George Bush’S Great America [EN]: Chapter 310

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“America will take over the Kurdish issue from the EU?”

“Yes, they say they intend to do so.”

Tony Blair couldn’t help but wear a bewildered expression upon hearing the news.

There’s something called the Five Eyes [an intelligence alliance comprising the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand]. The United States and the United Kingdom actively share their intelligence networks based on the UKUSA Agreement [a multilateral agreement for cooperation in signals intelligence]. In other words, the United States and the United Kingdom know each other’s situations and circumstances better than they know themselves, almost like a married couple, except for top secrets that only the president or prime minister would know.

‘Surely, the United States doesn’t really have even a single plausible card to deal with this issue?’

Considering the president’s temperament, it wouldn’t be an armed struggle. No, more than that, wasn’t he the one who had been raising hell to avoid seeing it turn into an armed struggle?

“Is it just a bluff?”

Hoping against hope, he cautiously speculated whether it was a bluff. Was he just saying anything to undermine the increasingly powerful EU and satisfy his sinister pleasure? If a war broke out, it would be perfect to pin the responsibility on the EU.

Perhaps a rift might occur within the EU. Of course, those at the top would never let go of the EU, but if the citizens wanted it, they would have to pretend to question the EU’s authority, and the public opinion created in that way could sweep away even the government like a river’s current.

“It’s quite a grand bluff, though. The public wants it, and it’s already being seriously debated in Congress.”

“No, I mean, he’s bluffing to the public. And when the heat dies down, he’ll come up with some plausible reason or excuse…”

Tony Blair stopped there and realized who the President of the United States was. Would that man ever stop, no matter how obvious the loss was to him?

“Oh, damn it. That guy would do that just fine. What an idiot. That damned son of a bitch, he’s a stubborn mule who always keeps his word.”

The only thing he had said that hadn’t come to pass was the mass production of missile battleships. Even that was because the carrier battle group that would operate with them determined that there was a lack of anti-submarine capabilities, and Bush, who accepted that, somehow managed to make a miraculous compromise within himself.

Of course, to those who didn’t know these inside details, it seemed like his stubbornness had finally been broken by external pressure, but in reality, it was closer to Bush finally accepting the U.S. Navy’s pleas. Anyway, except for this one thing, he had never once broken his will.

“Besides, isn’t it too late?”

He should have interfered before ‘that speech’ was completed. Why now of all times?

Besides, what would change even if the United States replaced the EU now? Wouldn’t it be a double loss for the United States with even the slightest misstep?

Good heavens, a very high risk with a very low return! What politician would like something like that unless they were a gambler? If not, did Tony have a joker hidden that he didn’t know about, or was there a benefit that only the United States could gain?

As he was thinking that, one thought flashed through Tony’s mind like lightning.

‘Could it be?’

Surely, it wasn’t because he was frustrated, was it?

“No, no. No matter what, it can’t be.”

“Yes? Prime Minister?”

“No. It can’t be…”

Unfortunately for Prime Minister Blair, that hunch was right on the mark.

“That’s it! How can I stand being so frustrated like this?”

Bush shouted, slamming his black desk. A roar that was hard to believe came from flesh and metal echoed through the Oval Office.

“Negotiate with Turkey, Iran, and western Iraq to station peacekeeping forces.”

Fortunately, unlike Tony Blair’s concerns, Bush did have a negotiating card in his hand. Of course, if you could call it a card. Considering how many people would agree that this was a card, it was even more so.

“So, is it war? Turkey, Iran, western Iraq… No, western Iraq will cooperate, but Iran will desperately oppose it. Besides, even if we want to control the situation, the backlash will be enormous, won’t it?”

He shuffled through the report and hesitated before opening his mouth.

“Besides, according to intelligence, that Kurdish alliance has a certain amount of heavy weapons and ammunition leaked from western Iraq in their armory. …Anyway, I’ll double-check, but is it really war?”

More than that, where did the calculation that Turkey would readily cooperate with the peacekeeping force dispatch come from? No, before that, where did the idea of dispatching a peacekeeping force to a land on the verge of explosion come from in the first place?

“No! No, no! Watch your mouth. It’s not war. It’s to prevent war from happening.”

“Mr. President. I’m sorry, but if we dispatch such a large force, war will definitely break out, won’t it?”

“So, we’re dispatching troops to prevent that war.”

“So, if we dispatch troops to prevent that war, war will break out.”

The conversation was endless. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who was vulnerable to power, had already given up. The CIA, his domain, had long been under Bush’s control, and his appointment was originally made by the current president’s father, George H.W. Bush.

Most of the remaining connections were also filled by his son, but such facts were just one of the president’s many backgrounds, and regardless of this, the current president’s power and status were truly strong. It would be fortunate if the Secretary of Defense’s resistance had any effect at all. Rather, he would only be cursed by the public and Congress and would never set foot in the White House again.

