afghanistanpromote middle-class and high-end tourism. As for the suppression of the
opium crop, this proved politically complicated for much of the opium was
grown on land owned by influential landowners, including government
ministers and Muhammadzais.
In March 1972 disagreements within ‘Abd al-Zahir’s government led to
the resignation of the Serajis, which was precipitated by the government’s
decision not to raise taxes. Amid rumours that the rest of the cabinet
planned to quit, ‘Abd al-Zahir, who had no appetite for another bruising
battle with the Wolusi Jirga, decided instead to cut the salaries of civil
ser vants and laid off state employees. The crisis of governance, however,
was not limited to the Executive. When the new session of the Wolusi
Jirga met, it had to be postponed due to insufficient members present to
make up a quorum. The House finally convened a few weeks later, only
for the session to be adjourned following a stormy debate over procedure,
precipitated by King Zahir Shah calling in mps for personal interviews and
offering them state positions and other incentives in return for toeing the
government line. The king even contemplated suspending Parliament,
amending or suspending the Constitution and reverting to rule by royal
decree. In a meeting with an American special envoy, Zahir Shah admitted
that the experiment in New Democracy had perhaps been ‘premature’.
At the same time the United States was unwittingly dragged into the
Machiavellian world of Afghanistan’s dynastic politics. In mid-March
1972 Sayyid Wahid ‘Abd Allah, Director of Information at the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and a Da’udist, made an unprecedented request for a private
interview with Ambassador Neumann at his own residence. When the two
men met, Wahid dropped a bombshell by asking what the u.s. position
would be if Da’ud returned to power. A few days later Neumann received
a confidential letter, purporting to come from Da’ud himself, which asked
for specific answers to four questions:
a. What is the attitude of u.s. re. Da’ud’s possible resumption
of power?
b. Could Da’ud/Naim count upon sympathy of usg[overnment]
if Da’ud became head of government?
c. Would u.s. then continue to support Afghanistan economically
and morally?
d. Will u.s. safeguard Afghan National Independence? 53Although these approaches indicated that plans for a coup were well
under way, Neumann reassured the State Department that Da’ud’s return to