George Bush’S Great America [EN]: Chapter 140

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Bush’s visit to China was kept completely secret. Aside from the interpreter, a few high-ranking Party officials, the staff aboard Air Force One, and the chief of staff, virtually no one else knew.

How secret was it? Even the CIA agents who had recently infiltrated China after the wave of bloodshed were unaware. Of course, rumors have a way of spreading, so it was impossible to completely suppress the urban legend that ‘the US President visited China.’

This was because, aside from the regular Red Cross personnel, international flights rarely arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport, which had experienced a sharp decline in international traffic. The landing of a plane that looked exactly like Air Force One was a noteworthy event. The airport staff tried to keep it quiet, but loose lips sink ships, right?

Moreover, this Air Force One was officially listed in air traffic control as a flight to ‘England.’ To be precise, it was en route to England, passing through ‘China,’ and the flight plan still showed it flying through Chinese airspace.

As with any urban legend, strange variations sprang up in just one day. For example, some rather mundane rumors claimed it was ‘to urge China to accept an unequal treaty or surrender.’ Others were more absurd, such as ‘the current President and the US President have a rather special, intimate relationship.’

However, these rumors only started circulating slowly online, centered around Beijing, at least a week after the visit. Currently, security was so tight that not even rumors were circulating yet. However, the spread of rumors wasn’t solely due to loose talk; it was also because Chinese businessmen, who tend to become bolder as they get richer, were increasingly slipping out of the government’s control.

In any case, England was so overjoyed that the visit was moved up by a whole day that they were practically ecstatic. How absurd is it that their own Prime Minister’s schedule was being rearranged due to the circumstances of another country’s president?

To have their own country’s administration swayed by the affairs of another country! How ridiculous is that? Of course, it wasn’t just any country, but an allied nation. Still, an ally is an ally, not one’s own country. An allied nation can change its allegiance at any time depending on its own circumstances.

In any case, the important thing was that British Prime Minister Tony Blair had decided to completely accommodate the US President. Tony Blair’s schedule was completely adjusted.

“How is it?”

But there was something even the United States couldn’t change: British tea time. From the teapot to the tea leaves, everything was undoubtedly high-end. However, to Bush, who had little interest or knowledge of tea culture, it was simply fragrant, smooth water.

Still, he couldn’t ignore the gesture of goodwill, so he sipped it a few times, but it was still just flavored water. It wasn’t that he didn’t drink tea at all, but he was more familiar with tea bags. Even that tea, he just drank it out of habit. He didn’t drink it because he had a particular taste or hobby.

‘A nation that even puts tea-making machines in tanks.’

In any case, he was willing to drink it, so he quietly emptied his cup along with the cookies that came with the tea. The cookies were delicious. Unlike tea, which requires metaphorical understanding and appreciation of elegance, the taste of cookies is straightforward.

“Brent crude oil. Can you increase production?”

Bush was determined to pressure Russia. Soon, domestic production in the United States would naturally increase, forcing pressure even if they didn’t want to, but he didn’t want to give even the slightest opening.

“That’s a bit difficult.”

Brent crude refers to several oil fields in the North Sea. To be precise, the number of oil fields being incorporated to maintain the brand value of Brent crude was gradually increasing year by year. Therefore, Brent crude did not simply mean North Sea oil fields.

Thanks to this, in the 2010s, the saying ‘There is no Brent crude in the North Sea oil fields’ emerged, and there were frequent mentions of Brent crude being depleted. However, even if Brent crude were to be depleted, the amount of natural gas reserves buried there was substantial, so development would never stop.

As it was, due to repeated requests from the United States to increase Brent crude production since last year, they had been integrating several other oil fields into Brent and pushing the work hours and drilling speed a bit too hard. Therefore, a request to increase Brent crude production here was very difficult.

If they pushed the already strained oil fields even harder, the result was obvious. Problems would inevitably arise somewhere in some form.

The reason the United States could ask Britain to increase Brent crude production was simple: the customer consuming most of the Brent crude produced in the North Sea was none other than the United States. They weren’t trying to lowball the price; they were willing to pay the full price, so there was no reason to refuse.

Thanks to this, Britain made some money and secured the capacity to focus more internally. Britain was one of the few ‘hands-off countries’ in the EU. A ‘hands-off country’ is a neologism referring to EU member states that do not intervene in the Middle East or have minimal influence there.

This was because Tony Blair focused on revitalizing the domestic economy. Initially, he intended to actively cooperate in the war on terror, but after the conquest of Iraq, he quickly calculated the gains and losses and withdrew from the Middle East.

The firearms, which were a disgrace to the British army, were also a concern. It was even more so because the performance of the relatively recently improved L85A2 [a British assault rifle] in actual combat was uncertain. Even after hearing reports that it had performed quite satisfactorily in the urban warfare in the Iraq War, he was still uneasy.

In any case, what was certain was that the gun issue was just one of the many reasons why Britain had to withdraw from the Middle East, and there were actually many more geopolitical reasons.

“Is there really no way to do that part?”

