"Nonetheless, Jabal pointed out to us where other members of this team had been in hiding and his information has already allowed us to capture a number of the rebels, although any other Americans are still at large. Jabal insists that he would like to speak with the personnel we are capturing. In fact he wants to speak to all of the Kurds, to convince them of the need to take up your cause and join in a united Islam."

Hasan could see that, if this turned out to be true, and Jabal had indeed made a decision based on the true faith, there was a potential political, spiritual and international coup of major proportions to be enjoyed here. Jabal had been an effective leader for so many years in the Kurd efforts to gain their independence from Saddam Hussein. He had led well in this encounter with Hasan's own GIR forces and, if the American plans for air superiority had materialized, he probably would have been successful in preventing the GIR victory. If he was indeed convinced that the call to unite Islam was divine, and of Hasan's own role in that call as Imam...

"Commander, I would like you to bring Jabal here now so that I can speak with him and interrogate him personally. The Ayatollah Ol Osam Sadiq s.h.i.+raziha and I will talk with him here in private, while you and your men wait just outside the door. Leave one of your side arms here with us, but I do not believe we will find use for it."

Later that night, after much discussion and a lot of pointed and in-depth questioning by Hasan, the plans for the Kurds were complete. With Jabal's unqualified support and urging, the unification of the Kurds with the GIR would be a foregone conclusion. Considering Jabal's knowledge of the Americans, and his leaders.h.i.+p and strategy capabilities, the leaders.h.i.+p role for GIR forces in this region was also settled.

On the 5thof November, when Hasan made his announcement regarding the whole of Iraq becoming an official part of the GIR, closely followed by Jabal's speech to the world's press, the American's would know. They would know that their plans to thwart the will of Allah were in complete disarray and a total failure. They would also know that Hasan Sayeed knew exactly what they had attempted today on the road to Irbil. Hasan vowed before Allah that those actions would come back to haunt them.

Chapter 7.

"It is more honorable to repair a wrong than to persist in it."-Thomas Jefferson

November 6th, 2005, 10:55 CBC, "Face the Press"

New York City, New York "...this President, like so many other Presidents from his party, has found it necessary to go sticking our nose into the affairs of other nations. The United Nations' General a.s.sembly voted overwhelmingly to allow the elections in Iraq and Pakistan to stand. Many of us in the Senate and in the House opposed the recognition of Kurdistan. If it was so important, why didn't this same President, when he was the General in charge of all armed forces in Desert Storm, demand his President allow the creation of the so called "Republic of Kurdistan" back then? Or why didn't he insist on it as an advisor at the conclusion of the Iraqi Freedom Operation a short two and one half years ago?

"I'll tell you why he didn't. It's because the world community would no more accept it then than it does now. So, instead of allowing a nation of people to vote their conscience and unite with people of like faith and culture, this President too quickly sends in the "Marines" and we get our nose bloodied in the worst air battle disaster since World War II, and for what? The Kurdish people are now willing to unite with the GIR anyway!

"I'll tell you, it's preposterous. I am calling on my colleagues in the Senate and the House to conduct a full investigation. I believe we have the votes in the Senate to force a vote on censure, and that's exactly what I intend to do.

"The American people I represent are not interested in us forcing our will and our interpretation of the world view on other peoples. They are interested in maintaining low interest rates and high stock values, and in expanding our trade relations with the emerging nations, with organizations like the Coalition of Asian States. This president has taken actions that are damaging to all of these interests."

As the senior Senator from Ma.s.sachusetts completed his comments, the commentator on the popular Sunday morning news show turned to his other guest, the Secretary of State, Fred Reissinger.

"Well, Mr. Secretary, there you have a fairly stinging rebuke and a threat of censure by one of the leading opposition Senators. How is the Administration reading the apparent disapproval of its actions in the Persian Gulf by many in the Congress, and, according to the polls, a growing percentage of American citizens as well? How does the administration plan to respond?"

