George Bush’S Great America [EN]: Chapter 184

George W. Bush’s Great America – Episode 183 (184/377)

< Episode 183 >

“Mr. President.”

The executive secretary rushed in with urgent news. Jacques Chirac hoped it was good news, but it was the worst possible news besides a crash.

“Both hijacked planes have entered Iranian airspace.”

France had repeatedly warned leaders around the world not to provide fuel to planes hijacked by terrorists, but Iran, of all countries?

“What does Iran say?”

“Well…”

The executive secretary hesitated, unable to speak properly. He knew exactly how the President would react the moment he said it.

“They say they’ll take care of it themselves.”

Unsurprisingly, Jacques Chirac was enraged upon hearing those words. He clenched his fists and trembled for a long time before continuing in a low voice.

“Are they trying to start a war with us?”

His eyes burned quietly. His face turned red, and a distinct cracking sound came from his clenched teeth. These actions seemed to be an attempt to suppress and calm his rising anger.

“No, no. Just pretend you didn’t hear that.”

He answered the President’s request, which was more of an order, with silence. Jacques Chirac ran his hand through his sweat-soaked hair. How many times had he felt this burning anger and anxiety during his nine years as President? Jacques Chirac thought as he diligently wrote down countermeasures.

There is little chance that Iran will cooperate. They might even help the terrorists to a certain extent.

If they escape to a distant country, we would have to bear a lot of diplomatic strain to send troops there. Wherever it is, it would be beyond the capabilities of a single counter-terrorism unit like GIGN [National Gendarmerie Intervention Group, a French special operations unit]. But we can’t just fire missiles at a plane that is not a suicide bomber but is escaping with French citizens as hostages.

To be honest, a part of him wanted to just close his eyes and order them to shoot it down. However, that was the worst option politically and morally. It was merely a safety device to prevent damage to key national facilities and greater loss of life. Shooting it down indiscriminately is never the solution.

‘Someone in that bunker might do it, though.’

Jacques Chirac smiled bitterly. He was referring to George W. Bush. Even he thought it was a joke, but that man always liked simple solutions.

The identities of the passengers on the plane were barely being identified by nationality. Some systems at the West Iraqi airport failed shortly after takeoff, and although the exact cause was not known, he heard that ‘some parts were burned’ for some reason.

The West Iraqi government announced that it was unclear whether it was an accident or terrorism, but judging from the circumstantial evidence, the probability of terrorism was quite high. In any case, there was also an American on that plane.

Anyway, back to the main point, the best option is to ask for cooperation from other countries once the hostages get off the plane. The cause was on our side, and if necessary, we could even mobilize troops. Since most of the passengers were European, the EU would probably take action.

The EU was already moving. More precisely, they were moving in the room right above. All the leaders of the EU member states were gathered in that bunker. Some leaders had left because it was now safe outside, but others had not. Those were the leaders of the EU member states who remained.

“We’ll have to have another meeting soon.”

Wasn’t the meeting we had earlier about the Middle East terrorist problem anyway? This is just an extension of that. While he was thinking that, the executive secretary approached Jacques Chirac with a truly puzzled expression.

“Mr. President, we have received a strange request from the Iranian side.”

“What is it?”

“They are demanding that we immediately turn back the fighter jets that have entered Iranian airspace. Otherwise, they will consider it an invasion…”

“What? All of our fighter jets should have already withdrawn, right?”

“New information. Iranian fighter jets are following unidentified fighter jets attached to the plane.”

What kind of crazy talk is this?

“Minister of National Defense, what is going on? Surely those aren’t our fighter jets, are they?”

The Minister of National Defense, Michèle Alliot-Marie, who was sitting in front, also looked visibly flustered. She was so flustered that her eyes looked like they were about to pop out. But fortunately, or unfortunately, her eyes did not pop out; instead, she hurriedly dialed an internal line.

“Mr. President?”

“What is it?”

“Well, um…”

The executive secretary stammered and hesitated.

“We’ve identified the nationality of the fighter jets. And that is…”

He stammered again.

“American.”

“Oh, my God. Where is he?”

“He’s at the airport. He’s on his way to Air Force One.”

“This is a goddamn mess! We need to get to the bottom of this! What the hell is going on! Did he put his hidden lover on that plane or something?”

“The American’s identity is male.”

“Damn it, a man can be a lover too!”

Jacques Chirac no longer tried to hide his agitation.

“We have received an official statement, or something like a statement, from the United States.”

If it’s a statement, it’s a statement, what’s something like a statement?

“What is it?”

“‘The kidnapped person is your country’s Senior Advisor Karl Rove. Therefore, we will actively intervene,’ they say.”

This was not a statement, but a unilateral notice. It was not a statement, but something like a statement. I think I know why.