Therefore, since he couldn’t resist head-on, the Secretary of Defense had to somehow divert the conversation.

“Mr. President, I apologize again, but recently, the army has been very dissatisfied because the achievements have been concentrated in the navy. If you give the army such an absurd task…”

Most of the situations were resolved by the carrier battle group, the Marine Corps, or the Air Force, so the army hardly played a role.

“What, are they going to swim to Turkey and march? Are they going to cross the Atlantic in tanks? Or are we going to build a city for the army on a retired aircraft carrier? So they can push an armored division anywhere in the seven seas and five continents? What’s the problem with the army!”

“No, that’s not what I mean…”

“And the army and navy’s power struggle? Do you think we’re the old Imperial Japanese Army? If they mess up, tell them they’ll all be cut off from top to bottom by my hand. And what is the Army’s creed?”

“I am a soldier in the United States Army?”

“Then who is the commander-in-chief of the U.S. Army?”

“The President.”

“Whose administration has only fought winning battles so far?”

“The President’s.”

“Then tell them to do as they’re told!”

That was the end of it. The army had to pack up the new weapons and equipment and prepare to be deployed.

“But if a war breaks out, the stationed troops will surely be annihilated.”

“Damn it. I don’t think you understand yet! We’re trying to prevent a war!”

It was impossible to communicate. The Secretary of Defense rubbed his forehead hard.

‘This is fucked up. He’s even harder to talk to than his father.’

“And did you say war? Now that it’s come to this, let’s deploy about three or four carrier battle groups. Let’s also deploy the new weapons that were developed this time.”

He could divert the conversation or persuade him, but he couldn’t bring himself to oppose him. Only the curses that couldn’t come out of his mouth lingered tantalizingly.

‘Why! Why don’t you just create and deploy a drone-only base, too?’

“That’s right! Let’s build a drone airport, too! Let’s fly drones and monitor everything closely!”

“Oh, really?”

“What did you say?”

“Nothing.”

“Yes, that’s right. What do you think? Let’s bring Afghanistan and Indian troops into this, too.”

It wasn’t without reason. It was because of the countries and terrain to be dispatched to. It was because he judged that no matter how crazy the Kurds were, they couldn’t wage war on Turkey, Iran, western Iraq, and the EU behind them at once.

No matter how much the Kurds fly and run, it would only be a small-scale local war at most. There would be no all-out war with a country right now.

The problem was that other ethnic minorities would take advantage of that local war. This was what Bush was truly afraid of.

Bush’s goal was to suppress the larger war itself first, then stabilize the Middle East again in the meantime, and then finally seek peaceful independence again.

The reason for talking about India and Afghanistan was also to reduce the financial burden somewhat.

It was also because he thought that if a large-scale uprising like ISIL [Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant] occurred, then those small-scale local wars would really not end. However, to those who did not know that, it only looked like this.

‘Are you going to fight a world war?’

“India? Indian troops? I don’t think Indian troops are a very good idea, even if Afghanistan is.”

“Why?”

“Originally, it is difficult to maintain the purity of ideology when there are many mouths to speak.”

In short, it meant that he would not be able to move only according to the president’s will.

“Hmm, but if we deploy Indian troops, we can put more pressure on them.”

“Afghan troops are enough. Afghan troops will move perfectly according to your will. And although it is a very small part, there are also units trained to some extent comparable to the US Marine Corps. Because the instructor is the US Marine Corps.”

“That’s right. We gave them the equipment, too. The latest! Speaking of the latest, what about Israel?”

“I don’t think they will participate at all. Because there is the Palestinian issue.”

Without even realizing it, the Secretary of Defense was already talking about deploying on a large scale, from opposing the dispatch.

“That’s true, too. Then what about the European integrated forces? After all, they will be stationed in western Iraq semi-permanently, won’t they? Well, they will leave someday, but that won’t be within at least three years.”

“They won’t participate unless they are attacked first.”

“Participate? Participate in what? There is no war. It’s a great force to suppress it! And it’s not to stop it permanently, it’s just for a little while.”

“Then I will correct it to ‘some armed conflict’.”

“Yes, that’s it. It seems like you finally understand!”

‘Damn it, what did I understand? More than that, has the Turkish government approved our stationed troops?’

“Should we dispatch troops to Turkey and Afghanistan altogether? At a level similar to Korea?”

“That’s right! It would be good to build a new runway for the air force in Afghanistan, even if not in Turkey!”

“Yes, that’s good! Let’s build a nuclear bunker in Afghanistan, too!”

“That’s good! As expected, the Secretary of Defense thinks differently!”

The Turkish government received the diplomatic document from the White House just one hour after this conversation.