George Bush’S Great America [EN]: Chapter 339

George Bush’s Great America – Episode 338

Africa was more peaceful than ever. Sure, there was still war in Egypt, pillaging and arson were commonplace, and poverty was rampant, but ironically, Africa was the most peaceful continent besides North America.

This was because every continent was fighting its own war. Since last year, the wars in Africa had been limited to minor skirmishes with cold weapons like bows and spears due to tribal conflicts, or individual struggles.

The reason for using cold weapons in tribal wars was an agreement to reduce casualties on both sides. However, tribal wars weren’t always fought with cold weapons. Guns were also actively used in some wars, but they had become less common recently.

Thus, although there were some regional differences, an unstable peace had come to Africa. Even an unstable peace was still peace, so the CIA could breathe a sigh of relief, at least concerning wars, for a brief moment.

“If it’s a success, it’s a success.”

Sudan Branch Chief Kruger was reviewing all the reports coming in from various African countries. Most of them were successful. This was because the intelligence direction had shifted from unconditional aid to ‘establishing trade routes’ and sharing the benefits with the privileged class.

“It’s just a temporary lull. No matter how much we do, there will be another war next year.”

That was true. Major wars like civil wars had simply ended when their time came, but the CIA was entirely responsible for mediating other tribal conflicts. Therefore, the wars that had temporarily ceased or were about to erupt would eventually break out no matter how hard the CIA tried.

In any case, if asked whether they had ‘mediated and intervened in each tribe’s affairs,’ the answer would be ‘yes.’ The CIA had launched an unprecedented intelligence offensive reminiscent of the Cold War. With the tacit approval of the current administration, the CIA had more power and budget overseas than any other organization.

Although the CIA was primarily responsible for overseas operations, no other intelligence organization was more powerful than the CIA in all of Africa. In fact, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the CIA knew everything that happened in Africa.

This was due to collusive relationships based on massive funding and oppression through thorough retaliation based on overwhelming military power, but it succeeded in significantly suppressing wars and conflicts on the African continent.

Of course, it was only temporary and a stopgap measure, but considering the past when rivers of blood flowed every day, it was still something. Of course, to create this peace, a considerable amount of aid had to be poured in.

Roads were built with asphalt and concrete on unpaved roads, creating jobs in the process to provide temporary income to the residents. Cheap manufactured goods were supplied through new trade agreements to lower prices. Those who tried to resist were suppressed, and government forces from each country were mobilized to eliminate bandits.

New infrastructure was created on the roads, and infrastructure led to new jobs, and new jobs led to improved GDP [Gross Domestic Product, a measure of a country’s economic output]. In fact, without this, there was a high possibility that they would have resisted despite the lobbying, bribes, and weaknesses held by the CIA.

And this led to a phenomenon of increasing dependence on the CIA, and further, on the United States. Of course, it wasn’t to the extent of selling the country outright, but once economically and ideologically entangled, it was difficult to break away. Furthermore, unless the regime was completely overthrown, it was difficult for a country that had received aid to wash its hands and leave.

Aid is ultimately an investment based on self-interest, and there is no such thing as completely free aid in the world.

“Honestly, when I was working on this, I couldn’t tell if we were the CIA or a volunteer organization, but I’m glad things seem to have worked out well.”

That was exactly right. It wasn’t that there weren’t any profits, but they couldn’t make much because they were watching the President’s every move, and that money was all invested for Kruger’s future. In the end, it was used for African lobbying. In other words, it was public funds.

“Everything is good, but Sudan is the problem.”

“There will be another war soon.”

Since the day Bush decided to mobilize the CIA, the CIA had been running around barefoot to mediate the civil war in Sudan. And beyond barefoot, they always carried a bag of money in their left hand and a bag of weaknesses [compromising information] in their right hand, even if it meant crawling on all fours.

The result was this temporary peace. Through the CIA, West Sudan became an ‘inland base’ for supplying goods circulating within Africa, which created a lifeline for the barren West Sudan.

West Sudan, which had a stable lifeline, hesitated to participate in the war and cautiously withdrew from the scramble.

Of course, if they could somehow obtain the oil buried in Abyei [a disputed region between Sudan and South Sudan], it would be an opportunity for West Sudan, which still had to rely on Sudan, to become completely independent and confidently enter the international community as an oil-producing country. But conversely, if this war failed, the half-achieved independence and the power that had been built on a shoestring budget would also turn into bubbles.

