The Road to Afghanistan - George Washington University

path. We must do everything possible to avoid this outcome. We are here now, but in a fewminutes it’s possible that we’ll all be dead. For us revolutionaries, life itself is not the mostimportant thing. The most important thing is to reach our noble goal. This morning myassistant, Kasem the Lion, was murdered as he sat in the reception room of the AGSAawaiting my arrival at work. You must understand that Amin’s people were targeting meand not Kasem. I am not afraid of death. I am afraid only of not fulfilling my duty to theAfghan revolution. I must strangle this American vermin Hafizullah Amin and then whatwill he be?“We invited you here today, Comrade Valery, so that when you return to the Sovietembassy, you can describe everything that I’m now telling you in a message to ComradeBrezhnev in Moscow. Please emphasize the fact that no negotiations on unity will besuccessful between you and Amin, even if we are all killed. Amin is meeting with yourambassador, Comrade Ivanov, and other Soviet generals only because we still happen to bealive. Once we disappear, he will immediately move on to the next phase of his plan, toremove Taraki.”Starostin intuitively trusted what the Afghan was telling him. Sarwari was obviouslyin no position to exaggerate the degree of danger threatening the ministers and the head ofstate. “I will relay your precise words to our leadership,” Valery said to Sarwari as soon asthe Afghan finished his emotional monologue. “My leadership has a request of you as well:display as much common sense as is possible in this situation, and do not be dragged intoany unnecessary provocations.”Valery understood how inappropriate these words sounded after everything he hadjust been told. But orders are orders. Ivanov had persistently requested that he relay the536