Pausing, Nafissi let Radin consider his probable fate. Then, in a low and emotionless voice, Nafissi began to question Radin. "What type of agent did that battalion have?"
Turning to the staff officer, Radin asked what battalion had been overrun. The staff officer replied that it had been the 3rd Battalion. Turning back to Nafissi, Radin thought for a moment. "Nerve agent— persistent nerve agent."
Nafissi thought about that, then continued his questioning. "Are there any other rocket units east of Tobruk?"
Radin hesitated before he answered. "No, there are none east of Tobruk."
"Are you sure? After all, you had told me that none would be deployed forward, and somehow one managed to be where it should not have been."
"That is true, Colonel Nafissi — I had told you that. But the Russians, they became suspicious when none of our rocket units were moved forward to where they could strike into Egypt."
"So you moved a battalion forward to please the Russians!"
"No, not to please them — to keep them from becoming curious. After all, you said that you wanted no one that didn't need to know to find out about our plans. You yourself stated that secrecy was critical if we were to succeed in our plan."
Irritated, Nafissi stood up, leaned over his desk, and began to yell again. "So, to fool the Russians, you sent a unit with chemical weapons forward, right into the hands of the Egyptians! How safe, do you think, is our secret now? The Egyptians may not follow the true ways of Allah, but they have eyes and brains. Not only will they be ready for our chemical attack but they will no doubt parade their new trophies before the Americans, screaming, 'Look, chemical weapons — help us!'"
Standing upright, Nafissi readjusted his Sam Browne belt. "For your sake, and that of the revolution, pray to Allah that the Americans ignore the Egyptians and the Egyptians do not have time to destroy our remaining rocket units."
"Colonel Nafissi, even if the Egyptians know of the weapons, will that still not serve our purposes just as well?"
Nafissi, looking at Radin, did not understand.
Radin explained. "The shock of finding chemical weapons may be enough to slow or even stop the Egyptians. If they are not ready for chemical warfare, they may pull back sooner than they had planned rather than risk mass annihilation. To the rest of the world, it will seem that our army and the Revolutionary Guard turned back the Egyptians. We will have defended Libya — and you, you will be hailed as a hero, the defender of the True Faith and our people."
Though Nafissi knew that Radin was desperately trying to save his skin, what he said made sense. The mere threat of chemical weapons could be as effective as their actual use. After all, if the weapons were not used, it would be far easier to deny to the rest of the world that they even existed. Once they were used, there would be far too much evidence to hide. And if the Egyptians did parade those weapons already captured before the media of the world, Libya could deny that they were of Libyan origin. After all, to the rest of the world, Egyptian FROG-7 rockets could very easily be made to look just like Libyan FROG-7 rockets — an argument Nafissi intended to use.
Sitting down, Nafissi mulled over the possibilities that this accident presented him. But he rejected them. He wanted to inflict a crushing defeat on the Egyptians. He wanted smashed and depleted units streaming east in retreat out of Libya. In short, only a crushing victory would serve his purposes. If the Egyptians stopped on their own accord and withdrew intact and without pressure, they could easily claim that they had accomplished their objectives and won. Radin's stupidity put his plan in jeopardy.
For a moment Nafissi smiled. Radin felt a rush of relief — a feeling that was short-lived. Seeing Radin's relief, Nafissi forced the smile off his face. "You have betrayed the revolution, Colonel Radin, by disobeying my orders and endangering our operations." This sudden announcement shocked Radin. To the staff officer Nafissi barked, "Captain, Colonel Radin is under arrest, charged with treason. Have him confined under guard in his quarters until such time as he can be properly executed." As an afterthought, he added, "That is all," dismissing them both with a wave of his hand.
Swinging about into a shallow turn, the Egyptian MI-8 helicopter prepared to land. Dixon turned to look out the small round window, hoping to see the site before they landed. The scene that flashed by, however, was the same monotonous desert landscape that he had been watching for the last hour. Turning back, he looked at the Egyptian major who was their translator and guide. His arms were tightly folded onto his chest, his head bobbing up and down as the helicopter jolted and bucked. He was asleep. Next to Dixon, First Lieutenant Allen Masterson of the Chemical Corps was rearranging his equipment in preparation for landing. Assigned to the U.S. brigade that was still deployed in Egypt just west of Cairo, Masterson was there at Dixon's insistence. Not that anyone had to twist Masterson's arm to volunteer. The young lieutenant was delighted with the idea of getting away from the staging area where he and the rest of the brigade had been held since the beginning of the crisis. When Dixon briefed him on their mission, his excitement doubled.
At the request of the Egyptian army, Dixon and Masterson reported to the headquarters of the 1st Army in Matruh to verify the discovery of Libyan chemical weapons. Dixon had been brought in from the forward command post of the 2nd Brigade of the 14th Armored Division, then advancing on Al Adam from the south. Masterson was flown in from Cairo. In Matruh, the two Americans received a more detailed briefing on the circumstances concerning the discovery of a Libyan surface-to-surface rocket unit equipped with chemical weapons. Earlier that morning, a recon detachment of the 22nd Mechanized Division had overrun a Libyan unit equipped with FROG-7s (free rocket over ground) armed with warheads containing chemical weapons. Not realizing that the warheads of the rockets contained chemicals, the scout cars of the recon unit had fired indiscriminately. Several of the warheads, according to the Egyptian colonel that briefed them, were hit, releasing the persistent nerve agent. Twelve soldiers died before the commander of the unit realized what was happening and withdrew downwind of the site. The Egyptian high command wanted the American officers to verify their discovery. Dixon, working with the 1st Egyptian Army, was tagged to go.
As the helicopter landed, the Egyptian major woke up. Looking at Dixon, he smiled. "Ah, we are here." Checking that he had his protective mask, the major stood up and moved to the cabin door.
Turning to Masterson, Dixon said dryly, "Well, Lieutenant, it's time to earn your pay." Then, as an afterthought, he added glumly, "Let's get this over with."
Once out of the helicopter and on the ground, the major motioned Dixon and Masterson over to a BRDM armored car. In front of the BRDM an Egyptian lieutenant, covered with dust and grime, stood waiting for them. Even from a distance Dixon could see that the recon lieutenant was haggard and tired. His mouth was locked in a frown, his eyes cold and vacant. Dixon knew the look — the look of a man who had seen war up close and personal. Dixon also noticed that the recon lieutenant, like the rest of the BRDM's crew, was wearing a chemical-protective suit. About the lieutenant's waist his protective mask hung dangling at the end of the air hose attached to its filter container. Instinctively Dixon's left hand dropped to touch his own protective mask carrier, just to be sure.
Introductions were short and perfunctory. The recon lieutenant spoke to the major. While Dixon waited for the translation, he watched as the Egyptian crewmen, responding to something in the lieutenant's conversation with the major, removed their helmets and started putting on their protective masks. By the time the major began his translation, both Dixon and Masterson had already begun to pull out their own protective masks.