The Road to Afghanistan - George Washington University

As evening came, the city was shrouded in darkness. The common room of the KGBResidency was filled with smoke and dust. Khotyaev sat there with his typewriter, drinking blacktea from a gigantic cup with a dark ring of residue and smoking a cigarette. He was sorting out amessy stack of papers with reports and analyses of yesterday’s coup that had been submitted byhis colleagues. Most of the reports described exuberant responses of the “Afghan people” to thenew regime’s ascent to power.Volodya often ruminated, what does the notion of “people” really mean? —Soviet people?Afghan people? What is the make-up of the Afghan people? Pashtuns, Tajiks, Parsivans, Hazara,Uzbeks, Aryans from Kafiristan…Muslims—Sunni, Shi’a, Ishmaelites…men, women, children,young and old, healthy and sick, peasants, feudal lords, teachers, bureaucrats, peddlers, bandits,mullahs, soldiers…“Finally, we’ve freed ourselves from endless feudal darkness! Finally, we knocked the teethout of the hated tyrant!” The “Afghan people’s” joy poured forth from the crinkled reports aboutyesterday’s revolution. It would be logical to suppose that such a reaction could come from Khalqsympathizers. However, Volodya was certain that not only members of the PDPA, but also manyordinary Afghans shared these sentiments. “Jesus,” thought Volodya, “how disgusting this is! Twodays ago I wrote to Moscow about the great enthusiasm of the ‘Afghan people’ related toMohammad Daoud’s trips across the provinces of the country. They held massive welcomingdemonstrations. Tens of thousands shouted ‘Long live the guarantor of the Constitution!’ What’smost surprising is that they really loved their president then and were sincerely happy to see him.And now, the same crowds, with the same kind of fervor, rejoice hearing about the death of thepresident.”Vladimir wrote a cable to the Center regarding the positive reaction of the masses to the98