Fred Reissinger was a consummate negotiator, but his loyalties were immovable, not only in relation to his friend and boss, the President, but also on principle. This was something he felt sure could not be said for far too many of the career politicians on both sides of the aisle with whom he rubbed shoulders on an almost daily basis. In the Secretary's opinion, the lack of steadfastness to principle was especially true of the inhabitants of the other side of the aisle, and was most particularly apparent in this individual with whom he shared the stage on this morning's show.

"With all due respect to the Senator from Ma.s.sachusetts, the people of the Kurdish region also voted, and overwhelming I might add, to declare their independence. I find it ironic that the Senator would refer back to the Gulf War, and actions taken during that time by then General Weisskopf. At that time, General Weisskopf was under a Const.i.tutional requirement, as are all of our service personnel, to obey the lawful orders of his civilian leaders.h.i.+p. Would the Senator have had him disobey those orders?

No...Norm Weisskopf knows where his duty lies, and I defy anyone, including the good senator, to compare their record with that of the President in this regard.

"Well, we're now fifteen years removed from that conflict and Norm Weisskopf is the civilian leaders.h.i.+p, the National Command Authority. He recognizes, along with many leaders in our nation and around the world, the great threat that is building in the Middle East. We have an Islamic union comprised of many states, a number of which have trained and harbored terrorists who have killed innocent Americans in cold blood. An Islamic state with nuclear weapons and rapidly expanding borders.

Their influence and rapidly expanding military capabilities are perilously close to interfering with our own vital national interests and those of our friends and allies.

"With respect to the economic conditions, we are at a crossroads and have important choices to make.

We can either continue a self-destructive policy of open trade with those nations who show by their actions that they use our generosity against us, or we can take a position to ensure that those trade relations are consistent with America's best interests, both now and in the future. I will not attempt to intrude on Secretary Gage's turf, or to speak for him. But I can say that Russell Gage is a recognized scholar of economics. He understands the relation between trade issues and international politics perhaps better than anyone who has ever served as Secretary of the Treasury. It is his contention that the policy of appeas.e.m.e.nt and "free trade," at the expense of "fair trade," is ultimately destructive to our economy.

The NEC to my knowledge has his full confidence."

At this point the CBC commentator interjected.

"Yes, but isn't it true, Mr. Secretary, that the European Union, outside of our historically close ties to Great Britain, is very nervous about the current situation in the Mid East? In addition, what of the Senator's contention regarding the announcement from Irbil this morning that they will unite with the GIR?

In fact, one of our former staunchest allies in the region, a man your administration has backed, supported and depended upon, has now announced his support of unification. Jabal Talabari was the head of the Patriotic Kurdistan Front, and then, after their declaration of independence, he served as the General in charge of the Republic of Kurdistan armed forces. Let me quote from his announcement yesterday: "I accept the appointment by Imam Hasan Sayeed as the military leader of this region of the GIR. I announce my loyalty to him and to the goal of Islamic unification. I urge all Kurdish people and others living in the region to support our decision to unify with the Greater Islamic Republic and vote "yes" in the referendum vote next week."

"Now, let me say just a word about the drastic change I personally have made. I was raised as a faithful Sunni. I am devout in the faith. I am also of Kurdish descent. I have fought hard for many years for what I believed to be best for the Kurdish people. We fought the tyrant Saddam Hussein, and we were supported in that fight by other powers, princ.i.p.ally the United States. I was led to believe, and indoctrinated by those supporting us, that Hasan Sayeed was just another Hussein. But, to use the western saying, "actions speak louder than words." Hasan Sayeed's actions have spoken louder than all the words Hussein ever uttered, and louder than the foreign voices from the west."

"His unilateral cease fire and his personal involvement with the negotiations ignited a spark within my heart. He had it within his power to rout us, to utterly destroy us, and yet he chose, even as prophesy indicated, to bind up the wounds and make peace with his brothers and sisters. Peace and unity in the faith are the best things for the Kurdish people. Hasan Sayeed offers this. The west offers us only more conflict and division. I came to the conclusion that I must reject what they now offer. I warn them, and their agents, to cease seeking to instigate divisiveness and conflict amongst our people."

