Lethal Trajectories - Michael Conley [22]
Prince Hahad ibn Saud, second-in-command of the Saudi Royal Guard Regiment, uniquely charged with protecting the House of Saud, replied, “It is too early to make our move because we don’t know yet how the West will respond. Our intelligence reports the American infidels have taken a wait-and-see position on this Chunxiao affair, and until we know they are fully committed to that area, we can’t guarantee they’ll keep their noses out of our tent in the early stages of our plan. That, of course, is the time in which we are the most vulnerable.”
Prince Ali Abdulah Bawarzi, Commanding General of the 15th Armored Brigade stationed ten miles south of Riyadh, said, “I would add that we have it from the most reliable sources that all American military units have been placed on a heightened military alert and that they have been instructed to watch closely for disruptions in areas of the world such as the Middle East. One can also assume they have alerted the Saudi government, and they, too, will soon go into a high state of alert.”
Nodding his head, General Aakif Abu Ali Jabar, chief of staff of the Royal Saudi Air Force, said, “Our intelligence picked up signals indicating that the American Navy’s USS Gerald R. Ford carrier group will soon redeploy from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific to bolster the American Seventh Fleet. If so, it would reduce American tactical airpower in this region, and that would certainly help our cause. We must wait, however, to confirm American intentions before making our move.”
Mohammed al-Hazari exploded at their overwhelmingly negative attitudes. “My brothers,” he cried, “we should all be willing to make whatever sacrifices are necessary to throw out the infidels and establish Allah’s rule throughout the Middle East. By overthrowing the Saudi regime and taking control of OPEC oil—the same oil that is used by the infidels to run their satanic economies—we can bring them to their knees. It will give us the power needed to wage a successful jihad. This Chunxiao thing, whatever you call it, is the sign we’ve waited for over the past two years. Now, my brothers, now! Now is the time to strike,” he shouted passionately, slamming his fist on the table.
The contentious argument that followed concerned Mustafa. Without doubt, they all wanted jihad, but as military planners, they could not ignore the practical realities of power. Passion and hope alone could not overthrow the infidels, Mustafa knew. Cold, hard power was the only thing the infidel swine understood.
It was not the first time a discussion of this sort had occurred, but the intensity and passion behind it took on a disrespectful tone that bothered Mustafa. He needed to get everyone back on track.
“My brothers,” he said, with all the propriety and respect he could muster, “we have been through so much together. In many respects, I believe you are all correct in what you are saying. We all agree that the time is near to strike. That is not in question, is it?
“Clearly,” he continued, “the Western powers will be preoccupied with events in the East China Sea, but it also seems clear they are not letting their guard down, at least for now. If, in fact, the Western powers become totally preoccupied with the Pacific, we will know then that our time has come to strike. It is difficult to know how these things will play out, but surely we can conclude events are moving in the right direction.”
He took a big drink of water and continued: “We must be prepared to initiate our plan within forty-eight hours’ notice or risk discovery from our stepped-up activities. That means our Unit 22 commando teams must be in position to take out key leaders and mine our oil fields with the radioactive dirty bombs, and our atomic bomb