The Road to Afghanistan - George Washington University

pancakes, veal, and traditional baked carp, the scales of which were distributed among theguests as a holiday talisman. Gromek put the scale that he received from his mother in thecar that Starostin had given him and rolled his toy around the apartment. He was thejolliest participant of that Christmas celebration.Stanislav’s closest friend, a Polish diplomat named Vishnevsky, and a staff memberof the United Nations mission in Kabul, Mozolevsky (their wives remained in Warsawbecause Afghanistan was deemed unsafe), joined the Starostins and Smolens at the party.The polite and tactful Poles spoke Russian, even amongst themselves, throughout theevening. The company drank, ate, and told jokes.Starostin made great efforts to pretend that he was sincerely relaxed and happy, andto conceal his underlying concern about the impending invasion.“Valery, you’ve hardly had a drop! Don’t tell me you’ve converted to Islam! Maybe Ishould pour you something else?” Stanislav asked.“I’m sorry friend, I have gastroenteritis and heartburn. I don’t want to make itworse.”Valery, who had never offended his friends by refusing a drink, barely wet his lipson that night. He felt that he might be summoned for important work at any moment. Toomany signs suggested that the end was near—Victor Bubnov’s sudden departure forBagram, the recent arrival of at least ten KGB generals from Moscow, the flares falling fromthe sky, and the suspicious tension at the embassy.Sitting around the Christmas feast with his Polish friends, Starostin remembered hismeeting with Agent Khost, per the agent’s request, in early November. Khost had alwaysbeen very closely linked to Babrak Karmal, and was his trusted ally. Leaving Kabul, Karmal708