“But you also make money building more American weapons.”
“Yes but you do not see the whole picture.”
“I understand the computer programs, but this.”
“We play the Washington lobbying game. We pay their politicians and military leaders like all lobbyists and now the Pentagon’s chief weapons buyer is not only listening to us but giving us the jobs we bid on. The American military already buys a Brazilian made spy plane. The largest U.S. military contractor, Lockheed Martin has foreign offices. We no longer need spies to access secrets. All we need is a contract to supply parts for their secret weapons. Our lobbyists are capable of virtually buying those contracts.”
“Ahhh.”
“Even now we are working on a three-hundred billion dollar job for a Strike Fighter jet to replace the F-16.”
“But if you help with these weapons how can we hope to destroy them?”
With a wicked smile bin Laden continued, “Let me finish. Seventy-three foreign suppliers provide parts for 12 of America’s most important weapons. Through India we provide most of the electronics and chips thanks to American computer companies. We make and sell the critical chips and electronics for their aircraft and ground vehicles, including the Strike Fighter jet, Predator drones and Tomahawk missiles. When they attack us we will be capable of controlling or even shutting down most of those weapons because we will actually understand their military weapons better than they do. What better way to understand the weapon of your enemy than to be the one who makes those weapons. And when you make a weapon and understand its flaws, think how easy it shall be to make the same weapon for you but even better than your enemy! And when we shut down their foreign parts suppliers—“
Sharafan interrupted as the words brought a thorough understanding, “They will not be able to maintain their weapons.”
A smile of victory beamed from bin Laden, “Correct Rasht. Absolutely correct, and when we attack we will be able to control American’s mighty weapons. America has made the wolf the shepherd of their flocks.”
Again, Sharafan nodded his understanding.
When the United States accidentally captured Saddam Hussein it was another victory for Osama bin Laden and his people. Although President Bush again claimed triumph over the villainous Hussein, the people of Iraq were bitterly divided. While half of the people of Iraq were relieved and happy the terrible reign of Saddam Hussein was finished, the other half vented their hatred and anger on the United States for destroying the countless centuries of tradition, whether it was bad or not. The people of Iraq did not want another nation occupying and controlling their country.
It is said that when three percent of a country rises up against the powers that be, then that country can be taken over or overthrown. More than five percent of the whole population of Iraq was determined to find a solution to remove the United States. All they could rely on to satisfy their deadly desires were Osama bin Laden, his men, and his promise to rid the Middle East of the American infidels forever.
The United States military let chaos reign in Iraq over the next few years. The economy lacked stability. The Iraqi people lacked all the simple necessities of life while the American military became more brutal than the Hussein regime. America set up puppet leaders who would agree with American business. When America started to shut down newspapers and deny freedom of speech and press, a little known cleric, al-Sadr, stepped up and brought on a battle against the American military no one expected. The Iraqi people were not behind him until photos leaked out that detailed the abuse at Abu Ghraib prison — ironically, a location where Saddam Hussein had also tortured those against him.
The Iraqi people had become disillusioned and infuriated with the American occupation, and it was reflected in the popularity of al-Sadr as more than half the people now backed him. Now American troops had to fight the people of Iraqi. It was Vietnam all over again. While the popularity of al-Sadr soared, President Bush’s plummeted.
From the safety of an exquisite bungalow hidden in the mountains of Pakistan, Sharafan and bin Laden watched all that transpired on cable. CNN gave them more information than their own agents.
Sharafan noted the sadistic humor of the situation in the prison and laughed as he told bin Laden, “Abu Ghraib is under new management.”
Another important thing also happened in Iraq that pleased and assisted bin Laden with his plans. “President Bush has accomplished something in less than a year that Muslims and the peoples of the Middle East have not been able to do for a thousand years.”
Curious Sharafan asked, “What is that?”
With a grin of evil satisfaction, bin Laden said, “The Sunni and Shiites. Bitter enemies for centuries, now, side-by-side they are loyal comrades fighting a common enemy: America.”
Even Sharafan understood the significance of bin Laden’s words. “With what the American president has accomplished in less than four years, think what he will be able to do for us if he is elected again.”
Bin Laden also said, “While they say an invasion and occupation of Iraq will rid the world of terrorism, they have let our strength magnify while showing the world they are the true terrorists. America’s allies are pulling away. Even the media notes the evil done by America. The Americans give Iraq a democracy but they pick Iraq’s leader.”
And it was true. The Americans had installed former Iraqis like Izzadine Saleem and Aquila al-Hashimi. All were handpicked leaders of the Bush Administration, assassinated one-by-one.
The administration also picked Ahmed Chalabi to lead Iraq. He had been exiled for embezzlement in 1989. The United States put him in power in exchange for his promise to cooperate with American “big business.” But he proved his greed was not much different than that of his American counterparts. The American military broke into his house because they had information he was corrupt and in contact with Iran giving vital information to Iran about U.S. movements.
When bin Laden heard of this he smiled to Sharafan and the others telling them, “It has always been this way. The U.S. ousted the dictator of Cuba and replaced him with Fidel Castro. They made Noriega their choice in Panama, only to find he did what the U.S. was trying to stop.
“It’s ironic they can destroy Iraq but not stop the drug trade. You would think the American people would realize the reason there is still a drug trade in America is because that is what their corrupt leaders want. The only difference here is that the American puppets in Iraq will be executed.”
As they talked, CNN showed President Bush again under the sign broadcasting “Mission Accomplished” but this time it showed eighty Americans dead. Then it noted that after almost a year more than 800 Americans had died and there was less control in Iraq than in the first month of the victory. As pictures of the Abu Ghraib tortures filled the screen, a commentary echoed from the monitor.
“Has the president falsely led us into war only to satisfy his personal ego? His incompetence led us into a world that is more unsafe than ever before. Is our nation safe? Now the world is against us. And who is leading America? Is it Bush? Or is it Cheney, Rumsfeld, or Israel? Let us pray this was not a war for oil. If there is a road map to peace in the Middle East then let us also pray Israel will follow it. This administration has tarnished the beacon of freedom and hope America once offered the world.”
Sharafan and bin Laden gloated at what was happening around the world. Instead of being a group of renegade Muslim militants, bin Laden, with the help of President Bush, had turned it into a popular movement, fueled daily by America’s actions.
Within weeks the torture at Abu Ghraib prison pointed to Rumsfeld. Again President Bush came to his defense, praising him for his superb job and courageous leadership in Iraq. To defend his stand, Bush made the military move quickly to court-martial a few common soldiers, while Rumsfeld and the generals in “control” never had charges brought against them.