The Road to Afghanistan - George Washington University

the meeting of March 17. Brezhnev was in Zavidovo, where he liked to hunt. Leonid Ilyichwas aging rapidly and suffered from a variety of illnesses. He typically left for the countryresidence by noon on Friday. Chernenko had accompanied Brezhnev to Zavidovo. Suslovwas on vacation. Kirilenko, secretary of the Central Committee, explained that Leonid Ilyichwould arrive tomorrow to participate in the discussion, and that the general secretary hadtasked them to convene and ponder the situation in the meantime. Members of thePolitburo nodded their white heads in agreement and stared at papers that had been laidout on the table before them.Kirilenko, who conducted Politburo meetings in Brezhnev’s absence, suggested thatthey first listen to a briefing by Gromyko. There were no objections. The minister of foreignaffairs began to describe the developments in Afghanistan in a reserved, unengaged tone.“According to the reports that we have received from Afghanistan, including bothencrypted cables and telephone conversations with the head of the group of our militaryadvisers, Comrade Gorelov, and temporary chargé d’affaires, Comrade Alexeyev, thesituation has become quite grave. The center of the unrest is in the city of Herat, locatednear the Iranian border in western Afghanistan. We have received reports that the infantrydivision that was deployed in Herat has all but dissolved. An artillery and an infantrybrigade have revolted and sided with the rebels. Gangs of terrorists and saboteurs fromIranian territory are conducting illegal activities and have assumed control of Herat. Theyhave joined forces with Afghan counter-revolutionaries, who consist mostly of religiousfigures and fanatical religious devotees. It is difficult to estimate the number of rebels, butour comrades say that they number in the thousands. Thousands,” emphasized Gromyko,allowing a pause for the gravity of the situation to register. “This morning at 11 o’clock I359