[Chapter 583: Nobody's Cannon Fodder]
In this world, rarity is valued above all else. You may say that White Winery's wines aren't any good, but people are still willing to pay top dollar for them!
For wealthy individuals, as long as the prestige is high enough, nothing else really matters. The standard for the rich is simply to buy the expensive, not the right.
To be blunt, no vintage in '82 is particularly bad. A slightly better taste can lead to a significant price increase. The most ridiculous part is that they raise prices by 15% every year, and it's honest as the day is long.
You can't deny that this artificially created prestige really works in the market. People were certainly spending a lot of money before the unfortunate incident. As for the taste of the wine, who really cares?
Of course, there are some connoisseurs who criticize this. But the connoisseurs are in the minority; most people want to flaunt their status.
William White drinks quite casually; if he's at home, he'll drink anything. He doesn't see the point in pretentious wine tasting. Seriously, why stick your nose into the glass? What if you have a stray nose hair? Are you drinking or just sniffing?
...
The U.S. military was having a blast, initially using some anti-aircraft guns. But after a day, those were quiet too.
The most valuable targets have actually been cleared. The targets from the last couple of days have all been secondary objectives.
The navy and air force were bustling, but the army looked a bit silly. It had been 24 hours since the war started, and isn't it time to think about attacking?
Sure, some generals proposed similar suggestions. But there was no feedback. To the soldiers, it looked like someone was just desperate for a promotion. If you want to attack, go ahead -- we'll be cheering for you from the sidelines.
You think we're going to sacrifice our blood to build your reputation?
Seriously, are you out of your mind?
There are certainly military analysts at Washington who are convinced the guys across are done for. If you charge them now, they'd be ripe for surrender.
Such analysis was clearly not accepted. Like, c'mon, you bunch of idiots, you're always unreliable. You said that Vietnam was weak and one American soldier can take down four. So how did that turn out? There are bodies everywhere.
Now you're saying Saddam is just a big joke?
For crying out loud, stop analyzing. Or better yet, you could say Saddam is tougher than the Soviets.
With four to five hundred thousand mechanized troops across from us, relying on just us seems like a recipe for disaster. It's best to bomb Saddam into submission so we can go home.
Damn this miserable weather.
"General, I don't agree with attacking now. The guys across are acting very strangely; I suspect it's a trap."
"Strangely? What about it is strange?"
"After our artillery barrage, they haven't launched any serious counterattacks. A few scattered shells seem more like a joke. General, I don't think the other side is an army that has been fighting for eight years. This is a trap that's been planned for a long time."
"You must be joking; our reconnaissance satellites are monitoring 24/7, and they haven't spotted anything."
"I'll reserve my opinion. If possible, I hope we can draw out their reserves and hit them. The opposing force is nothing but a rabble."
The noisy military meeting ended with absolutely no results. The information provided by the CIA was tossed aside. To the soldiers, not being able to spend Christmas at home was entirely due to this bunch of fools.
...
"Master, Saddam shouldn't have any backup left, right?"
"Backup? What backup? When has Iraq ever commanded over a million troops? In the absence of communication, I really don't know how this war is supposed to be fought. If it were me, I'd retreat now."
"Master, I am afraid he can't escape now. The satellites and planes have infrared thermal imaging. He can't escape by night, and in the daytime, he is practically a target."
"Tsk tsk, what a pity, there's no reward even if we win. Those idiots are too scared to charge, and we're stuck watching from the sidelines. By the way, can you get Max on the line for me?"
William White still needed to keep an eye on things; Iraq's Scud missiles were still plenty. If there's an air raid alarm, it's best to hide.
"Max, don't get your hopes up too high about that defense system. Just hide when the alarm goes off; as for what they're showing on TV, just treat it like a movie."
"Yeah, I figured. They're blowing it way out of proportion. Two missiles have already hit near the army base, and once, three missiles were launched to intercept, yet they still fell to anti-aircraft fire."
"Ha, if using dozens of missiles could make a difference, that might be possible. Anyway, don't worry too much; your life is the priority."
...
William White didn't dwell on it further; the operation for his undercover work was winding down, and he was extremely busy lately.
Tsk tsk, should this movie even bother trying for an Oscar?
Last year's 007 wasn't even up for consideration. If the undercover film were also to decline, those Academy old-timers would be in a real bind. They had never encountered something so peculiar before. Others are always scrambling just to be nominated, building excitement even without winning.
But when it came to William White, things took a different turn. He wasn't even slightly interested in those lighter awards.
Great, now he's up against Jurassic Park; if both films are in the running, someone's bound to lose out. Besides, Leo and Tom, they aren't exactly the judges' favorites, so it'd be a wasted trip for them. As for consolation prizes, forget it.
...
"Hey, did you hear? William, no one wants to take the lead."
"Do you know why I don't want heavy artillery, George? Didn't you laugh at me before? If I had a hundred M1s, well, you know, I have many people who don't get along with me."
"Please, you're employed by the Kuwaitis; who would want to make you cannon fodder? If it collapses like a house of cards, are we just throwing in the towel?"
"Do you not realize they're deliberately using up their stockpiled ammunition? If they don't use it, they'll have to destroy it."
"Come on, cruise missiles don't have many of those. It's the bombs and shells they won't use."
"Heh, so let's just send everything to Saddam; someone's reimbursing them anyway. Damn, with this war, we might end up needing a trillion dollars."
"What are you getting so worked up for? You don't even have military contracts; you're stuck watching others cash in. Wait, your Bentley, I heard it's selling like crazy."
"I only sell civilian versions; interest rates are low right now, so people are doing alright."
"Haha, your auto financing has really taken Goldman down a peg. Morgan Stanley might snag some benefit, but these guys haven't seen a dime."
"Tch, they love to bully people, and now they've become addicted to it."
Facing a persistently sluggish market, the Fed finally began to prop it up. They've realized that unless credit loosens, they absolutely can't solve the problem.
That auto financing idea isn't bad; I heard they're planning to venture into real estate too, which would be great. If housing prices rise moderately, it'll definitely encourage consumer spending.
For those who own homes, an increase in property value is like being handed cash. As long as property values keep rising, the American economy won't face any issues.
*****
https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.