George Bush’S Great America [EN]: Chapter 14

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“What should we do?”

The German Chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, had just received a very perplexing message. Usually, messages have a beginning, then other reports accumulate in the middle, and finally, a message arrives saying it’s over, right? When the beginning and end are stuck together, it feels like receiving a ‘post-mortem report’.

This was especially true since he was in a position where dozens, even hundreds of reports came in every day. Usually, if something was implemented, you’d have to wait at least until the next day, or at least half a day, no matter how short. It’s the same when trying to find a record.

The introduction was indeed long. Frankly, it meant that Gerhard’s bewilderment was immense.

The point is, he didn’t know what those crazy Americans had done. He clearly heard the news of the war along with the preparation for lunch, but by the time he finished his dessert and tea, he received news of the end of the war. The beginning and the end were stuck together.

“Did they drop a nuke or something?”

Gerhard hoped that his anxiety wouldn’t become reality. A nuclear explosion in the 21st century meant nuclear war, that is, the start of World War III.

“There’s a rumor that they bombed indiscriminately to inflict as much damage as a nuclear bomb, but it’s still just a rumor.”

How can he do anything if he doesn’t know what they really did? All Gerhard knew was that the United States had wielded the world’s most powerful military against the Taliban government in Afghanistan as retaliation for 9/11.

“How about sending a diplomatic message congratulating the United States on their victory, even now? I believe there is no better way.”

Who would have known that the war would start like this in a week, and then, ‘War started! War ended!’ and that’s it? At first, he thought the report was wrong. But when he inquired at the US Embassy, ta-da! It was really over.

Was Germany being isolated in Europe? When he contacted other European countries closely, he found that most of them were experiencing similar embarrassment to Gerhard.

2 hours and 27 minutes? How long did the Gulf War last? It’s only been 10 years since the Gulf War, but 100 hours have turned into 2 hours. Has the United States grown rapidly without Europe knowing? Or was there a brilliant general in the Pentagon that Germany hadn’t identified? If not, was Afghanistan such a ragtag group that they would succumb to a few bombings?

A question is originally a procedure to bring an answer, but rather, it brought only a lot of questions. Curiosity is the driving force behind human development, but if it’s a frustrating problem that can’t be solved like this, it’s better not to have it.

“This is ridiculous.”

Should he be grateful for having such a powerful force as an ally? Today, the existence of NATO, which was so annoying, was truly reassuring.

So, in conclusion, what Chancellor Gerhard has to do now is.

“Send a congratulatory message to the White House.”

* * *

“The war has begun.”

Jiang Zemin heard that and was convinced that his choice was not wrong. On the day he witnessed the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Jiang Zemin was convinced that his decision to hold an emergency parade was not in vain. Around the time when a sense of resistance to the United States began to rise, the complicated parade was prepared in just one week.

As he aimed for an elite and strong army, he wanted to replace all those old-fashioned rifles with Type 95 rifles, but the lack of budget was the only thing holding him back. However, it was a sound that the officers would be horrified to hear, because the Type 95 looked good on the outside, but in reality, it was a defective piece of junk.

Since the end of the Cold War, they have gradually stopped illegal license copying and are promoting localization, so it was obvious that if he said such a thing, he would be greeted with the grace of the Chairman, whose posting would be changed to a rural village. Complaining never came out of his mouth, he swore to the Supreme Leader, who was like the shining sun, no! The sun itself. It could never be.

“Excellent. Excellent!”

The parade that started on the right horizon ended on the left horizon. It was a parade that took a long time to drive in military vehicles, and it was truly a Great Wall of Steel made of armies.

Helicopters, too numerous to count, overturned the sky, and when soldiers stomped their feet all at once, the ground shook.

China was and will be the originator of human wave tactics. The number of 2.2 million could not be ignored anywhere in the world. No! China has always been the best in the world since 10,000 years ago. For a while, for a very short time, they left their name to the West for nearly a hundred years, but it was a title that would return when the time came.

“Chairman, I have something to tell you.”

“Please be quiet for a moment. I am enjoying this noble taste right now.”

Did Deng Xiaoping say to bide our time (韜光養晦) [Tao Guang Yang Hui: a Chinese idiom meaning to hide one’s capabilities and bide one’s time]? He aimed for 100 years, but that was too harsh. Hiding with great power was like raising a whale in a fish tank. Whales needed the sea, not a fish tank.

The same goes for China. To keep hiding with such a great army, it was unreasonable and absurd. Not to disparage Deng Xiaoping, but Jiang Zemin thought that he was too timid.

In 1997, Jiang Zemin thought that as China became stronger, it needed a corresponding status in the international community (有所作爲) [You Suo Zuo Wei: a Chinese term meaning to actively seek a role on the world stage]. When he adopted this as a foreign policy, no one dared to treat China carelessly.

“Look! Our army is so powerful!”

The era of Deng Xiaoping is over, and the era of biding our time is also over! From now on, a more superior, yes, what should we call it?

The Chinese Dream (中國夢) [Zhongguo Meng: a set of personal and national ideals in China]. Yes, the Chinese Dream is good. The Chinese Dream is not far away!

“Yes, so what were you going to say?”

“The war is over.”

“What?”

