The Road to Afghanistan - George Washington University

United States, after which he returned to Afghanistan.“Then for ten whole years, until 1963, Taraki did odd jobs, interpreting forAmericans in Kabul, writing books and articles, and continuing to try to understand theintricacies of Marxism-Leninism. Taking advantage of some liberalization introduced byMohammad Yusuf’s government, he fully dedicated himself to revolutionary activities. Heorganized young people who opposed the regime into Marxist groups and conceived of theidea of creating a real leftist party to challenge the monarchy. He was elected first secretaryof the PDPA, as its founder, in 1965. A year later, though, differences in views regardingrevolutionary activities brought him to a break-up with another ideological leader, BabrakKarmal.”“Not so fast,” Kosygin interrupted. “Let’s discuss this in more detail. Do we havetime?” he turned to his assistant.“The airplane will land in ten minutes,” his assistant responded.“Good. Tell me, Comrade interpreter, what was the essence of their disagreements?Everybody is saying Khalq, Parcham, but nobody can explain to me why they fight oneanother with such hostility.”“I will do my best, Alexei Nikolayevich,” offered Kozin hesitantly. “However, this is avery delicate and complex topic, and I will have to omit many details because we have solittle time. Both Taraki and Karmal have agreed that Afghanistan should be a democraticstate, free of the monarchy and feudal restrictions, but they regarded the means of reachingthat goal very differently. Taraki, as many other creative and impulsive personalities,believed in reaching this goal through force. He, it seems to me, regarded revolutionarymeasures such as an armed uprising, red terror, and the forced realization of socio-377