"It is our intent to defuse the military situation and deploy the forces of this region of the GIR in a defensive posture. Those forces necessary to secure our borders and rebuild our infrastructure will remain. Other forces will be re-deployed throughout the GIR as indicated by our supreme military council, led by the Imam himself. The movement of troops and equipment and materiel with respect to these goals will begin in the next few days. Thank you."

"Secretary Reissinger, how does the administration respond to this? Here you have a former ally, a key player in this administration's hopes to limit the growth of the GIR, turning one hundred and eighty degrees and now supporting the GIR's expansion?"

The Secretary of State had been up since the early morning hours as news of the agreement in Irbil filtered out. He had spent several hours with the President and his key cabinet members and advisors mapping out their strategy and response. He had, in fact, already voiced that response just a few minutes ago in answer to the liberal Senator from Ma.s.sachusetts.

"I have already addressed this issue. We are, of course, saddened by this turn of events. Jabal Talabari and his people were staring down the barrel of a loaded GIR gun. I view any of the so-called "agreements" coming out of Irbil as decisions made under duress. Clearly, when not under such duress, the people of Kurdistan voted overwhelmingly to be independent. I believe that is what we should focus on."

"I cannot speak for the Secretary of Defense or the Joint Chiefs. We will watch the diplomatic scene carefully and continue to offer the leaders in the Republic of Kurdistan safe haven and sanctuary with our forces."

With the flas.h.i.+ng of the red warning light indicating that there were only two minutes left in the program, the commentator interjected.

"Thank you Mr. Secretary. This crisis has once again captured the attention of our nation and its people.

It has also sharply divided many."

"WNN will continue to carry live updates along with our interviews from both sides of the political aisle.

Again, Mr. Secretary of State, Mr. Senator, we thank you both for your time and your comments."

November 14th, 2005, 16:12 local time Off the coast of India 80 Kilometers west of Cochin The two fleets sailed in formation a little less than 10 kilometers apart. These joint operations were a first, and many interested eyes were observing. Peering from above were the satellites: American, Russian, Israeli, French and j.a.panese. On the surface of the ocean, two American Perry cla.s.s frigates and an improved Los Angeles cla.s.s attack submarine were shadowing the battle groups, along with several s.h.i.+ps and submarines from other nations.

The object of all of this interest was the joint naval exercise between India and the People's Republic of China. This was a major exercise that included the largest and most modern combatants from each nation.

The Indians had both of their carriers involved. One was the older jump jet carrier, Viraat, which the British launched as Hermes in 1953 and the Italians purchased in 1986. The Viraat had recently completed a service life extension and been modernized extensively.

The other was the new Indian carrier, Cochin, which the Russians had launched as the Baku and the Indians purchased in 2000. The Indian government had spent three years rebuilding and refitting the former Russian VTOL carrier into a Short Take-off and Landing (STOL) carrier with a ski jump bow.

Now, the Cochin was on her sea trials and would ultimately replace the Viraat after a second modern carrier was completed.

The Viraat carried a complement of twelve Sea Harrier VTOL aircraft, while the Cochin carried eighteen MIG-29 attack/fighter aircraft. Escorting the two carriers were eight very capable surface combatants.

These included two of the modern Delhi guided missile destroyers (DDG's), two Rajput cla.s.s DDG's (which had been upgraded from former Russian Kas.h.i.+n cla.s.s DDG's), two of the newer Kashmir cla.s.s guided missile frigates (FFG's) and two of the improved G.o.davari cla.s.s FFG's.

All of these destroyers and frigates were the most modern cla.s.ses in the Indian navy and were equipped with the latest radar and sonar, as well as modern anti-aircraft and surface to surface missile systems. In addition, the Indians had the Rajaba and Jyoti replenishment s.h.i.+ps taking part in the exercises.

