George Bush’S Great America [EN]: Chapter 358

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Putin gnashed his teeth, uttering the name he hated.

“That son of a bitch! I’d grind him up and drink him if I could!”

Putin only lost his composure when it came to matters related to the United States. During the Oil War, he ground his teeth until they bled upon hearing that Russia would inevitably lose, so it was no wonder Putin was furious.

The United States was flying so far ahead that there was nothing Russia could do but desperately try to grab at its ankles. More precisely, even that was only because Putin was determined to hold on; without him, they wouldn’t even be able to do that.

That’s how wide the gap had become for Russia at this point. Even in the original timeline, Russia had to settle for being merely a major power due to the rise of China. And even that was a major power in name only, relying on military strength and vast oil money.

However, the Russian economy, which should have recovered with that oil money, was completely ruined by the Oil War. They were confident they would win, but the United States went too far.

Even if the United States sang about ‘the principle of non-intervention! Oh, the authentic American non-intervention!’, everyone knew that if a huge corporation was about to die, they would inject taxpayer money to save it first. But who would have thought they would prepare and inject it in advance? We all thought it was just emergency funding.

This wasn’t just Russia’s sentiment; similar opinions were forming around the world, including within the United States. So, at the time, the Bush administration was shaken like never before, but it was just shaken. Skyscrapers also sway in the wind, but they don’t collapse. It’s a similar principle. The authority he had built up was not going to be shaken by mere speculative public opinion.

Well, in fact, it was only natural that the United States won the Oil War. George W. Bush was the one who created today’s America, and he was the one who ordered the development of shale gas. Thanks to that, a Greek-American miner who had developed the technology early on became a key figure in gas extraction method development and eventually became one of the richest people in the world. He was already quite wealthy, but now he was even wealthier.

Anyway, isn’t war ultimately won by the country that is thoroughly prepared? And if it turns into a long-term war, the country with more people and capital wins. It was inevitable that a country with thorough preparation, more people, and more resources would win.

“‘Find a way to harm Russia without provoking them, but in a way that causes damage, even if it’s just a little bit, rather than a fatal blow.’ What on earth is this…”

“There are many ways. But the ‘little bit’ that you’re thinking of, Your Excellency, is on a completely different level from our ‘little bit’.”

In short, this is what Putin was demanding.

“A way to cause damage that isn’t meaningless but is still significant, but in a way that the United States absolutely doesn’t notice, and even if they do, they’ll turn a blind eye. If that were possible, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

At this time, the think tanks led by Putin’s Russia were being forced to come up with ways to screw over the United States while keeping Russia intact. If Russia was willing to take a loss, they could come up with a way to drag the United States down with them after a few days of meetings, but the premise that Russia shouldn’t suffer any losses made it difficult for them to come up with an answer easily.

Among them, ‘the division of China’ was their best work. No matter how much the CIA was flying high with its massive capital these days, they would never imagine that Russia had moved India.

India was always eager to weaken China, and Russia provided them with the means. India moved pro-Indian figures within China, inciting several young officers who were full of dissatisfaction, and supporting them to eventually cause China to completely split.

But that was the end of it. It forced the United States to bleed, but in the end, China fell under the influence of the United States. Even though it was only half-hearted influence, China would eventually move as the United States wanted for the time being, even while resisting, so it couldn’t really be seen as just bleeding.

It would be more accurate to say, ‘It cost the United States the necessary expenses to control China as they pleased.’

“If nothing else, one thing is certain. It will take at least half a century for the United States to collapse, no matter how many stupid things they do.”

There’s an old saying that even if a rich family goes bankrupt, they’ll still last for three years. China during the Qing Dynasty was like that, Russia during the Soviet era was like that, and England during the British Empire was like that. America will probably be similar.

“They’ve probably already taken our technology. But not all of it is correct. So, how about we encourage the American defense industry to test that technology? It will cost them a lot of money.”

In any case, these were the kinds of things being said in today’s Russian think tanks, which once divided the United States and the world.

So, the think tanks and Vladimir Putin said in unison. It was as follows:

“Bush, you son of a bitch!”

***

Ptooey!

“Is someone cursing me out?”

“Isn’t it just that you’ve been holding onto reports for days, so your body is breaking down?”

“No way, even so.”

Bush, who had been running and running while even cutting down on sleep, finally saw the end of the East Iraq report. And it became more or less clear how to treat East Iraq.

“Maybe we should entrust it to the UN Trusteeship Council.”

