George Bush’S Great America [EN]: Chapter 214

< Episode 213 >

The EU forces declared Al-Qaeda a public enemy and began operations in the Middle East aimed at eradicating them, significantly destabilizing the political landscape. Unlike previous operations that followed a ‘report-reconnaissance-deploy-suppress’ protocol for security, the new approach favored a direct ‘deploy-suppress’ strategy.

Essentially, they were using overwhelming firepower and resources to suppress Al-Qaeda, regardless of intelligence reports or reconnaissance. This resulted in numerous unintended casualties and the deaths of innocent civilians. In response, terrorists, cornered in cities or near military installations, launched bomb attacks.

It was a case of burning down the house to catch a flea, but from the EU’s perspective, the Middle East was not their house. They were willing to pour oil on the flames without hesitation.

And they were doing just that, literally. They used gasoline or napalm on suspected hideouts, burning them to the ground to prevent their reuse. The nature of the operation had shifted from a passive war on terror, characterized by small-scale engagements and prisoner capture, to an almost all-out war following the French airline hijacking. Counter-terrorism had become open warfare.

Previously, aerial support was limited to reconnaissance or attack helicopters, but now fighter jets and bombers were being deployed. However, due to Al-Qaeda’s cell-based structure, the scale of operations remained relatively small, so bombers and fighters were used sparingly, primarily to deploy bunker busters.

This escalation reflected a growing sentiment in Europe that terrorists had forfeited their human rights, a sentiment partly fueled by the United States, particularly in Afghanistan. Following a request from the US President, accompanied by a “gift” of millions of dollars, Afghanistan became embroiled in a violent crackdown, euphemistically termed a “sword of purification.”

Al-Qaeda was indeed a major problem in Afghanistan, contributing to instability and operating as an illegal terrorist organization, so the US offer was readily accepted. The “sword of purification” implied intentionally mistreating Al-Qaeda supporters, compelling them to leave or sever ties with the organization. Ultimately, it was a matter of aligned interests.

“What do you think, Minister of National Defense?”

Mohammad, his eyes now devoid of life, spoke. He was 88 years old. His death could come at any moment. He had considered running for re-election, but it seemed impossible.

He would undoubtedly win, but Mohammad lacked the energy and stamina to lead the country. He had dedicated his remaining years to his nation, tirelessly fulfilling the obligations and responsibilities assigned to him since birth.

A moment of carelessness had plunged the country into chaos, but Allah had shown mercy, granting him the chance to save it from the abyss and eradicate heresy. However, his time was running out. The ‘eyes’ that had caused the carelessness were now so weak that he struggled to read.

Surgery was not an option due to his age, and he had recently begun to sense his impending death. In his youth, he had wondered how elders knew when their time was near. He had vaguely imagined a gradual weakening of the body, but now, experiencing it firsthand, he understood. Perhaps three years at most, or even just this year.

Despite his age, continuous political affairs kept his body active, his energy and vitality overflowing. Only his eyesight was failing.

His will? It burned like a fire in oil. Whether awake or asleep, he worried about the country, often finding himself in his office chair, reviewing reports and documents.

Some claimed US President George W. Bush was the busiest person in the world, but Mohammad was certain he was equally occupied, though perhaps not working himself to death.

With that thought, Mohammad returned to the documents. To his dismay, they contained evidence that Al-Qaeda’s infiltration of Afghanistan was far deeper than he had realized. He had believed it was a sealed container, but the budget was leaking.

“I and the Afghan soldiers are only following the President’s orders.”

Mohammad had once been a king. Although he now held the title of president, the only change was the bureaucratic structure. He was preparing for a transfer of power, but he remained a force to be reckoned with, given the overwhelming majority held by royalists and restorationists.

In essence, his position was almost godlike, both in the formal sense derived from the divine right of kings, a concept prevalent in the Middle East, and in the immense power he wielded.

Abdul Haq had been the Minister of National Defense until recently, when he was reappointed as Minister of the Interior at his own request. Consequently, the current Minister of National Defense had to be extremely cautious in his words and actions.