Upon hearing Bush’s words, Prime Minister Blair put down the teacup he was drinking from. For a Briton who drinks tea even when artillery shells are flying overhead and bombers are dropping bombs during wartime, putting down the tea while drinking it was a serious matter. The first thought that Blair had was that the situation he was facing was quite surreal.

First of all, the very fact that a huge, burly man was politely asking him a favor created a considerable sense of incongruity for Blair. Just a year ago, Bush was just a tall, handsome man, not this imposing giant, which further amplified the sense of incongruity.

Next, the fact that none other than that madman was, for the moment, making a ‘request’ was terrifying. The reason for calling him a madman was self-evident. He was a man who wouldn’t seem out of place declaring an American empire or a global unified government soon.

And although it might not happen in that madman’s generation, there was a high probability that the United States would permanently hold hegemony if things continued this way. Not permanently, but for at least 100 years, or even 500 years at most. And that time was more than enough to unite the Earth if he set his mind to it.

‘Should I be glad that at least America is a democracy?’

It was fortunate that it was a democracy, so at least he couldn’t become a dictator. Of course, he could do so if he set his mind to it, but for some reason, he had a feeling he wouldn’t.

‘In any case, if I don’t grant him what he wants, he might turn on me at any time.’

Since he wasn’t someone who understood common sense, the very act of speaking was terrifyingly difficult. This is the fatal flaw of democracy. It’s a problem because it elects madmen like that as president.

Thinking that, Prime Minister Blair picked up his teacup again and took a sip. The refreshing scent of tea, which calmed the mind, firmly held onto Blair’s soul, which was trying to escape this painful reality and flee beyond the River Styx [the river separating the world of the living from the underworld in Greek mythology], and returned it to his body.

Even so, Blair’s mind was a mess, but he managed to control it with the help of the tea. In some cultures, ancient priests often used strong-smelling herbs in rituals, and he understood why.

‘Okay, if it’s impossible to refuse his request anyway, I should just give him what he wants and get that much in return.’

Prime Minister Blair was almost proud of himself for being able to come to this conclusion with that man in front of him.

“If you really want to increase production, it’s not impossible, but I have a very small favor to ask.”

He felt a hint of unease at the phrase ‘very small,’ but since Bush was the one in need right now, he decided to listen.

“What is it?”

“It’s nothing much. Just help me out once in the future.”

They were already firmly bound by the Five Eyes [an intelligence alliance between the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand], NATO [North Atlantic Treaty Organization], and all sorts of geopolitical, diplomatic, and economic ties, but Prime Minister Blair thought that wouldn’t be enough in the coming era. Isn’t it common sense to bet on the safe side in a game where the balance is completely tilted to one side?

Of course, this was one of the many diversified investments that Britain had prepared. It was also the safest investment among those diversified investments, but as the domestic economy became more active than expected, voices calling for separation from the EU were emerging from all over.

They didn’t just say that Britain was losing out by being tied to the EU; they also expounded on the benefits of leaving the EU, and their claim for ‘EU withdrawal’ was becoming increasingly concrete.

‘But it’s not like the EU is shaking, and the voices calling for withdrawal are still scattered without a proper center of gravity.’

Prime Minister Blair hoped that this EU withdrawal theory wouldn’t come during his term, but it probably would. The British were more nostalgic for the days of the British Empire than one might imagine. Moreover, their national character itself was quite skeptical of trying anything with Europe. It might be okay economically, but they absolutely didn’t want to be dragged around politically.

Moreover, while the British economy was showing growth, the Eurozone, which the EU had advocated for last year, was already creaking. There was also the problem that it was hastily introduced while being mindful of the United States, and since putting western Iraq under their sphere of influence, the expenses going out from the Middle East were greater than the profits coming in.

Although the search for al-Zarqawi [the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq] was still underway, it had been losing steam recently, and they were using all sorts of methods to revive the ruined western Iraq. The amount of money going into this was no joke. The only consolation was that it wasn’t leaking like a bottomless jar.

In any case, in this situation, it wasn’t entirely wrong to think that Britain, which had no intention of meddling much in the Middle East, was losing out.

‘Unfortunately, it will definitely happen during my term. Brexit [British exit from the European Union].’

Whether ‘Brexit’ will succeed or fail, or whether politicians will do their best to stop it, or whether they will implement Brexit, one thing was certain: Prime Minister Blair needed a backer. A country that would be a strong background for Britain when its position in the EU became difficult.

Of course, it would be best if Brexit didn’t happen. But before that, what on earth would that madman answer? The moment of making a proposal and waiting for an answer was always the most nerve-wracking. But trying to make a deal with that man made his heart feel not just anxious but dry and twisted.

And the answer that came back was too anticlimactic.

“Is that enough?”

“I said it was a small favor, but it’s not a light matter. What I’m saying is…”

Prime Minister Blair was so dumbfounded that he decided to ask again, even ignoring the fact that this could be a mistake.

“Should I move a carrier strike group for you?”

“…That’s enough.”