The sum of all fears - Tom Clancy [63]
Prince Ali was stunned by the question. Was not Ryan's mission to present the American plan? He almost lapsed into anger, but Ali was too clever for that. It wasn't a trap he saw. It was a fundamental change in American policy.
"Dr Ryan, you asked that question for a reason, but it was a rhetorical question nonetheless. I believe the answer to that question is yours to make."
The answer took three minutes.
Ali shook his head sadly. That, Dr Ryan, is something he would probably find acceptable, but the Israelis will never agree to it even though we might - more precisely, would reject it for the very reason that we would accept it. They should agree to it, of course, but they will not."
"Is it acceptable to your government, sir?"
"I must, of course, present it to others, but I think our response would be favorable."
"Any objections at all?"
The Prince paused to finish his coffee. He stared over Ryan's head towards something on the far wall. "We could offer several modifications, none of them really substantive to the central thesis of your scheme. Actually, I think the negotiations on those minor issues would be easily and quickly accomplished, since they are not matters of consequence to the other interested parties."
"And who would be your choice for the Muslim representative?"
Ali leaned forward. "That is simple. Anyone could tell you. The Imam of the Al-Aqusa Mosque is a distinguished scholar and linguist. His name is Ahmed bin Yussif. Ahmed is consulted by scholars throughout Islam for his opinions on matters of theology. Sunni, Shi'a, all defer to him on selected issues. He is even a Palestinian by birth."
"That easy?" Ryan closed his eyes and let out a breath. He'd guessed right on that one. Yussif was not exactly a political moderate, and had called for the expulsion of Israel from the West Bank. But he had also denounced terrorism per se on theological grounds. He wasn't quite perfect, but if the Muslims could live with him, he was perfect enough.
"You are very confident, Dr Ryan." Ali shook his head. "Too confident. I grant you that your plan is fairer than anything I or my government expected, but it will never happen." Ali paused again and fixed Ryan with his eyes. "Now I must ask myself if this was ever a serious proposal, or merely something to give the appearance of fairness."
"Your Highness, President Fowler addresses the United Nations General Assembly next Thursday. He present this very plan then, live and in color. I am authorized to extend your government an invitation to the Vatican to negotiate the treaty formally."
The Prince was sufficiently surprised by that that he lapsed into an Americanism: "Do you really think you can bring this off?"
"Your Highness, we're going to give it one hell of a try."
Ali rose and walked to his desk. There he lifted a phone, pushed a button and spoke rapidly and, to Ryan, incomprehensibly. Jack had a sudden, giddy moment of whimsy. The Arabic language, as with the Hebrew, went from right to left instead of left to right, and Ryan wondered how one's brain dealt with that.
Son of a BITCH, Jack thought to himself. This just might work!
Ali replaced the phone and turned to his visitor. "I think it is time for us to see His Majesty."
"That fast?"
"One advantage to our form of government is that when one government minister wishes access to another, it is merely a matter of calling a cousin or an uncle. We are a family business. I trust that your President is a man of his word."
"The UN speech is already written. I've seen it. He expects to take heat from the Israeli lobby at home. He's ready for that."
I've seen them in action, Dr Ryan. Even when we were fighting for our lives alongside American soldiers, they denied us weapons we needed for our own security. Do you think that will change?"
"Soviet communism is at an end. The Warsaw Pact is at an end. So many things that shaped the world I grew up in are gone, and gone forever. It's time to get rid of the rest of the turmoil in the