But military conflict drains a country. It destroys a nation and changes its destiny. It opens the opportunity for instability, and wherever you have instability you have forces that jump into adventurism. We are achieving world dominion by a combination of economic might and political stealth and without a single loss of a Chinese life.” He chuckled. The others around the table laughed with him.
The chairman, a smile on his face, waved his hand for quiet. Silence descended like a dropped curtain. “The Americans did it to the old Soviet Union, and ironically, they fail to recognize their own method turned against them. I ask you, when was the last time someone in America brought something that did not bear the imprint
“Made in China’? Remember the EP-3 incident years ago when their reconnaissance aircraft collided with our fighter? When the families of the crew members circled their trees and houses with yellow ribbons, what did they discover when they reached the end of the roll? “Made in China’ was what they found.”
Applause erupted as the withered Dao Chu Shai draped the bright red ribbon around General Xing’s neck. An oval gold medal with the profile of Mao Tse-Tung hung from the ribbon. Xing bowed with genuine modesty to the crowd, who smiled broadly at the chairman. The portly general bowed several more times in appreciation to hide his apprehension.
When adulation focused on one in China, there were only two ways to go.
As the applause dampened, Dao waved everyone to be seated. He waited for the noise of scraping chairs and rustling clothes to stop before he asked, “And now, General, have we pulled our lackeys, the dog-eating Koreans, back into their hole? Have we tightened their chains?” He curled his withered gargoyle like hands into shaking fists, the long four-inch fingernails on both thumbs clicking against the other nails like caged crickets.
Dao deliberately turned his back to the general and began his unaided journey back to his seat at the other end. Hopefully, this would put a stop to rumors about his ill health.
“I am honored, Mr. Chairman,” General Xing replied to the chairman’s back. “This morning I issued orders to the Koreans, thanking them for their cooperation and confirming delivery on our promise. I have personally passed my thanks to the Korean General Staff, and asked them to notify me immediately when they have commenced moving away from the border area. This will defuse the crisis with the southern puppets of the United States. Normality will return to the Korean Peninsula. Our brothers in the north will demobilize and send their reserves home.
When this has happened, our trains and truckloads of food will cross the border and the loans promised to support their agriculture programs will be deposited in appropriate bank accounts in Hong Kong.”
“General Xing, this, too, will be used to our advantage,” the chairman said as he continued his trip to his seat, his breathing noticeably heavier. “I have instructed our foreign ministry to immediately inform the American government when the Koreans begin demobilizing. We will deliver the news quietly, without much fanfare, but in such a venue that the Americans can hardly fail to recognize that it was our direct intervention that defused the Korean crisis. In the balance sheet of geopolitics they will owe us. The Americans will give credit to the People’s Republic. America will be honor bound to continue their most-favored-nation trade status with us.
It is unfortunate that our success cannot be told to the world, but someday, when we assume our rightful role as the true world leader and only superpower, it will be.” He reached the end of the table. The two assistants helped the chairman to sit down. “Give us ten more years.”
Everyone waited quietly while Chairman Dao Chu Shai refilled his glass and caught his breath. Several minutes passed before he raised his head. “Of course, the food and agriculture support offered to the North Koreans to pull back must not be borne solely by the People’s Republic. We will ask America to provide the financing to pay for such a humanitarian gesture and, I daresay, they will jump at the chance.
It’s in their genes to be over helpful He laughed, and the others joined. “They are so naive.”
When the laughter ceased, General Xing replied, “You have great insight, Mr. Chairman. I would also add that we must be thankful that when Hong Kong rightfully rejoined the rest of China, its treasure of Western computers and information technology remained in place. Without Western technology combined with Eastern wisdom and integrated into our military operations, we would have never achieved this pinnacle of success.”
Everyone in the room nodded in agreement.
“And we must thank the Americans for their freedom of sharing information. The Internet has provided so much help in our transformation and progress.”
On the wide-screen television to the left of the chairman, the Algerian ambassador began his walk down the aisle of the United Nations.
“Now to enjoy the fruits of your efforts, General,” Dao Chu Shai said.
He patted his pocket several times. An assistant leaned forward and extracted a nitroglycerin tablet from a small pharmaceutical bottle. Chairman Dao weakly grabbed the tablet and placed it shakily beneath his tongue.
“My fellow members, the ambassador from the Islamic Republic of Algeria, Mr. Ahmid Tawali Mintab,” the presiding officer announced. To polite applause he stepped down and nodded to the balding, middle-aged man waiting nearby. The Spanish presiding officer shook the offered hand politely as he walked past.
Ahmid stepped up to the stand, reached up, and bent the microphone lower. He cleared his throat, the sound echoing in the chambers to simultaneously silence the audience. He waited several seconds for various ambassadors to position their earphones. He wanted to ensure they received the near instantaneous translations of his remarks, which were to be given in modern standard Arabic — the language of the Koran.
When the wave of motion, caused by the movements of the audience, eased, he began. “My fellow ambassadors to the United Nations. Today, I announce a most glorious moment in the history of the Arab people and the Islamic world — the formation of a new country, a new government, a new beginning. This new government that I represent intends to fight in promoting freedom from fear and hunger. It intends to give everyone the right and access to the resources needed to live a fruitful life under the benevolent protection of Islamic laws as prescribed by the Holy Prophet Mohammed in the most holy of books, the Koran.” He paused to take a sip of water from the glass in front of him. “I, Ahmid Tawali Mintab, have the honor to explain the events of the past days and reassure those who view with concern what is happening in North Africa.
“To address the most important issue, I direct my comments to the great Western powers of the United States, England, France, Italy, and the other countries who worry over their citizens’ well-being in Algiers. Even as I speak, your citizens, who voluntarily sought refuge in the American Embassy in Algiers, will be offered free access to the harbor area—”
“Sought, hell,” Bob Gilfort said. “They were rounded up and shoved into the Algerian version of the Black Hole of Calcutta.”
“—where they can be picked up by your governments. We will provide the necessary security and protection to those who wish to avail themselves of this opportunity. For those who wish to stay, they may petition the new government. Friends of the Islamic Republic will be welcomed with opened arms. Enemies will be crushed.”