The centerpiece of the Chinese group was the brand new Beijing sea control carrier, which was also conducting her sea trials. The Beijing was carrying a minimal compliment of twelve SU-33's, but was capable of carrying a total of thirty attack and support aircraft. These included the SU-33 derivatives now being license manufactured in China, as well as SU-25 "Frogfoot" attack aircraft and a new STOL early warning (AEW) aircraft the Chinese had recently developed. The Beijing was accompanied by two of the new Haizhou cla.s.s DDG's, which were upgrades of the most modern Russian Sovremenny designs, two of the indigenous and very capable PRC Luhai cla.s.s DDG's and four Jiangwei-II cla.s.s FFG's. With the aircraft carrier and its eight escorts, this was the most powerful Chinese naval group ever a.s.sembled.

The exercises were scheduled to last for ten days. During that time, joint air operations, joint anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations, joint oceangoing maneuvers and joint replenishment exercises would all be conducted. Early on in the exercises, a joint CAP was established over the fleets that consisted of two close-in Indian Sea Harriers and MIG-29's augmented by three SU-33's flying out further from the fleet (4070 kilometers) along the primary and secondary threat axis. These units were rotated and configured differently depending on the type of exercise being conducted. Scenarios representing cruise missile defense, air defense, war at sea, ground support and forced transit were all exercised.

November 16th, 2005, 16:12 local time COSCO Fabrication Facilities Port of Macua, PRC The original fabrication had occurred several months ago in the small city of JingCheng near the confluence of the Yens.h.i.+ Xi and Xingiao He Rivers in southeastern China. There, in a small fibergla.s.s research and manufacturing facility owned by COSCO, a mold had been developed using rigid polyurethane foam as the primary material. No gelcoat was required, which made the entire process less expensive, in keeping with the planned disposable nature of the finished product.

Once composition and design of the princ.i.p.al product had been decided upon, the engineers in JingCheng began testing various inserts to help strengthen and provide hard points for the addition of various types of equipment-and weapons. As a result, the product had numerous strengthened areas where various types and sizes of steel plate inserts could be fitted for the desired purposes.

Now, after significant testing and further cost reduction and manufacturing improvements, the master mold was complete and the process was ready to be implemented into ma.s.s production at many facilities. That production would occur rapidly in various places along the Chinese coasts and along several rivers that emptied into the South China Sea. Literally scores of production facilities were being prepared to ma.s.s-produce these products by the thousands.

There would be four princ.i.p.al production regions, with a princ.i.p.al gathering and outfitting facility for each region. These princ.i.p.al gathering and outfitting facilities were established as follows along the South China Sea Coast of the PRC: One of the facilities was at Shantou, which included twenty feeder facilities along the Han Jiang River. Another facility was at Mawei, which included thirty-seven feeder facilities along the Min Jiang River. A third facility was at Xiamen, which included forty-three facilities along the Jiulong Jieng River. Xiamen also included the research facility at Jingcheng. The final facility was here at Macua which included its thirty-six feeder facilities along the Xi Jiang River.

Now, at long last, the molds and materiel were in place. The senior Director over this project looked at the manufacturing and gathering facilities that had been erected here in Macau.

"So, Tang, when will your production crews be ready? Your facility will kick off the ma.s.s production and will generate the initial quality benchmarks and other test results that will serve as a template for the other three princ.i.p.al gathering points. The schedule calls for initial production to start on November 30th, but it appears that you are ahead of schedule."

Tang Xinsheng was indeed ahead of schedule. He was proud of what his workers had accomplished, and he believed that the quality metrics would prove their competence and expertise once production started. He planned to achieve the highest marks both for quality and for quant.i.ty.

"Minister and Senior Director Qiao. We are ahead of schedule and will commence phased production next Monday, the 21st. We expect to reach full production by December 12th."

In addition to being a Senior Director within the COSCO Group, Qiao Wenzhong was also the a.s.sistant Vice Minister of internal production for the Guangdong Province of the People's Republic of China. He was impressed and satisfied that Tang had this critical portion of the project under control.

The other ministers and the Politburo itself would also be gratified and impressed.

"This is very good news, Tang. What rates of production do you foresee when your facility is fully completed and functional?"

Tang had those figures with him. He opened his notebook and pulled out a production folder. After looking at several lines of printout on a number of pages, he answered Qiao.

