"We just met yesterday, and the first impression Lieutenant Muhammad left on me was very deep." Bauer said, "You are a true warrior. We in the United States are the most supportive of warriors like Lieutenant Muhammad."
After saying that, Ball extended his hand and shook hands with Muhammad.
The two hands were tightly clasped together, and both of them had smiles on their faces, as if they were very friendly old friends.
It was not until two minutes later that they separated their hands. Muhammad put his hands on his back and shook them twice. Damn, it hurts! This guy's hands are really strong!
At the same time, Ball on the opposite side made the same move, with his hands behind his back, and it seemed that his mouth was still twitching.
"Come, Mr. Ball, please sit down." Mushaaf said to Ball with a smile, as if he had seen nothing.
When Ball turned around and sat down, Muhammad could see that this guy's hands were a little swollen. It seemed that his hands were stronger.
"We don't need to chat." Bauer said, "I came here this time because I received an order from the president. The Stinger missile is something we have just developed, and its performance is not very stable yet. I'm sorry that we can't provide it to the Afghan guerrillas. The TOW anti-tank missile is complicated to operate, and I'm afraid the guerrillas won't be able to master it. However, our CIA has obtained 300 RPG-7s through secret channels, and we can provide them all to your guerrillas. The RPG-7 can penetrate the main armor of Soviet tanks and can also knock a doe down from the sky."
It is undeniable that the RPG-7 is a mature and simple weapon that can be seen in every war. However, this thing is just used in large quantities. As for the combat results, it cannot be compared with the Stinger at all.
RPG-7 is an uncontrolled rocket-propelled grenade. After it is launched, it is in the process of inertial flight. Whether it can hit the target depends on the experience of the shooter and the blessing of God. To use the most familiar analogy, this thing is almost like shooting a flying monkey.
To shoot down a Hind, you have to fire dozens of rockets. If you just fire rockets, it would be fine. The key is that when the shooter launches, if he cannot shoot down the helicopter, he will only be killed by the helicopter. Helicopters are the natural enemy of infantry, as easy as an eagle catching a chick.
Muhammad was unwilling to pay with human lives, and three hundred RPG-7s showed little sincerity.
"Mr. Bauer, do you know what the war that is happening in Afghanistan means?" Muhammad asked Bauer.
Hearing Muhammad's question, Power said without hesitation: "The Soviets disregarded international norms and brazenly invaded a sovereign country. This is an act that violates the UN Charter. The international community has expressed extreme opposition to the Soviet Union. The Afghan people, despite the Soviet Union's strength, resolutely took up arms to defend their country. We in the entire West support the Afghan people. The Afghan people's guerrilla war is just."
Mhammad shook his head and said, "Mr. Power, politics is dirty. Don't make it sound so sacred. Why doesn't your country support those wars in Africa?"
"Lieutenant Muhammad, watch your words." Mushaaf said. Although Mushaaf is higher in military rank than Bauer in front of him, Bauer represents the United States, especially now. Bauer is directly responsible to the President of the United States. He reports the situation here and asks for support weapons. This person must not be offended. In order to support this guy, Pakistan even allowed him to open a bar on the street.
Muhammad immediately bowed his head and said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Power. My words did not mean to offend the dignity of your country. I just wanted to say that the Afghan war won the support of the Western world because of the Soviet Union. In essence, this is a war between the West and the Soviet Union, but it was carried out by the hands of the Afghan people. Tell me, am I right?"
This was the first conversation between Power and Muhammad. This meeting gave Power a great shock, so much so that more than ten years later, when Muhammad had become a hegemon and was drifting away from the United States, Power still attached great importance to Muhammad, a powerful opponent with keen political insight.
Muhammad is not only a soldier, but also has absolute talent in politics.
"For the Western world, as long as they help the Afghan people and win this war, they will have won a victory over the Soviet Union." Muhammad said: "It is for this reason that I will be sent to Afghanistan to help train the guerrillas there. However, this view is not entirely accurate. The significance of the Afghan War is far more than just a victory over the red Soviet Union. It has a deeper meaning!"
Muhammad glanced at Bauer, this guy was looking at him with a pair of glowing eyes at this moment. Muhammad couldn't help but feel satisfied in his heart, "Fool? I don't believe that I can't fool you."
