Siro by David Ignatius (short books to read txt) 📕

“Maybe.”

“So Mustafa Chokay living in exile, but in Turkestan his people dying. More than a million Kazakhs die during 1930s. You hear what I tell you? That is almost half of all Kazakh peoples! They kill everyone. All writers, all teachers, all noblemen, all leaders of all tribes. Nothing left. Poor Mustafa Chokay, his heart is bleeding and he can do nothing. At first British say they will help us fight Communists. In 1920s they send us guns from Kashgar in Sinkiang, to help Moslem rebels fight against Red Army. But British betray Turkestani people. They make deal with Russians—they not help Turkestani fighters no more if Russians stop making revolution in India. Nice deal for everybody, except my dear Turkestanis. So that is third betrayal.”

“By the British.”

“Yes, and we never forget how they stab us in the back. But finally, finally, someone give Mustafa Chokay a chance to do something to stop rape of Turkestani people, and he take it. And this begin fourth tragedy.”

“What was that?”

“Germany. When war begins, Germans arrest Mustafa Chokay in Paris and bring him to Berlin. At first Nazis call us ‘Asian Jews,’ because Turkestani Moslem men all circumcised. But after the talk to Mustafa Chokay they decide maybe we Asian Jews not so bad. Maybe we can help them find back door to Moscow. So in Caucasus and Central Asia they organize national committees and legions for each region. They have Georgian Legion, Armenian Legion, Azerbaijan Legion, Daghestan Legion, Tatar-Bashkir Legion, Kalmyk Legion.

“And they have Turkestani Legion, with Mustafa Chokay as head of Turkestani National Committee. And they tell us that when Germans defeat Russians, we Turkestani people be free!

“But Mustafa Chokay die in December 1941, so he never live to see disaster of this war. New leader of Turkestan National Committee is friend and deputy of Mustafa Chokay. But we make wrong bet. Germans never get to Moscow, and Stalin destroy millions more Moslem people. He call us traitors, because we help Germans. All Crimean Tatars he send away in night. All Chechen-Ingush people he send away in night. All Kalmyk peoples. All dead.”

“What about you?” interjected Taylor. “Where were you when all this was going on?”

“I am fighting for freedom of my Turkestani people.”

“With the German Army?”

“Yes,” said Munzer quietly. “Turkestani Legion. I not like to talk about this much with American people, because they not understand. Maybe you understand?”

“Yes. Of course I understand.”

“Good! So, after war, our people are ruined. Our great leader Mustafa Chokay is dead. We have nothing. Munzer especially have nothing. I am living in DP camp in Germany, in British sector. One day in 1947 British man come to see me in camp. He very nice. How are you, Mr. Munzer. Pleasure to meet fine gentleman like you, Mr. Munzer. He tell me British ready to help me fight for freedom and independence of Turkestan, if I come to England and work with him.”

“What did you say?”

“I say hell no. British already betray us once, when they first help Turkestani fighters and then make deal with Stalin to destroy them. Why we need that again? So I say no, thank you, Mr. British man. We have enough tricks from you.

“But now I come to worst part of my story. Most saddest part. Because it is about America. In 1950, I am still in Germany wondering what I am ever going to do, when I am visited by an American man. Very nice. Sincere. Combs hair. Nice clothes. Like you, maybe. And he tell me that America want to help Turkestani people fight for freedom. And I think this too good to be truth. Thomas Jefferson, Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building! This great country want to help little Turkestan? How can this be? But he tell me, oh yes. America very serious now. They form Committee for Liberation from Bolshevism, they form Center for Liberation of U.S.S.R. Americans very serious.”

“But they weren’t.”

“No, mister. At first they were serious. They start Uzbek-language radio service, and Tatar-Bashkir service, and Chechen-Ingush service, and Azeri service. And they do other things. Secret things.”

“What secret things?”

“They train agents. They find men in DP camps in Germany. Men who fought in Turkestani Legion, or in Vlasov army, who only want liberation of their peoples from Stalin. And they train them. And I help.”

“What was your job, Mr. Ahmedov?”

“Secret.”

“It’s okay. You can tell me.”

“I was spotter in camps. I help them find Turkestani people who are maybe good agents.”

“And then?”

“They send these people into Soviet Union. CIA and British send them across Afghan border into Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, and across Iran border into Azerbaijan, and across Turkish border into Georgia. And in north, they send weapons to Forest Brothers in Lithuania, and to Stefan Bandera men in Ukraine. They fly little planes, so low that radar cannot see them. They drop agents and supplies. But you know story. You know how it turn out.”

Taylor nodded. “Yes. I know the story.”

“All agents dead. They captured when they hit the ground, or few days later hunted in forest like animals. Or they just give up and confess to KGB, they so scared. All dead. CIA say they are very sorry. Very sorry. They keep sending more men. Men keep dying. But you know story.”

“Yes. I know the story.”

“It turn out Russians know everything. They have spies in DP camps. They have spies in General Gehlen organization. They have spies in British intelligence. Maybe even have spies in CIA?”

“Maybe so.”

“But honestly, Mr.… What your name, please?”

“Goode.”

“Honestly, Mr. Goode, this not what break Munzer’s heart, fact that all these agents die. Everybody make mistakes, even CIA. American betrayal of Turkestani people was something else.”

“And what was that, Mr. Ahmedov?”

“Betrayal was that CIA tell us it support great struggle of Turkestani people for freedom and independence. We believe this. Munzer believe this. Statue of Liberty. Thomas Jefferson. But it is big lie. What Americans really want is for Russians to rule Central Asia forever. Only difference is,