"Minister Qaio, the addition and testing of the removable turbine engines, the water jets, the navigation and communication controls and equipment, defensive electronics and radar, the living facilities and plumbing, the ramp controls and the weapons will occur in final a.s.sembly. As you know this adds several days to the entire process. But once we get the production lines fully operational, I antic.i.p.ate we will be producing one hundred of these landing craft per week here in the Macau operation."

For Qiao Wenzhong, this was excellent news. If the other three facilities could approach similar production rates, then the People's Republic of China would be turning out between four and five hundred thirty-meter-long landing craft per week by mid December.

These landing craft, officially designated as the Project 071, Yunana II cla.s.s, would be armed with one HQ-7 SAM system containing eight missiles, one multiple 122mm barrage rocket launcher and two 25mm DP (dual purpose) guns. They would be capable of carrying 150 tons of materiel. This could consist of two tanks and two squads of soldiers, two APC's and three squads of soldiers or six squads of soldiers, over a range of 150250 km for up to ten days of endurance.

The Yunana II cla.s.s could also be carried on board numerous s.h.i.+ps of the PLAN. Four of them would fit in the well deck of the new Amphibious a.s.sault s.h.i.+ps that were just beginning to come off their production lines. With the use of large davit systems or cranes, they could also be carried on most cargo and container s.h.i.+ps available to the PLAN from COSCO's large fleet. The design was essentially a lengthened version of the Yunana cla.s.s, made of fibergla.s.s construction with metal reinforcement and turbine engines. They were designed to be very seaworthy in wind force 67 and to be expendable and easy to manufacture in ma.s.s quant.i.ties.

"Outstanding, Tang. You are doing excellent work here and it will not go unnoticed or un-rewarded.

Please, carry on with the tour."

November 19, 2005. 18:35 Sea King Boat Company, Mid West Region St. Louis, Missouri Marge Basar stared at the monitor of her computer as she read the latest sales figures for the mid west region of the Sea King Boat company. Marge was the regional director of sales, and this year was going to be the best year she had experienced while working at Sea King, as well as one of the best years in the company's thirty-seven year history. Dealers all over the mid-west were selling Sea King boats at a record clip.

Sales of the thirty-two foot cruiser model were up fifteen percent over the previous year, and, on average, the cruisers being ordered were being outfitted with many of the higher-end options. Each of these boats was powered by two c.u.mmins turbo diesel engines and could cruise all day long at over thirty knots, while carrying six pa.s.sengers and over a ton of gear.

In addition to the sales of the cruisers, in the last three months five of Sea King's very expensive, top of the line houseboats had been ordered. These forty-two foot behemoths were powered by twin Mercury 250 horsepower outboards and were the apex of the luxury boat builders' craft. Each one was capable of sleeping eight pa.s.sengers and could carry a load of over three thousand pounds, all while maintaining a steady twelve knots.

The orders had come in from dealers all along the Mississippi River. A few phone calls to the owners of those marine dealers had verified additional reasons for Marge to be pleased. The buyers of these boats had all ordered top-of-the-line communication equipment along with some very sophisticated navigation equipment to go with their "package." All of this would add very nicely to the mid west region's bottom line.

If Marge could manage a sixth houseboat in the region before the end of the year, the mid west region would have sold more of the 42-foot houseboats in the second half of this year than the entire company had sold in any entire preceding year. The bonus money alone would be great, and the credits she accrued towards the company's annual sales trip would ensure that she would earn one of those outside cabins on the luxury deck on her way to the Bahamas.

"I'll just have to keep those dealers hopping for another six weeks or so to make this a sure thing," she thought.

Marge picked up the phone to call the CFO of Sea King Boats and give him the good news.

"These sales are just dynamite," she thought to herself as she dialed the correct extension.

Marge Basar had no idea how prophetic that would turn out to be.

November 22, 2005, 10:25 Marine Recruiting Office, Boise State University Boise, Idaho Sergeant Ken Bennett put his hand over the phone and leaned over his desk.

"Leon, this is Charlie Jenkins on the phone. He wants to talk to you."

As Sergeant Bennett handed the phone to Leon, he turned his attention to Billy Simmons.

