[Chapter 584: Confusion in the Wind]
"Saddam Hussein may have died in the bombing; what appears before people now is merely a stand-in."
When this news broke on ABC, the world was thrown into an uproar. Despite the various extravagant claims from the Americans, some raised doubts, yet no one pressed too hard.
Cruise missiles could indeed come through the windows. According to the U.S. military, Saddam was having a meeting in the basement when their cruise missiles destroyed their hideout.
As soon as ABC made its announcement, NBC jumped in with a news report. Saddam's close buddy, Tariq Aziz, claimed that Saddam was planning a counterattack, and his soldiers and generals would give those arrogant cowboys a serious lesson.
Well, the Americans were no strangers to this Aziz guy. He directly tossed Senior Bush's letter on the ground and stepped on it; you can imagine how tough he really is.
As a Christian and a well-educated fellow, Aziz is somewhat of an unusual figure in Saddam's camp. The fact that he has Saddam's trust shows he is no ordinary guy.
When someone like that publicly expresses an opinion, the truth is evident. The U.S. military is just blowing smoke, while ABC is complicit in their nonsense.
Initially thinking they had landed an exclusive, they realized it was poison instead. Damn, it's tough to describe just how frustrating that is.
NBC has always been more reliable; they only report facts and state when something lacks credibility.
Rumors? Sure, just rumors. NBC never guarantees their credibility.
The media bickering didn't bother the American public. They knew ABC wasn't too trustworthy to begin with. If it weren't for how outrageous the news was, they would have treated it as just entertainment.
Now, it seems Saddam is still holding on and fighting. But seriously, where is he actually fighting?
Those Scud missiles are useless; don't waste your time. We all want to see a tank showdown, not watch you get bombed. For crying out loud, just retaliate already.
It's been 76 hours of non-stop bombing, and Saddam hasn't shown up. Tariq Aziz has only attacked verbally. Yet, what he describes about the battlefield is a mystery.
The people are confused, the politicians are confused, and a group of friends are also confused.
Someone suddenly thought, "Damn, is it possible that the computer crashed?"
This guy must have been playing Command & Conquer too much, because in the game, if your opponent drops out, you just beat them up a little. At most, they might throw a weak counterattack, but it wouldn't make a huge impact.
Strangely enough, Saddam's current situation is eerily similar to a scene in the game.
...
"Sir, the CIA wants to understand the situation here; it seems they know our arrangements on the ground."
"Heh, Max, most people have evacuated. Those still here are just outer collectors. What I've gathered is that Saddam isn't dead, but he has indeed lost control over his military. If the CIA wants a counterattack, please, send over a couple of satellite phones first. Hahaha, that cracks me up."
"Sir, it can't be like that."
"They're using couriers, the ones on horseback. The situation in Baghdad is still under his control; that's basically it."
"Okay, I hope they're satisfied."
The CIA's intelligence is pretty much the same. They just want to confirm through other channels, and William White's intelligence network is undeniably powerful.
After reconfirming the information, a bunch of honchos in Washington can only feel a bit bewildered in the wind. Damn, did we really mess this up? Was it really necessary to go to such lengths? Those bastard kids have already gone hunting. There aren't any decent targets; these kids really are bored.
Turning war into a game is truly something else. Those damned army guys are still talking about conspiracy theories. Saddam isn't a god or a Scorpion King. It's just a joke to think he could create an army out of thin air for a sneak attack.
The CIA knows all too well that there are arms dealers involved in this. When can ground warfare commence? The president's words don't mean much.
You bring benefits to everyone; then you're the president. If you only bring trouble, just go home quickly. If you linger, there will definitely be crazies blocking the president's door.
It's quite funny; crazies always find the president, while the Secret Service seems clueless. I really don't get, how has the administration managed to pull off such a big show without the president being harmed?
...
Having not exercised for over a month, William White found he had gained three pounds. This cannot stand; if he becomes a greasy uncle, how will he ever get by?
Since working out is off the table for now, he might as well swim. Data suggests that athletes have more active metabolisms. Let's not worry about whether that's true and just get back to exercising.
"Master, you're pushing too hard; it's better to take it step by step. It's been almost an hour now."
"Fulton, your watch is off; it's only been half an hour."
"Heh, roughly, roughly. Master, Boeing's pace is a bit slow; we need to send someone to hurry them up."
"These guys, how long has it been? Are they too busy making missiles to get some planes out?"
"Cough, cough, Master, that's not the same department. They seem to have taken an order for Air Force One."
"Wow, they're producing two planes at once! Bush Sr. doesn't seem to want to let this go."
"When he placed the order, it was also to stimulate spending. If he knew things were getting this intense, he probably wouldn't have thought about upgrading his ride."
"Hmm, got it. I'll have Filson check in later. The sky is filled with missiles; we should really get a more reliable plane."
...
William White was actually somewhat wronging these people; this plane is no run-of-the-mill aircraft. Just the communication system alone is enough to give anyone a headache.
Luxury isn't really the word for it. William White has no special cravings; he's not looking to deck things out in gold leaf or diamonds. Air Force One is expensive not because of its luxurious style.
This world might have been too peaceful for too long, and suddenly, such a big event has popped up. There are many countries feeling lost, not to mention individuals.
The average person suddenly realizes the world has changed completely. The traditionally overbearing Soviets are now surprisingly reasonable. Meanwhile, the usually low-key Americans have abruptly risen.
Okay, if their army could just step up a bit, there really wouldn't be anyone who could go toe-to-toe with them.
But, these things are trivial; the onlookers now want to know where Saddam's elite forces have gone. Could it be this guy plans to take on the Americans in street fighting?
Damn, don't joke around like that -- where are your three layers of steel defense? There's no resistance at all.
Wait a second, what's our army doing?
Could it be that the ones commanding the troops are not the Americans but the French?
You have to know, they pulled that stunt back in the day. Declaring but not fighting was their invention.
Okay, if the bombs are going to drop, let them drop. The onlookers still need to get on with their lives. Since there won't be any changes for a while, we might as well go look for some fun.
*****
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