The Road to Afghanistan - George Washington University

By some strange coincidence, all of Afghanistan’s important historical events tend tooccur on Fridays. It’s possible that the phenomenon is purely coincidental, but it’s alsopossible that those figures behind the changes pick Friday because it is typically a day off,and as such presents ample opportunity to replace certain people with others. September14 was just such a Friday. On the eve of that day, newspapers in Kabul contained nomention of Taraki for the first time since April 27, 1978. It was an ominous sign for themaster of the Ark Palace.Friday morning began with arguments over the phone between Taraki and Amin.Hardly attempting to mask his anger and irritation, Taraki asked the prime minister why hehad fired two tank commanders who had arrived for a private conversation with thegeneral secretary the day before. Then Taraki asked why Amin had arrived at his housewith armed guards the previous night.“Because my life was in danger,” responded Amin.“You shouldn’t do that in the future,” snapped Taraki. “You should come to mewithout delay, and without any guards.”“Nobody wants to die by his own will,” Amin replied.Following that conversation, Amin ordered a detachment from the Kabul garrison tobe placed on high alert.Major Tarun, who was loyal to Amin, reported Taraki’s every move to him. At 3 p.m.,he informed Amin that Taraki had invited the Soviet ambassador for a visit. When theambassador and accompanying persons arrived at the palace thirty minutes later, Aminordered Tarun to grant them access to see Taraki. By then it sounded as though Taraki wasthe head of state only nominally. His “loyal pupil” had assumed control over the situation.530