The Road to Afghanistan - George Washington University

There, we will form armed brigades and begin a partisan war,” Sarwari proclaimedsolemnly.“Comrade Valery, please understand—this is not about us,” Watanjar heatedlyinterrupted. “You, our Soviet friends, must save Comrade Taraki no matter what. To us he isthe symbol of hope and victory in a war against the enemy. If our symbol is preserved, ourrevolution will survive.”As he was listening to the Afghans, Valery realized that they had no concrete plans forthe immediate future. They most likely wanted to hide out in his home for at least a fewmore days, at least until Amin’s people called off the search for them in Kabul. Afterwardsthey would probably try to hide either in one of the Afghan provinces or in Pashtunistan.But where was the pilot who had been sitting on Gulabzoi’s couch this morning? What if hehad already met with Amin’s people and reported his friends’ plans?“Why didn’t your comrade come here with you?” Starostin asked Sarwari.“Who? Mazdouryar?”“No, the other one, the one in the air force uniform, who was present in Gulabzoi’sapartment this morning.”“Are you thinking of Iqbal? He is at work, at his office. He is not in danger. Amin’speople have no interest in him. They think he is far-removed from politics and are certainthat he is neutral in this conflict.”“But he heard our conversation this morning. He knows you were planning to come tomy house.”“He wouldn’t tell a soul,” said Sarwari, somewhat uncertainly.Starostin gradually began to appreciate the magnitude of the political crisis that he545