"Well, Billy, why don't we move over to the conference room and sit down and talk while Leon is on the phone? How's your Dad? It seems like his unit got over to Saudi just in time for them to watch the end of the show and come home. That's too bad, too. We needed to open a can of "whoop" on those folks real bad, and your Dad sounds like just the man to have gotten it done, too. You pretty glad he's coming home?"

Billy had thought a lot about his Dad over the last few weeks. He had been called up and then deployed over to Saudi Arabia so quickly. But that was part of the program. He was glad his Dad hadn't been sent to Turkey where the air battles had been fought...and yes, he was glad his Dad was coming home. Even though America was taking a hit over the inability to preserve Kurdistan independence, Billy was proud that the United States had made the attempt, and that his country was willing to stand forthrightly behind its promises.

"You bet. I'm glad he's coming home and that he's safe. He is currently slated to rotate back to Florida around December 1st, and then will be officially back in reserve status and home by New Year's Day."

As Leon continued to talk with his friend and mentor, Charlie Jenkins, who was calling from Chicago, the Sergeant continued.

"I can sure understand that. I spent several months over there back in Desert s.h.i.+eld and Desert Storm.

I'm glad Weisskopf is the President right now, irrespective of those talking heads on the b.o.o.b tube and cable. I have a sneaky feeling we haven't heard the last of Hasan Sayeed in the Mid East...and I know we are ultimately going to have to face down Red China. Did you hear about that new carrier they surprised us with and are using to conduct exercises with the Indians? Sounds like a tough s.h.i.+p. And I can promise you, they aren't building them as show boats."

Billy had heard about the new carrier. The surprise had been that it even existed because everyone thought the Chinese were working on the larger carriers near Shanghai. Those weren't supposed to be launched for another year or so. The one Sergeant Bennett was referring to had seemed to come out of nowhere.

As a result of all of these surprises, the media and certain elements of Congress were really down on President Weisskopf. That vote in Congress to censure him, even though it had failed, was an embarra.s.sment. Despite the losses in the Mid East, and despite the surprises, Billy agreed with the Sergeant, and he agreed with his Dad...America was lucky to have President Norm Weisskopf at the helm in these perilous times.

"I have heard about it. Even saw the pictures. It's a pretty radical design with the crossing deck pattern and the island in the back. Makes it clear it's a conversion. If the time to fight comes, though, we'll be putting them down and under. That thing may be good for regional activity against their regional adversaries, but a Nimitz cla.s.s carrier with its battle group will take it down."

"But let's talk about why Leon and I came over today. We can go into more detail when he gets off the phone, but Sergeant, we've decided. With what all is going on, we're ready to join up: now, today."

Bennett was surprised. It was the middle of the school year. Football season was still on. Billy was on a full ride scholars.h.i.+p.

"Wait a minute, Billy. This is pretty abrupt. Don't get me wrong. Your country wants your service and will be proud to have you in it. But we can wait until the semester break at least. What about football and your coaches? Have you talked with your parents?"

Fact was, Billy had considered all of these things. With the benefits offered, Billy figured he would finish his education while he worked his career. His coaches were not happy and wanted him to wait at least until the season was over. Billy had worked with his professors and instructors to take tests and finish the semester early. By doing so, he could also accommodate his coaches' wishes. His mom was supportive, but Billy could tell she was worried. She had indicated she would talk to his Dad about it, but Billy knew his Dad would support him. His Dad trusted him. Oh, he might offer some advice, but he had nurtured Billy's independence through high school and had plainly stated that once Billy turned eighteen, he was a man in his Dad's eyes. His Dad had treated him that way, too.

"Sergeant, I appreciate your concerns and your questions. But I have thought it all out. I want to join now and get started. I am going to fly the Super Cobra and make a career out of serving my country.

Leon can tell you his own reasons, but he's made the same decision."

In the middle of that exchange, Leon had finished talking with the retired Sergeant Major Jenkins. He had walked into the conference room just as Billy had finished his last comments.

"That's right, Sergeant. We're signing up. I talked to my Mom and she's proud. I figure it will also set the right example for my little brother. I just told Charlie and he's already congratulated me."