[Chapter 786: The Defense System Turns Out to Be Useless]
"Master, there's been trouble in Africa. This time, it's serious." Tanner returned with an incredulous expression.
"What? Who got knocked off this time? Isn't that normal in Africa?"
"Well, master, it seems this time it's really blown up. The leaders of Rwanda and Burundi were on the same plane."
"C'mon, what does that mean? A mechanical failure or a terrorist attack?"
Tanner forced a smile. If that were the case, it might not be a big deal. Most black folks didn't have much money and usually settled for second-hand planes. Mechanical failures were the norm.
"No, it was shot down by a surface-to-air missile in the capital of Rwanda."
"What the hell? Who came up with that? Don't tell me this is just political differences. Even hostile nations wouldn't pull a stunt like that. This is downright murder. By the way, where did they get the missile? Didn't the plane have radar?"
Now, it was Tanner's turn to be speechless. What kind of plane was it? Had they been flying lower, an RPG could have done the trick.
Alright, it sounded like something out of a ridiculous TV drama.
"This is a serious mess. By the way, did we have anyone there?"
"No, that's the territory of the French. I have no idea how this is going to end."
"End? Why? If it turns into a complete disaster, just abandon ship, like in Somalia. Just wait and see; in Pentagon, they'll only condemn it verbally."
As for other matters, William White might not have remembered clearly. He had seen the movie Hotel Rwanda, and it was appalling.
There had been many crash incidents, but none had such severe consequences. Good grief, over a million people lost their lives. Such a number was hard to comprehend.
It wasn't just over a million dead; it was a million deaths occurring over again.
"Master, there are too many twists to this situation. Are the intelligence agencies in this world being taught by the same teacher?"
William White exhaled deeply, unsure of how to respond to that.
Let them fuss about it. Just look at Paris later; it nearly turned brown. If they were trying to increase the population, they definitely succeeded.
"This could be the start of a disaster. If I remember correctly, this meeting of the two presidents was supposed to be for peace."
"Yes, one missile plunged two countries into the fire. Let's hope the person who orchestrated this knows what they're doing. Master, you just implied that Pentagon wouldn't intervene."
"Of course not. Just look at the Somalia mess. Yeah, these guys would have had a decent plane... By the way, Tanner, what if it was one of our planes?"
"There are risks for us as well; it seems to have happened during landing. If the speed was too slow, it probably wouldn't have been quick enough. One missile might be alright, but two would pose a serious risk."
...
Meanwhile, Pentagon was also evaluating the impact of the incident. In fact, Clinton was in a dilemma.
"Al, will we be better off if we get involved?"
"Bill, that's tough. It's not just one country; it's two. Judging by the reports coming in, this is a serious humanitarian disaster."
"Isn't there something we can do?"
"It's complicated. The current conflict belongs to both parties. If we intervene, we could redirect the conflict and hostility."
"Those damn Frech; look at the good they've done!"
"Ahem, Bill, there's no solid evidence."
"Ha, these things always leave evidence. Maybe only the CIA can look into it."
...
Although the course of events unfolded similarly to what everyone expected, the severity surpassed the world's imagination.
After this incident, the United States and its European allies seemed hesitant to continue meddling. No one would be left to take responsibility for this event; no one could afford to.
...
"Boss, just a quick mention?"
"Jason, we can condemn the attackers. Don't jump to conclusions on this."
Sigh, the news from Max was terrifying. You stoke the flames of chaos now, and your boss still wanted to live a few more years.
"Boss, seriously? Is it that bad? Worse than Somalia?"
"Jason, there's no comparison; it's not even close in magnitude. By the way, there's no need for a French language broadcast either."
"Got it; I'll head to the studio."
"Right, don't over-explain. Use some other excuses. By the way, call for humanitarian aid. Make sure this event isn't sidelined."
William White truly felt there was little he could do. To be frank, he couldn't provide too much food. After all, having a full belly might mean more people dying.
...
"Max, the boss said there would be big trouble. From his tone, it seems he wants to bail on the African business."
"There's war everywhere. It's just chaotic. No wonder the boss isn't selling weapons; it truly complicates things."
"War? What are you talking about, Max? They're just literally taking people's lives; this isn't war at all."
"Thank goodness I didn't choose to go there. I just can't understand; aren't they all pretty much the same?"
"Ha, the boss wasn't wrong. The American system of democracy shouldn't be pushed onto them.
With dozens of factions, different races, and various tribes, it would definitely turn into a half-cooked dish."
"Tanner, this isn't our fault. That's the French territory."
...
William White had made up his mind -- no way he was going to Africa.
Ugh, no issues; it's best to avoid Europe too. Tanner was right; even with the missile defense system, you still wouldn't stand a chance against a madman.
Even if your plane was top-notch, if a MiG was right on your tail, you wouldn't escape. Supersonic jets aren't what commercial airlines can handle.
Damn, did the guy get tricked by Boeing? Clinton had escorts, especially in crucial moments, with someone there to take the bullets.
No wonder nobody bought such planes. This thing, aside from looking flashy, seemed utterly useless.
William White was overthinking. Clinton hardly had an escort on his travels. If you didn't need one domestically, how would your own jets get overseas?
If that worried you, why even think about going? That would just be embarrassing.
The so-called missile defense system only prevented misfires. It's true; if you insisted it was useless, that was also a fact.
Honestly, if this kind of situation happened all the time, how would you even live? It was just too unlucky.
Aside from movies, when has Air Force One ever been shot down?
Even so, it wouldn't mean needing installation every time. Didn't the president know most of this stuff was pointless?
Ever since the Soviets had their shock, Africa entered an era of chaos. They had never experienced anything like this; not even during World War II was it worse than the current situation.
...
"Rebecca, has White Media still not made a move?"
"Yes, sir, no response at all. NBC held a charity gala, and William White himself didn't show up. They say the billionaire got hurt during training."
"Cough, that bastard. Rebecca, what do you think about this situation?"
"Sir, something feels off. Europe is lively, but the U.S. hasn't reacted much at all. What's with calling for calm when so many have already died? There's no way to resolve the conflict."
"Hmm, I see, so that means the U.S. won't intervene."
"Yes, sir, it seems that Europe doesn't plan on intervening either."
"Ha, those worthless fools. Why should they intervene?"
Murdoch was indeed troubled about how to handle the news this time. He wanted to take some hints from others, but unfortunately, William White wasn't planning to let anyone peek at his notes.
*****
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