[Chapter 566: Countdown to War]
In 1990, there wasn't much for the American people to look back on fondly. The term "war" appeared over and over before them.
January 15 was the deadline. If that fool didn't pull back, war would be their only option.
To be honest, hope for peace was all but gone. That idiot had directly announced that Kuwait would become a province of theirs.
Well, the foolish actions of that dimwit left people speechless. How could he so brazenly commit such a heinous act? Forget about the Americans; even the Soviets probably wouldn't agree with that.
"Master, this is just too outrageous. They've prepared ten aircraft carriers. Are they planning to deal with the Soviets too?"
"How could they? The Soviets are not to be trifled with. They can self-destruct just fine; we don't need to meddle."
"This is just too ridiculous. Do they think the Washington will actually buy into this?"
"Heh, after all these years, Tanner, have we ever won a single battle?"
"Heh, sir, that's true. Are they really that scared?"
"Can't say that, of course the higher-ups don't care about that idiot. Haven't you heard the tale about the lion and the rabbit?"
"Ha! Master, that's nonsense. When a lion is present, forget about fighting. Even its presence can make other animals wet their pants."
"Alright, alright. I think it's probably about interests. If they don't talk tough, how will they collect protection money? Japan and Kuwait are probably going to bleed heavily this time."
William White's perspective was not entirely comprehensive. In the first phase of the war, the Washington truly had no worries. Thousands of aircraft, unless they were fighting aliens, they wouldn't face any significant issues.
What they worried about was ground warfare. The Iran-Iraq War had dragged on for years, turning into a war of attrition that the Americans couldn't easily solve.
...
The final outcome of this war, to be honest, was completely beyond everyone's imagination. The world's first live broadcast of a war felt to many young people more like a real-life video game.
There were no urban battles or land mines. Aside from the missiles flying around, the most shocking moment was that retreat from death.
"Filson, the soldiers have left. Let's get Jurassic Park ready. It'll officially open to the public this summer."
"Sure thing, sir. I'll arrange for people to follow up. Tesla's IPO is hot in the market. I heard the shareholders at Goldman Sachs are quite dissatisfied."
"Heh, Goldman Sachs is just a platform. They don't have direct ties, so they won't care."
"True, the atmosphere in that company is a bit stifling."
"Filson, did you know I want to do that too? Their survival of the fittest approach is brutal, but it can better squeeze out the potential of fund managers."
William White remained very wary of Goldman Sachs. An investment bank that survived the subprime mortgage crisis was no simple player. During one shuffle, two firms went down. And the strongest was, of course, Goldman Sachs.
"Sir, this war seems hard to avoid. Our think tank predicts it could be large in scale, though it won't drag on for too long."
"Oh, what's the reasoning behind that?" William White said with interest.
"Saddam missed his best chance. He should have pressed on in August. Or, he should have retreated back home immediately. This stubbornness now is the dumbest move he could make."
"Heh, true, he must be facing enemies from all sides! That little mustache back in the day knew to pull in the Americans and Soviets. I can't shake this feeling that this guy's a bit off."
When going to war with the Americans, there was a trick to it. If you couldn't hit them hard right away, you needed to hold out for a long time. Politicians and generals might have patience, but the people wouldn't give you that much time.
Now, Saddam resembled a middle school kid. Deep down, he didn't realize his mistake. He thought it was the Americans and Kuwait who started it. He was just in self-defense mode, maybe a little excessive, but everything else wasn't worth mentioning.
Just go for it, if there are no ground troops, let's see how he fights.
...
In Iraq, the busiest folks were the carpenters and painters. It was unclear who told him that American planes couldn't accurately distinguish models from real objects. So, he set up some models; wasting a few bombs was okay. If the Americans used missiles on those wooden models, heh, those idiots would be crying.
"What? Making models?" This guy must be joking, right?
"Ha, yes, sir. There are plenty of them, ranging from Scuds to T-72s. The quantity is overwhelming."
"Alright, where are their tanks?"
"Not sure what that fool was thinking; those things are all buried in the sand. If they're used as artillery, that cost is just too high."
"Tanner, this fight is pointless. There's no suspense. Let's keep an eye on those gold reserves and forget about everything else."
"Okay, master, we can confirm now that those things do not belong to that fool."
"Heh, hope they can belong to me."
For William White, this war had already lost its suspense. The changes he brought to the world did not impact these major events.
Perhaps William never intended to change anything on a subconscious level. His foresight was his biggest trump card; without that, he couldn't compete with those old foxes.
...
Once back at his mansion, William White stopped paying attention to that fool. If possible, he tried to carve out some time to spend with his kids each day.
Whether it was shamelessness or guilt, it was his own choice. He didn't look for excuses or try to cover it up.
Just one thing, you could call him a jerk, but never bring his kids into it. That was an unforgivable provocation.
The American public had a high tolerance for the private lives of the wealthy. Intrigue and rivalry were things they enjoyed. Without some juicy gossip, how could they satisfy the public's craving for scandal?
The two little ones were quite afraid of their big sister Athena. When their father walked in, they immediately started to whine.
Looking at his daughter, Suzuki was speechless. This daughter didn't resemble her at all. She was the epitome of a queen.
"Athena, you're the big sister; you should act like one." Gently patting his daughter's head, William White said with a smile.
"Daddy, they're not behaving at all. They won't say when they need to go potty, and my Barbie is all dirty."
"Alright, alright, dear. I'll take you to buy a new one. If it weren't for antitrust laws, I would've bought the company back. Those guys have no clue how to run it."
"Daddy, Daddy, I want a whole room full of Barbies. And I want some My Little Pony too."
William White shook his head, laughing. The toys his daughter liked were none of his making -- what a riot.
"Athena, don't you realize that Mickey Mouse is also really cute?"
"Hmph, I prefer cats."
"Alright, alright, we'll skip the mice."
*****
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