afghanspecifics, so here’s my advice to you: don’t believe everything you’re told.”Noticing that Zaplatin simply could not understand what he meant, Qadir explained: “YouSoviets say what you think. We Afghanis are different. Words don’t mean anything. Don’t believeour words.”“What, then, should I believe?” asked Zaplatin.Qadir evaded a straight answer. “If you live here long enough, you will understand what Imean.”Qadir was a mystery to Zaplatin. He was short, stocky, had a rough peasant face and verycunning eyes that seemed to have a life of their own. They never betrayed Qadir’s real feelings.The minister of defense belonged neither to the Khalq nor Parcham factions. They said that he wasplaying his own game.Later, during the meetings, Qadir never returned to that initial conversation. However, heliked to joke about political work in the armed forces.“Too bad we didn’t have political operatives in the army before,” he would comment,sounding serious. “Now I understand that this was a major oversight. But you will agree, ComradeGeneral, that the automatic rifle should speak before any political operative.”“Not necessarily,” replied Zaplatin patiently. “Sometimes the right word at the right time166