The Road to Afghanistan - George Washington University

that the diplomat Starostin left for Moscow several days ago for personal reasons. But theseare not the important questions. What if I am wounded? It is a good thing that I have thegun. It will be difficult to kill someone else using it, but I can certainly shoot myself with it.”When he got to the third floor apartment, Starostin rang the bell. Gulabzoi opened thedoor. He was glad to see Starostin and invited him into the apartment to introduce him tohis friends. There were no servants or family members in the apartment. Valery wasacquainted with the configuration of rooms in such apartments from childhood. He himselfonce lived in a very similar one. Walking along the narrow corridor, with the kitchen andbathroom to his left, Valery entered the living room. Near the wall to the right there was acheap couch of local origin. “The Executioner of the Afghan People” Sarwari and a thinyoung man dressed in an Afghan air force uniform sat on the couch. The voice of Minister ofthe Interior Watanjar, who was speaking with Taraki in Pashto, could be heard from thenext room. Starostin, who had never formally studied Pashto but was constantly workingon the language, understood that Watanjar was suggesting that Taraki and his comradescome to his residence, from where they would arrange security for the head of state.While Gulabzoi was preparing tea in the kitchen and the unknown man in the pilot’suniform ate nuts with a knowing look, Sarwari, without wasting a minute, began aconversation with Starostin.“Comrade Valery, please forgive us for failing to meet with you yesterday. It was myfault. We went to your embassy in hopes of finding understanding and protection there, butwe were mistaken. There was nobody to talk with, and nothing to discuss. Yesterday wewere desperate to resolve this major political problem for us and, more importantly, forour country. Please understand that Amin intends to remove Comrade Taraki from his535