[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
."I would shake on it," said the prince general, "but you look like apork-eater.No offense.""None taken.And I got enough of a lungful of your perfume at this distance.""It is English Leather," said the prince general proudly."You musta got the industrial-strength version," returned Hornworks dryly.To General Winfield Scott Hornworks' utter astonishment, the Pentagon had gonefor the insane shared-command idea."It's politically expedient," the U.S.secretary of defense had told him."Let me speak to the JCS," snapped General Hornworks, who decided to appeal tosomeone with sense and a uniform.The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was equally supportive of theshared-command concept."And what the hell do I do if this goes to conflict?" roared GeneralHornworks."That won't happen.Maddas Hinsein isn't that crazy, to take on the U.S.inopen conflict."Page 20 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlExcept that as the weeks rolled by, it looked more and more as if he was.Hehad taken hostage every Westerner in Irait.He began threatening Israel.Hepromised a global conflagration if the U.S.did not withdraw from the gulfregion.And when the Iraiti ambassador to the U.S.had been found strangled bya yellow ribbon, he had attempted to have two of the most prominent Westernhostages publicly executed.It was the eleventh month of the crisis.Word came from the U.S.President toprepare to begin the run-up to liberate Kuran.Unfortunately, the execute order came at 2:36 P.m.Hamidi Gulf Time, whilePrince General Suleyman Bazzaz was technically in command of the Star in theCenter of the Flower of the East Military Base, a sprawling command post northof Nehmad."Absolutely not," sniffed the prince general, who was redolent of Old Spice onthis day.This was a concession to the Americans, who had been driven to fitsof retching by prolonged exposure to excessive amounts of English Leather.They were wearing out their gas-attack equipment."What do you mean?" roared General Hornworks."That was a direct order fromour commander in chief!""Your commander in chief," Bazzaz said with cool unconcern."To us, he ishired help."General Hornworks had to be restrained from strangling the prince general onthe spot.Recognizing two things despite his lack of military background-thathis life was in mortal peril and that once his watch was over, the infidelgeneral was certain to execute the insane order of the United StatesPresident-Prince General Suleyman Bazzaz did the only thing that to him madetactical sense.He had the general clapped in irons.Then he called his father, the sheik."You have done well, my son," said Sheik Fareem."I can see the day when youwill stand proud as sheik general.""May your greatness increase, O Father," said the prince general."What do wedo now?" "We will not risk a foolhardy war over the spoiled Kuranis.Instead,we must have patience and trust in Allah.Something will come up."The hoped-for something came by U.S.military plane a day later.A smartly dressed Pentagon attache asked to speak with General Hornworks.Itwas not yet dawn, so this was no insult to Prince General Bazzaz, otherwise hewould have found himself in chains as well."General Hornworks has been disposed of," he told the attache."You mean he's indisposed?" asked the man, thinking he had encountered nothingmore than the expected language barrier.Bazzaz had to think about that one."Yes, I mean that.You may deliver yourmessage to me, the prince general in charge of UN Central Command.""I am sorry, General Prince-""Prince General.""Prince General," went on the attache in a polite robotlike tone that impliedthe prince general had no more standing than Whistler's mother."But my ordersare to deliver this briefcase to General Hornworks in person.It is urgent,sir."Prince General Suleyman Bazzaz noticed that the man carried the briefcasemanacled to one wrist
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]