“Even though I know this shouldn’t be the case, I sometimes feel fortunate that our country has not completely escaped the shadow of that time.”

The ‘shadow’ Mohammad referred to was his past as king. The country remained under the influence of the monarchy, not only within the government but also among the people. In a monarchy, the king’s word was law, at least in Afghanistan.

“I will arrest everyone on this list. They are all confirmed to be guilty, so you must make them tell the truth.”

Mohammad’s certainty stemmed from the fact that they had been caught on camera. Afghanistan’s mountainous terrain and undeveloped areas necessitated the use of numerous drones imported from the United States. Or rather, they were compelled to acquire them. A large number of drones had been ordered, but after retaking Afghanistan, such a large quantity was no longer needed.

However, it wasn’t a straightforward purchase but a lease agreement. The contract spanned 30 years, during which Afghanistan and the United States would jointly operate the drones. In peacetime, Afghanistan would control them, while in emergencies, the United States would take over. After 30 years, the drones would become Afghanistan’s property, but by then, the MQ-1 would likely be obsolete in the United States.

Currently, Afghanistan operates the largest number of drones in the world, primarily for security purposes, as in this case. A weapons transaction had been filmed, and an investigation revealed the involvement of approximately 2,000 people.

“I will not disappoint you.”

Once the order was given, it was swiftly executed by the military and police, with most suspects apprehended regardless of the methods used. There was resistance, of course. The reason I said most were arrested was because those who resisted ended up dead.

“Damn it!”

The Al-Qaeda member couldn’t even raise his head due to the suppressive fire from a 12.7mm heavy machine gun. He blindly fired his assault rifle in the direction of the bullets, but assault rifles were ineffective against armored vehicles.

He had survived this long by running between cover, using his colleagues as bait. But now, he was out of options. He had no remaining colleagues or spare magazines. Anti-tank weapons were nowhere to be found.

Almost twenty members had been killed as soon as the attack began. Initially, the authorities seemed to be trying to make arrests, but when Al-Qaeda resisted, they determined that the police couldn’t handle the situation and deployed the army.

The army, trained for several years, demonstrated the results of their training. They were not exceptional, but they were competent enough to be considered an elite force. Equipped with mostly American-made standard weapons, they reliably overwhelmed the terrorists armed with illegally copied AKs and homemade RPGs [Rocket Propelled Grenades].

American weapons were expensive, but at least the armored and infantry equipment was worth the price. It was an honest price, if not a bargain.

The battle was easily won, almost anticlimactically. The current Afghan army was far superior to Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, which was inferior in equipment, training, and numbers.

“We caught one!”

“Damn it! Only one out of two hundred! What idiot fired a heavy machine gun during the arrest operation!”

The officer in charge, arriving late, reprimanded the soldiers who had cleaned up the scene, but it was too late. Those arrested would be subjected to severe torture in prison.

“Ah! Allah is great!”

The smell of burning human flesh filled the air. Branding with a hot iron, the most reliable torture method passed down from ancient times.

“Answering only what you are asked is the first step in the most basic and fundamental conversation. I’ll ask again. Where is your hideout? Where are your colleagues?”

“Our base is not in this country!”

It was a desperate scream rather than an answer. But the answer was unsatisfactory, and the smell of burning flesh intensified.

“Lies! You’re lying! There’s no way those weapons came from abroad!”

“It’s true! It’s true! I swear to Allah! I heard they were found in the armory left by the Taliban! That’s all I know!”

Some people will reveal everything after a few burns, while others will remain silent until death.

Back in the Afghan President’s office, Mohammad wiped his face.

“Don’t think of me as cruel. You must never forget that countless lives have been lost because of them.”

Adults lived and died as slaves because of them. A boy was used as a suicide bomber and died. A child died in his mother’s arms before ever seeing the world. They were truly evil people who deserved to die.

“Tell the US President that I can give a positive answer to the gift I received. And also that I can increase the ‘oil export volume’ a little more.”