Lethal Trajectories - Michael Conley [82]
Jack marveled at the efficiency of their plan. For the first time, he truly grasped the power of the presidency to cut through red tape. As Jack made his call to Wang, he couldn’t help but reflect on his new duties as incoming chief of staff to the president of the United States. If this is what it’s all about, and if this works, it could be … “Hello, Peng, it’s Jack.”
31
Jerusalem
28 September 2017
Prime Minister Yakov Nachum looked around the table and saw nothing but drawn faces and tense shoulders. The Security Cabinet of Israel had assembled to assess their state of readiness for a response to the Saudi coup and to prepare their response to a radio broadcast from King Mustafa scheduled to air at 1900 hours, Jerusalem time.
“Mr. Kahib,” Nachum asked Mossad head Meir Kahib, “what are your operatives telling you?”
“We are seeing early signs, Mr. Prime Minister, of stepped-up underground activities in the West Bank and Gaza. We have ordered a crackdown on all suspected cells operating in those areas, but it is only the beginning. We expect they will take heart in Mustafa’s overthrow, and we are trying to ascertain now what level of support Mustafa might be capable of giving them.”
While not surprised by Kahib’s observation, Nachum was painfully aware of the distraction these uprisings could have on a large-scale military operation against the Saudis or even Iran, for that matter. He next called on the defense minister for a report.
“All reserve units have been called up,” reported the Minister of Defense, “and the armed forces are on a full wartime footing. Fighter-bombers are fueled and ready to go, and we have begun deployment of our armored units according to prearranged tactical plans.”
Nachum nodded and then asked his war cabinet, as it was informally known, to stand by for the announcement that was about to be made by the new Saudi government.
“Good evening, citizens of Saudi Arabia and freedom-loving people throughout the world. This is King Mustafa ibn Abdul-Aziz, broadcasting live from the Royal Palace in Riyadh.
We greet you with good news: the Zionist and CIA-led plot to overthrow the sovereign government of Saudi Arabia has been smashed, and the country is in safe hands. The perpetrators are being brought to justice, and we will ruthlessly weed out the infidel insurrectionists wherever they are found.
“I am also pleased to announce that today at 6:30 p.m., Riyadh time, we have detonated an atomic bomb producing almost fifty kilotons of energy—more than double the size of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima by the infidel Americans—to demonstrate that Saudi Arabia is a nuclear power. We have the delivery systems to reach almost any target on Earth and the capacity to destroy a city like Jerusalem. If necessary to the survival of Saudi Arabia, we have at our disposal electromagnetic pulse weaponry and cruise missiles armed with dirty-bomb warheads that could render any oil field or port city a radioactive wasteland.
“We are a threat to all infidels, but you are not a threat to us. We have the ability to destroy your satanic ways with either our bombs or our oil. As peace-loving people, we hope to do neither, but that will depend on you. We hope to reach an accommodation that will satisfy the needs of all peace-loving people of the world and eliminate the evil that poisons Allah’s creation.
“To provide clarity, we have summarized our positions in what we call our Five Demands. I will read each demand carefully and then tell you the consequences for your failure to comply with our most reasonable requests.
“First, all nations shall sever diplomatic relations with and support for Israel.
“Second, Israel shall turn over and forever relinquish control of all territories in Gaza, the Golan Heights, and the West Bank, and Jerusalem shall become an open city with access for all and an abolition of all checkpoints.
“Third, all Arab prisoners held anywhere shall be released by the infidels, and there shall be no retaliation of any kind, nor restrictions on travel, religious practices,