* * *

“End? The war?”

Vladimir Putin. Putin, who took office as president in 2000, was just getting his feet on the ground.

“Yes.”

“Again. One more time. Tell me exactly.”

Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev knew very well when Putin spoke so quietly, as he was a senior and junior at the university. It meant that the Tsar of Russia, who boasted absolute power, was so angry that he couldn’t control himself.

In fact, the power he had now was not really at a level that could be called absolute, nor was it enough to be called a Tsar, but Dmitry was confident that it would become so someday.

More than anything, Dmitry couldn’t understand why he was reporting this. In fact, it wasn’t even a report. Originally, he was talking about Gazprom [a Russian majority state-owned energy company] when information came into Dmitry’s hands from the US branch at that point.

What was even more unlucky was that Dmitry thought that Putin would know about the information that came into his hands, and even more, more! What was unlucky was that Dmitry had said it out loud.

“The United States declared the end of the war 2 hours and 27 minutes after invading Afghanistan.”

“The Graveyard of Empires has finally been looted.”

Afghanistan falling into the hands of the United States was a painful thing for Russia. He didn’t know what form it would take, direct or indirect, but he would rather have the United States dominate directly. After being severely hit during the Soviet era, he was able to clearly understand the essence of the place.

It’s a swamp. The more you struggle to get out, the more you sink.

“The biggest card we can use in diplomacy with Europe has disappeared, and Gazprom’s stock price is likely to decline for the time being.”

Putin wanted to tell him to shut up because he knew everything without him having to say it, but among the people he trusted, no one was as clever as Dmitry. He couldn’t ruin his relationship with him with a rash judgment.

“The stock prices of oil-producing countries will rise.”

“Perhaps some countries will openly ignore Russia.”

To summarize what Putin and Dmitry are saying as concisely as possible.

What the hell are those bastards doing? What does it mean? Does it mean they will take control of the Middle East? So. In the future, closing the valve will not work for Western Europe. Is that what you’re saying? Hey, American man! What the hell are you talking about! Gazprom’s stock is plummeting! It’s meaningless to close the gas valve!

What kind of thunderbolt is this!

The armrest, which had been constantly groaning in Putin’s hand, could no longer withstand the magnitude of his anger and finally shattered.

“Your Excellency, the President.”

“Speak.”

It was only time for one word to be exchanged, but thanks to the quick response of the security team, the chair had already been replaced with a new one.

“I have a good idea.”

* * *

‘Isn’t this completely crazy?’

Kim Jong-il didn’t show it on the outside, but he had to sweat profusely inside. The total war time is only 2 hours and 27 minutes? Is this even possible? He would have understood if it had taken a day. If it had taken 12 hours instead of a day, he would have scolded the People’s Army a little. He would have told them to prepare anti-aircraft guns diligently.

But two and a half hours? Not even 3 hours?

‘Damn it. The standard keeps decreasing as if making excuses, right.’

Before Kim Jong-il’s eyes, the party members, armed with the spirit of defending to the death and total bombs, which they constantly talked about, were continuing their arguments.

Rubber drive, combatively, total victory. Empty words came and went to gain Kim Jong-il’s favor.

“Comrade Kim Young-chun, Chief of General Staff! Comrade’s words are entirely correct! I think now is the time to confront the American imperialists with the spirit of total bombs!”

“Don’t talk nonsense! You son of a bitch! Are American total bombs not total bombs? I’ll see if you can say the same thing after being hit in the head with a total bomb!”

“Jang Sung-taek! Is that statement now a direct opposition to the great and solemn General Kim Jong-il?”

It was good to increase loyalty, but all of them were stupid. To be exact, the system was making everyone stupid. But isn’t that what a system is, even though you know it? These morons were making the country more closed and desolate as they were told to come up with countermeasures.

Of course, Kim Jong-il couldn’t have been more satisfied with this.

Fear. The fear created by conflict was eating away at them. As the fear created in loyalty and practicality accumulated, Kim Jong-il’s status was rising without end, and the halo that had been obscured by President Kim Il-sung’s achievements was gradually strengthening and had already turned into divine power.

“Can’t you stop? Is this what should be coming out of the National Defense Commission of the great Democratic People’s Republic of Korea?”

As if they had promised each other, a shout asking for forgiveness was uttered from their mouths with one heart and one voice, without any slight error, like a skilled choir.

“I’m sorry!!!”

“I know your comrades’ loyalty well, so stop now. It’s not like the American bastards are attacking right now, is it?”

Kim Jong-il began to tap the table with his finger. It meant that if you wanted to get a chance to serve the General with the spirit of defending to the death in the Aoji coal mine [a notorious North Korean prison camp], you could babble as much as you wanted.

“Guilty. How is the hydrogen bomb going?”

“As the General has taught, upright Juche ideology [the official state ideology of North Korea] workers are combatively working hard on hydrogen bomb research as part of carrying out revolutionary tasks with the help of the General’s grace!”

“Okay, I’ll put in more funds and personnel, so research it a little faster. To have a proper conversation with the American bastards, we need to have at least one weapon that the South Korean bastards don’t have to have proper negotiations, right?”

“A brilliant idea, another brilliant idea! Comrade General!”