“Ah, damn it.”

More than that, Karl Rove was one of the two people President Bush would die for, right? Of course, the other one was Chief of Staff Andrew Card. Originally, Vice President Dick Cheney was in that position, but after Bush and Cheney had a major falling out, the Chief of Staff took over the position that the Vice President had occupied.

While Jacques Chirac’s soul was being shaken, the TV installed in the bunker was turned on.

「…Therefore, I have no intention of just standing by and watching my precious friend in the hands of terrorists. Under no circumstances will the United States ever, ever back down!」

Bush’s eyes were filled with unadulterated anger. Given that man’s personality, there was no political or diplomatic consideration; he was just plain crazy.

「Our country is never a country that just stands by and watches when your neighbor, your friend, is in danger!」

It would be a pretty funny speech if someone with a cynical view of politics heard it, but this was the time when it was working. Coincidentally, there was a very similar operation recently. Back then, they were scared off by a few bomber and fighter jet low-altitude flights, but this time the situation was a bit different.

“We will not hesitate to go to war to get back even one of our citizens!”

Bush slammed his palm on the podium. As a result, the microphones on the podium collided violently with each other, emitting a loud noise. That was the end of the statement.

“Thank you for your hard work. As you instructed, the Pentagon is already moving.”

“I feel like I’ve become a hedgehog.”

“That’s right. The United States is a hedgehog right now.”

A hedgehog that bristles its quills when an enemy touches it. That’s exactly what the United States is right now. However, it’s not just a hedgehog, but a hedgehog that is more like a monster bigger than an elephant.

“Does he understand that?”

“If you stay by his side all day for about a year or two, you can get a rough idea of what the President is saying.”

After all, it was no mistake to appoint him.

‘That being said, even though I said that, we don’t really have a clear solution either.’

Thinking that made him feel annoyed. It’s not like there’s no way at all. It just didn’t seem like a very safe way. He was planning to pressure Iran with all sorts of means, hold them at the airport, and then deploy special forces.

First of all, there were two main reasons why he believed this was possible: first, Iran was internationally isolated this time. The most important thing for one country to pressure another, whether it’s war or pressure, is ‘international support.’ This time, the cause was on our side. The second was that we were projecting enough influence in the Middle East. And we have secured enough budget to wage war, and in fact, all strategic planning has already been completed.

In the case of strategic planning, the United States will launch air power from its aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf to seize air supremacy, occupy key facilities through air transport, and the army from Afghanistan will infiltrate from the mainland to occupy the remaining areas except for key facilities. Because the army has become larger than expected, it would gladly accept this war.

‘But we’re not really going to go to war.’

Wouldn’t that make him a warmonger? Anyway, if the EU’s influence in the Middle East is not shaken and Iran is aware that the United States’ will to wage war is burning, it will not be able to move easily. It would be a difficult time for the United States to move, but not now.

“Mr. President, new news. ‘If you don’t remove the fighter jets following us right now, we will kill the French hostages!’ they say.”

What kind of crazy talk is this again?

“It seems the terrorists are misunderstanding.”

“Didn’t we inform them that they were our fighter jets?”

“That is… The French government is informing and negotiating with the terrorists, but they don’t seem to believe it.”

The phone rang just in time, and as expected, it was from the French President.

「What the hell are you doing!」

As soon as Bush picked up the phone, he had to listen to Jacques Chirac’s skillful and rough French-accented English protest. He never tried to hide his anger and poured out all his emotions as they were.

「How can you do this unilaterally without consulting us! What if the hostages are all killed by mistake! Are you going to take responsibility!」

“Yes. I will take responsibility.”

「What?」

“I’m saying I’ll take responsibility. From this moment on, we will take over all negotiations. Would that be okay?”

「Crazy talk! It’s not just your senior advisor on that plane! Our French citizens are the most on board!」

“So are you going to send them to their destination and then send French troops after it’s too late to even figure out where the hostages went?”

「If that’s the safest thing to do!」

Jacques Chirac retorted without hesitation.

“More than half of the hostages will be dead by then. Do you think they’ll leave the hostages alone?”

George W. Bush also retorted without hesitation.

The biggest problem was that they both had some validity. In fact, there were several cases where half of the hostages captured by al-Qaeda in the Middle East did not survive. Those were civilians such as travelers or locals, but if an EU soldier becomes a prisoner, they are mercilessly tortured and killed. Originally, soldiers were treated as proper prisoners, but as friction between the EU forces, the existing vested interests, and al-Qaeda, which now has almost only remnants left, intensified in the Middle East, the treatment of hostages and prisoners gradually deteriorated.

「You’re completely crazy!」

“You’re the one who is!”

While the friction from the differences in moral and political views separated them, the two planes finally landed in Iran.