Lethal Trajectories - Michael Conley [83]
“Fourth, all foreigners shall leave Saudi Arabia within seventy-two hours of this announcement unless given formal permission to stay. Further, all foreign properties will be nationalized, with appropriate compensation provided for said property.
“Fifth and finally, the current petrodollar transactional system for all OPEC oil transactions will be discontinued and hereafter based on Saudi and a basket of other OPEC currencies. Our OPEC partners, who will benefit from this new currency system, are expected to actively participate in this effort.
“These are not unreasonable demands, but there are consequences for noncompliance. All Saudi oil supplies will be cut off immediately until compliance can be monitored, and all OPEC nations are encouraged to follow suit or risk an adversarial relationship with the royal Saudi government. After such time as oil supplies are restored, a ten percent penalty will be added to the price of oil for each and every week a nation fails to comply with our most reasonable requests.
“Further, we encourage and promise support to all Arab freedom movements that are suppressed by the Zionists or other infidel countries.
“Last, we will monitor all countries purchasing OPEC oil through side arrangements of any kind, and OPEC countries discovered to be selling their oil in unsanctioned arrangements will risk an adversarial relationship with Saudi Arabia. Let this be considered your one and only warning.
“To the infidels and satanic countries everywhere, your days of tyranny and oppression are over. Take heed, your time has passed. This is a new world, and you would be well advised to acquiesce to our just demands.
“To our Arab brothers throughout the world, take heart. Your time has come. Allahu Akbar!”
The entire Israeli war cabinet erupted in anger, and Prime Minister Nachum had a difficult time restoring order. Even then, every new question resulted in voices raised in anger—not to mention fear—despite the critical need for calm and efficient responses.
“Gentlemen!” Nachum nearly shouted, “We are agreed. Israeli fighter-bombers will commence round-the-clock patrols of our eastern borders, through the Gulf of Aquaba to the Red Sea and back. We will also activate our nuclear weapon systems for instant launch should the signal be given.
“Jerusalem and all port cities will be locked down tight with a nighttime curfew. All security forces in the West Bank and on the border will be reinforced. The Dimona nuclear facilities and research centers will be bolstered with three additional antimissile batteries. All submarines and naval forces will deploy and take their assigned positions, and you will make sure the submarines are carrying their full complement of nuclear tipped cruise missiles. Is that understood?”
The war cabinet nodded their concurrence as Nachum continued.
“I will address the Knesset at nine o’clock tonight and make a general address to the Israeli people tomorrow morning. Gentlemen, I regret to say that we must be prepared for war. We will meet again at ten o’clock tonight. In the meantime, I have scheduled a call to the president of the United States. I leave you to your preparations—and your prayers.”
The White House
28 September 2017
Mustafa’s bombastic broadcast spurred well over an hour of vigorous debate among the SWAT team members gathered in the Situation Room. Finally, President Burkmeister called for a break.
“Folks, I’m due for a call with Prime Minister Nachum of Israel. Clayton, I’d like you to stay here with me, and I’d like everyone else back here in an hour.”
The door had barely closed behind them when Admiral Coxen informed Burkmeister that Nachum was on the line.
“Hello, Prime Minister Nachum, this is President Burkmeister, and I am on the phone with Vice President Clayton McCarty.”
“Thank you for taking my call, gentlemen. As you can well imagine, we are shocked and horrified by the news out of Saudi Arabia and what amounts to an open attempt to exterminate Israel. I’m calling to find out