The government, which had been actively inciting the people to war, changed its attitude as soon as the import and export routes opened and called for peace.

Thus, the confrontation was solidified between Sudan and South Sudan, but the problem was who would launch a preemptive strike first. Originally, they had to deal with West Sudan as well, so the actual battlefield was twice as large, and both Sudan and South Sudan had to draw troops to the limit.

The problem was that with West Sudan out of the picture, the remaining troops made the defense line incomparably thicker than before. In reality, it was about 1.5 times thicker both qualitatively and quantitatively.

In this situation, a preemptive strike was nothing short of madness. Although the days when defense was absolutely advantageous were long gone, this was a matter of diplomacy.

Whether or not they could bring in the US military, which was testing the waters through the CIA, would create an absolute advantage in the event of a future war.

Therefore, both Sudan and South Sudan were sluggishly dragging out the war itself. However, it was naturally South Sudan that was becoming increasingly exhausted. First of all, the fact that it was a landlocked country and didn’t have very good relations with its neighboring countries was fatal. Secondly, the problem was that the South Sudanese army was relatively weak.

It hadn’t been long since they gained independence, and most of them hadn’t received much military training. Of course, those who came from rebel groups were skilled in explosives, handling guns, and guerrilla warfare, but they weren’t very familiar with this kind of all-out war.

“Still, there’s no war right now. I’m going to call this short period the African Peace Era.”

“Who’s going to call it that?”

“We have to make them call it that. Then a reporter from the mainland will come and write it down, the President’s nose will be higher, and I’ll be closer to a promotion.”

As can be seen from the statement that major wars were all in a lull, the Libyan civil war was also on hold. This was because Gaddafi was in critical condition due to an accident.

The accident was literally an accident. Who would have known that Gaddafi would fall in his room and crack his head open? Neither Gaddafi himself nor the bodyguards who were guarding him had anticipated this.

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the second son, took over the command in place of Gaddafi, who was in critical condition, but he was nothing more than a greenhorn compared to Gaddafi. All engagements were sluggish, and in a situation where they neither advanced nor retreated, the second son eventually reached a truce by promising reforms.

Some described it as a ploy to wait for Gaddafi to recover from his critical condition, but the civilian army also accepted the truce because they had plenty of material resources but an absolute shortage of the most important human resources to continue the war.

“Was I originally African? I feel strangely at home in Africa.”

Kruger looked at the map of Africa spread out on the table, then sighed and continued. It was clearly only a little over a few years, but so much had happened that it felt like he was born and raised here.

“Really?”

“And my hometown was a slum where gunshots rang out if you were bored. There were broken bottles and marijuana butts everywhere, the police were corrupt, and law enforcement didn’t reach every corner of my house. There were more chemicals used to refine socially subversive substances than food in the refrigerator. I had to protect myself. And this place is similar.”

“Harlem?”

“No, Detroit.”

“Oh, Detroit. I heard the scenery in Detroit has changed a lot thanks to this administration, so isn’t this really your hometown now? Even if you go back, the atmosphere won’t be the same.”

“I’ve heard about it, but is it that much? Hearing that makes me want to go back to America as soon as possible. My childhood dream was to buy food at a McDonald’s without bulletproof glass and iron bars.”

Detroit, one of the most dangerous cities in the United States, underwent a major transformation. Crime rates improved rapidly because the police budget increased and there was a massive reshuffle of personnel. There was bound to be resistance, but Bush used the power of public support to push through.

Law enforcement is a contradictory entity that has a negative perception among the public and is not trusted by the public, but is relied upon in times of emergency.

The government labeled such police as corrupt, and after much criticism, declared that corruption had been cleared, but the people did not believe it until they fully experienced the change. Therefore, the government decided to directly roll up its sleeves and crack down on Detroit, a city of crime, to give the people faith.

By badgering the governor and mayor, injecting additional budget, renewing advanced police training and existing personnel, and implementing high-intensity responses such as terrorist response teams, they finally succeeded in drastically reducing crime rates.

However, unfortunately for Kruger, bulletproof glass, not to mention iron bars, remained a kind of culture in Detroit.

This was evidence that Detroit had not been peaceful for long, but it was also evidence that Detroit had become a place where people could live reasonably well enough to accept it as a traditional culture rather than a necessity.

“With this much work done, the President will be satisfied. Everyone can take a break. Anyone who doesn’t want to go on vacation?”