Executive orders - Tom Clancy [214]
The Saudis? Ryan asked.
They're having kittens, Jack, Ed Foley replied at once. I talked with Prince Ali less than an hour ago. They cobbled together an aid package that would just about have paid off our national debt in an effort to buy the new Iraqi regime-did it overnight, biggest goddamned letter of credit ever drafted-but nobody's answering the phone. That has 'em shook in Riyadh. Iraq's always been willing to talk business. Not now.
And that would be what frightened all the states on the Arabian Peninsula, Ryan knew. It wasn't well appreciated in the West that the Arabs were businessmen. Not ideologues, not fanatics, not lunatics, but businessmen. Theirs was a maritime trading culture that predated Islam, a fact remembered in America only in remakes of Sinbad the Sailor movies. In that sense they were very like Americans, despite the difference in language, clothing, and religion, and just like Americans they had trouble understanding people who were not willing to do business, to reach an accommodation, to make some sort of exchange. Iran was such a country, changed from the previous state of affairs under the Shah by the Ayatollah Khomeini into a theocracy. They're not like us was the universal point of concern for any culture. They're not like us ANYMORE would be a very frightening development for Gulf States who'd always known that, despite political differences, there had always been an avenue of commonality and communication.
Tehran? Jack asked next. Ben Goodley took the question unto himself.
Official news broadcasts welcome the development-the routine offers of peace and renewed friendship, but nothing beyond that at this point, Goodley said. Officially, that is. Unofficially, we're getting all sorts of intercept traffic. People in Baghdad are asking for instructions, and people in Tehran are giving them. For the moment they're saying to let the situation develop apace. The revolutionary courts come next. We're seeing a lot of Islamic clergy on TV, preaching love and freedom and all that nice stuff. When the trials start, and people start backing into walls to pose for rifle-fire, then there's going to be a total vacuum.
Then Iran takes over, probably, or maybe runs Iraq like a puppet on a string, Vasco said, flipping through the latest set of intercepts. Goodley may be right. I'm reading this SigInt stuff for the first time. Excuse me, Mr. President, but I've been concentrating on the political side. This stuff is more revealing than I expected it to be.
You're saying it means more than I think it does? the NIO asked.
Vasco nodded without looking up. I think it might. This is not good, the desk officer opined darkly.
Later today, the Saudis are going to ask us to hold their hand, Secretary Adler pointed out. What do I tell them?
Ryan's reply was so automatic that it startled him. Our commitment to the Kingdom is unchanged. If they need us, we're there, now and forever. And with two sentences, Jack thought a second later, he had committed the full power and credibility of the United States of America to a non-democratic country seven thousand miles away. Fortunately, Adler made it easier for him.
I fully agree, Mr. President. We can't do anything else. Everyone else nodded agreement, even Ben Goodley. We can do that quietly. Prince Ali understands, and he can make the King understand that we're not kidding.
Next stop, Ed Foley said, we have to brief Tony Bretano in. He's pretty good, by the way. Knows how to listen, the DCI-designate informed the President. You plan to do a cabinet meeting about this?
Ryan shook his head. No. I think we should play this one cool. America is observing regional developments with interest, but there's nothing for us to get excited about. Scott, you handle the press briefing through your people.
Right, SecState replied.
Ben, what do they have