The Road to Afghanistan - George Washington University

“You can build socialism here,” continued the Anarchist. “Socialism for Afghanistanis probably not a bad socio-economic order. Russia, when the October Revolution tookplace, was at a very similar level of development. In about fifty years, you will probablyincorporate Afghanistan into the USSR as one of your union republics. However, youreagerness to Sovietize Afghanistan may shift the balance of forces in Central Asia and incitea civil war. It would be quite a favorable scenario for the United States, if it happens.Whatever you say, the majority of the Afghan people live in the fourteenth century,according to their local calendar. So, Valery, the arrival of Taraki and his cronies to powerdidn’t upset American politicians. On the contrary, it gave them hope that the Afghan‘revolutionaries’ would be so busied by their grandiose and hopeless affair to buildsocialism in their backwards Asiatic country that they would forever forget about theirbrothers in Pashtunistan—at least until those brothers reminded them about themselves.Besides, you Russians—and everyone in Washington is certain of this—will do everythingpossible to stop the Tarakists, or any other Afghan leaders loyal to you, from committingany radical actions directed at upsetting the status quo in Central Asia. And this is exactlywhat the United States of America needs.”“So, Mr. Frye and you, my friend, think that the American government respects andwill continue to respect our interests in this region of the world, and will leave Afghanistanin our sphere of core interests?”“I think that the professor is more a scholar of Orientalism and a specialist in theancient history of Iran than a politician who is capable of fathoming modern Afghancomplexities.”“What do you think yourself?”217