[Chapter 501: Turbulent Africa]
Muammar Gaddafi was still a significant force in Africa, having declared himself its self-proclaimed boss. While few acknowledged him, no one openly opposed him either.
For a country that thrived on oil, the current fluctuations in oil prices were nothing short of a disaster. This was their sole source of foreign exchange income.
Less than ten percent of their territory was arable land. Although groundwater resources were abundant, the costs were too high, making farming a non-viable option. Simply meeting their water needs was already a challenge.
The United States and Britain had no desire to confront him; if he simply admitted his faults, everything else could be negotiated.
The main target of the U.S. and Britain was the Soviet Union, which was nearing collapse. Meanwhile, they were still squeezing the USSR for everything it had, preferring to focus on this giant rather than worrying about minor players.
As a crucial oil-producing region, America needed to keep Gaddafi calm for the time being. Their primary objective was to suppress oil prices; everything else had to wait. Only through low oil prices could they strike a blow against the Soviets.
Following the Operation Gold Canyon, relations between the U.S. and Gaddafi had completely soured. Only British and the French could handle softly-cushioned negotiations, though William White had now become a contentious factor, complicating matters further.
Due to Africa's unique geography, most oil was exported to Europe and America, where transportation costs were lower than that in desert regions or areas controlled by the Soviets. The oil quality was also excellent, so England and France mainly relied on African oil.
Gaddafi failed to recognize the changing dynamics. The world was no longer bipolar, and with the Soviet Union on the brink of disintegration, there was simply no possibility of contesting power with the unrestrained U.S.
Soon, America's ally Kuwait increased oil production significantly, and the recently increased oil prices were forced back down. The U.S. began exporting oil in significant quantities as well.
Kuwait had won favor with the U.S., but had angered its much larger neighbor. After eight years of conflict, its treasury could finally breathe, but clearly, it hoped for rising oil prices.
Thanks to Gaddafi's meddling, William White's earnings in Africa plummeted in recent years. The cost of diamonds from Africa surged by at least thirty percent, making it nearly impossible to acquire stones over fifty carats as they simply weren't sold.
Over the years, Africa had yielded many treasures, all of which had slipped through his fingers. Of course, if he were willing to spend lavishly at auctions, he could obtain these items with ease.
But diamonds were merely an investment; there wasn't a need to inflate prices. The top items on the leaderboard were certainly unattainable, and even if obtained, it was unclear where they would be stored. Stones around twenty carats were the best for selling, but once they reached fifty carats, they were typically well-known and difficult to manage.
Africa was indeed peculiar; almost every country had diamonds, with South Africa yielding the most, though at the highest prices. Even when treasures were unearthed, they refused to sell, opting to keep them safely locked away.
The worth of diamonds was actually debatable; they were merely a product of geological movements. Many locations had diamonds, and Australia would prove prolific in their production in later years.
William White didn't care much for this income, but he was concerned about losing respect. Now that Gaddafi was quelling his antics, he certainly could kick him when he was down.
Africa remained chaotic, rife with conflict. Tribes fought amongst themselves, as did different religions and ethnic groups; there was hardly a day of peace.
In contrast, South Africa and Libya were relatively stable. The people there lived well enough; at least, they wouldn't starve.
The most chaotic region was the Congo, a land ruled by warlords, and with White's security involvement, the situation had only grown more tangled.
...
"William, what's going on in Africa? It seems to be escalating. Didn't you say you were thinking of leaving a while back?"
William White's unusual activities in Africa could not escape scrutiny; almost immediately, George Bush picked up the phone to call him. Luckily, their conversations were laid-back enough that he could just ask.
"It's nothing major, George. This guy is stealing my diamonds and hurt a few of my men. I just got my principal back recently and need them to pay some interest now."
"Got it! The Secret Service may send a few people your way. Your activities are really drawing attention."
"That's fine. Even though it's not my security company, I can coordinate it."
"Ha, you're concerned about your reputation!"
"Come on, I have no interest in blood money."
"Alright, I'll arrange it. Do you have any specific requests?"
"Of course, I want twelve Apache helicopters."
"Are you kidding me? That's over a hundred million bucks! I don't have the authority for that."
"Come on, buddy, it's about buying at a bargain."
"That's doable."
"Great, it's settled then."
With the Apaches, he figured no one in Africa would dare mess with him. A few tanks would be worthless unless they came with F-14 Tomcats.
At that time, Africa didn't have such military machinery; the most they had were old MiGs, and whether they could even get off the ground was questionable.
Besides, the owners of those machines were national armies, and he had no intention of antagonizing them; he'd bet they wouldn't provoke him either.
...
Bush Jr. wondered if White had changed his mind and planned to become a warlord in Africa. This was not a decision he could make alone; he needed to check with his father.
"He won't; he really does want out. He's just making a show of intimidating others."
"Gaddafi is incredibly unlucky; I wonder what's driving him to hassle this guy."
"Pfft, that arrogant punk thinks he can be king. Sigh, if it weren't for needing to consider our allies..."
Senior Bush chose not to elaborate; there were things his son just didn't need to know. To successfully topple the Soviets, America needed friends.
Let's not even get into allies; even with the Soviet Union, America needed to maintain decent relations.
*****
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