The Road to Afghanistan - George Washington University

Marxist-Leninist theory at the time. I know that class struggle and other such things exist.Please don’t misunderstand me; I am not trying to decry Marxism-Leninism here. I am notcrazy. But I think that the universal laws of the theory do not apply in Afghanistan. Theywork in a way that I cannot understand. Taraki and Amin talk about the inevitable victoryof the working class. Tell me, where is the working class in Afghanistan? Is the workingclass those who work at the Jangalak auto repair enterprise? Those who work in a statepublishing house? Our party advisers write about the worker-peasant characteristics of therevolution in their reports to Moscow. Professor Dvoryankov is very well aware of themultiple strata of Afghan society and its unique complexities. However, even he stillconcludes that the working class and peasantry, under the leadership of the Khalqis, willprevail. On the surface, in light of theoretical stipulations, it all sounds great. However,when I approach this claim critically, and recall the Afghan villages that I have visited orspecific Kabul traders and shop-owners whom I know personally, I cannot understand howthe revolutionary reforms promised by Taraki would ever take hold in this country. I thinkthat Decree Numbers Six and Eight, unless they are deliberate provocations meant todestabilize the DRA, are the bitter fruit of ignorance and stupidity in regards toAfghanistan. I am convinced that within a few months, considering that all social processesin Afghanistan are moving very slowly, a war of the Afghan people against the Khalqis willbegin. One might add that many Parchamis feel similarly. If you remember, ViliorGavrilovich, I gave you a report touching upon all this in the early fall.”Osadchiy nodded gloomily. Orlov-Morozov’s expression remained without emotion.Khotyaev monitored his bosses’ reactions attentively.“Your analysis of the developing situation in Afghanistan, Valera, is not sufficiently400