Bush, adding that the Trusteeship Council would have work to do for the first time in a while, roughly threw the last report aside. It was truly a terrible time. The thought that he should give the people who wrote this report even more work when they returned from their long vacation made a smile appear on his face.

“West Iraq is clamoring for East Iraq, so why don’t we just give it to them?”

“Do you think West Iraq can govern East Iraq right now?”

That’s right. It was impossible. Complete governance was literally like a dog eating grass [a futile effort], and it was questionable whether they could even get their military power to reach East Iraq properly, let alone protect the border or have any administrative power.

“However, if we leave it as it is, West Iraq will definitely bother us. And it will be similar afterward. Isn’t it common for a country unified by the power of foreign forces to hate the foreign forces that unified them? This is not at all helpful to our national interest.”

Bush let out a small groan at the Chief of Staff’s words. Returning illegally occupied territory to a legitimate national government at a reasonable price. The logic was right. It’s just that he knew the results all too well, so he felt a pang of conscience.

“Tsk. That’s true.”

It was similar in the original timeline. The United States wanted oil, and under the pretext of non-existent weapons of mass destruction, it invaded and occupied Iraq and established a pro-American regime. After that, the United States manipulated Iraq as it pleased. After the cooking was finished, the plating was done, and even a delicious meal was prepared, they handed over that chaotic Iraq to the pro-American regime as it was.

As a result, the Iraqi regime could not properly protect Iraq. It was a natural story. It was a public authority that was corrupt to the core and whose operational capabilities were even questioned. After the collapse, it went through a period of chaos and a civil war broke out, and the United States had to flounder in the quagmire it had created and slowly sink.

‘Of course, the only thing that could sink the current United States is World War III.’

Frankly, the easiest thing to do was to hand over East Iraq directly to West Iraq as it was. West Iraq had made the request, so there was nothing for the United States to be criticized for. Rather, they should be thanked. Who would dare to stand up to the United States?

It was somewhat arrogant to the point of being downright presumptuous, but that was the truth and the reality. In order to defeat the current United States, even the world uniting would not be enough. Bush said that the United States could sink in a world war, but other countries would not sink but be completely destroyed.

And even if the United States did sink, it would eventually stand tall in the world again. Furthermore, if there ever came a time when they really had to face the world, the United States would not face it alone. The United States has loyal allies.

‘However, it would be a different story if my successor went crazy and started rampaging, saying they were going to conquer the world.’

Of course, that wouldn’t happen. It shouldn’t happen, and even if it did, that regime wouldn’t last. Because the people would oppose it.

‘The problem is that if things continue like this, it seems like the people will all agree with it. Well, there’s no use thinking about it now.’

Back to the Iraq issue.

“So, are you saying we should just give it back?”

“If we’re not going to establish a pro-American regime anyway, it’s strange to keep it as it is. And it’s a waste of money.”

“Hmm, that’s true.”

Even though the people occupying East Iraq right now are the UN peacekeeping forces, those peacekeeping forces were moving with American money anyway, so it was a waste of money.

Of course, that doesn’t mean he was thinking of reducing the money he was feeding the UN. In any case, maintaining the situation as it was was not a good option. With both the United States and the people of East Iraq accumulating dissatisfaction, there was no way that neglect would be a good option.

“Actually, there’s not much loss even if we just pull out as it is…”

Bush tapped the desk in his office with a pen. This was the biggest problem. The United States had already taken everything it could from East Iraq.

After all, the biggest benefit gained from this war was not the sense of accomplishment of winning the war, nor even the West Iraq’s declaration of support for the United States, which was gained by occupying East Iraq. It was the terrorists who were captured in large numbers this time. Furthermore, the countries that received them would defend the United States, not criticize them.

Even so, he couldn’t ignore West Iraq’s opinion head-on. Well, the ‘American government’ could ignore it. More precisely, if Bush ignored it, everyone would automatically ignore it. In any case, the government can remain silent in the face of West Iraq’s protests.

However, the ‘American people’ are different. No matter how much power Bush has and can wield, if the people start talking, that power will eventually waver. Well, even if it wavers a little, it doesn’t really matter, but at least not now.

That’s right. There was still work to be done with this powerful power.

“So, what are you going to do?”

Bush woke up from his thoughts at the Chief of Staff’s words. It was time to decide.

“It would be good to just give them the report on the future of a unified Iraq that we predicted, and if they still say the same thing, just give it to them.”

Of course, West Iraq’s answer was ‘Yes’.