What Muhammad relied on was not his political sensitivity but the knowledge of later generations.
The Afghan War completely impoverished the Soviet Union. When they were poor, they sought change. Gorbachev wanted to reform, but he discovered that in order to reform the economy, he had to reform politics first. This reform destroyed the Soviet Union.
If there had been no Afghan war, the Soviet Union would have been doomed to collapse, but it would definitely have been able to hold on for a few more years.
Even Mushaaf was looking at Muhammad with a wise look, waiting for Muhammad's next words.
"Afghanistan will be a huge quagmire. Once the giant Soviet Union has put its feet into the quagmire, it will not pull them out. They will sink deeper and deeper. In the end, not only will they not be able to pull their feet out, but their entire body will be trapped in it. This huge giant will gradually consume its energy in this quagmire. When it is exhausted, it will disappear." Muhammad made a vivid metaphor.
Muhammad knew he had succeeded in convincing Ball.
Muhammad didn't speak, and Mushaaf didn't speak either. Both of them were thinking about the new ideas that Muhammad, a low-ranking second lieutenant, brought to them.
"Now, the biggest threat to the Afghan guerrillas is the Soviet Hinds. During my guerrilla battle in Afghanistan, I was constantly threatened by the Hinds. In order to eliminate this threat, I ventured into the helicopter base in Jalalabad and destroyed the helicopters there. In order to continue fighting, the Soviets had to mobilize new helicopters from the country. The cost of a Hind is 5.5 million US dollars. The loss of these dozen Hinds is more than 60 million US dollars. How much crude oil does the Soviet Union have to export to make up for these losses?" Muhammad said: "This tactic can only be carried out once. The Soviets will strengthen the defense of the base, and we will not have a second chance. If we have the Stinger, we can continue to destroy the Soviet helicopters and cause them to suffer heavy losses."
"Modern wars are fought on the economy. When the Soviet Union's financial resources are exhausted by the Afghan war, the Soviet Union will find that the money that should have been used to buy bread has been used to build airplanes. The Soviet people will be dissatisfied with their living conditions and the Soviet Union will fall into a terrible predicament. All this depends on how much damage the Afghan guerrillas cause to the Soviets on the Afghan battlefield." Muhammad said: "We need Stingers and TOW anti-tank missiles."
It seems that his deception was effective. Muhammad finally said to Bauer: "Mr. Bauer, please tell your most trusted president that the Afghan guerrillas need Stingers and TOW anti-tank missiles. Your country only needs to provide weapons. The Afghan guerrillas have dedicated their blood and lives. We are working for the same goal, to bring down the Soviet Union!"
"I will convey all these words to the president," Powell said. "You also know that the United States is a democratic country. Exporting these weapons requires the votes of those in Congress. Sometimes the president is also in a difficult position."
"Mr. Ball, didn't you just say that the stinger is not mature yet?" said Muhammad.
Ball found that his conversation with Muhammad had always been following the other party's train of thought. In fact, he didn't need to come today, but he saw Muhammad last night and wanted to continue to communicate with Muhammad in depth.
"Lieutenant Muhammad, let's talk about this later. Let's talk about the beautiful Aisha next to you," said Bauer.
Aisha? Did this guy know that I had taken Aisha in for a night? The CIA is really omnipresent.
After coming out of the headquarters, Muhammad felt very refreshed. Although Powell had to ask the US President for permission, Muhammad felt that the US President would agree. Reagan, who was an actor, was very much looking forward to defeating the Soviet Union.
When he walked out of the headquarters, Muhammad stopped. Under a big tree on the street, a girl was standing there. When she saw Muhammad coming out, a smile appeared on her face.
"Aisha?" Muhammad saw the girl and immediately shouted, "Why are you here?"
"I forgot to tell you that the radio station is closed today, so I don't have to go." Aisha said, "I saw you come in from the room, so I've been waiting for you outside."
The military district's guesthouse was not far from here, and Muhammad went there for convenience. Who would have thought that he would be seen by the girl.
Aisha naturally took Muhammad's arm and said, "I'm hungry."
Hungry? Muhammad said, "Okay, let's go have some milk tea."
Walking on the streets of Peshawar, Muhammad felt the unique fragrance of the girls around him, constantly flowing into his nostrils. This feeling was like first love.