The problem the President faced with Nazari was that his staffers had found next to nothing on the Islamic leader. There was no trail to follow, no personal history to exploit. Vanderbilt was heading into the conversation blind, something he loathed.
“Yes,” Nazari said, offering nothing more. He was unsure why the President had called the teleconference but curious enough to comply. He was certain it had to do with the pressure he’d recently placed on the Israelis over the ceasefire. But he was clueless as to what the President thought he would accomplish toward it. Of course, Nazari had no intention of cooperating with the Americans. But he would bite his tongue until he knew what exactly the President had to say.
“Imam Nazari.” President Vanderbilt started.
“We all want peace in your region of the world. You want your children to grow up in a safe environment, as much as you want the honor, respect and privilege due to you and your people. All of this has, thus far, been denied.”
Nazari studied the President’s face for movement as he spoke. What he was looking for was a deviation of the eyes, or some other sliver of evidence that the President was saying things that he didn’t truly believe. So far the Imam had found none, Graham Vanderbilt appeared, for the time being, to be genuine. Even this however, was irrelevant. The only kind of peace that Nazari wanted was the kind that came after you had totally annihilated your enemies.
“For thousands of years, the Palestinian people had enjoyed relative peace. Then in 1947, our government took part of your land and gave it to Israel in an attempt to right the atrocious wrongs committed by Adolph Hitler.” The President said.
Nazari didn’t need a history lesson on why things were the way they were but he listened patiently anyway.
“Since then, Israel has grown both in strength and territory, partly because of their desire to never see another holocaust and partly because of the funding, weaponry and training they’ve received from my country.” Vanderbilt said, trying to gauge where the Imam was at in his head.
“America has been so effective in establishing Israel’s strength and viability that the Jewish state now has little incentive to pursue peace with its neighbors. For this peace to be genuine and lasting, Israel will have to give concessions on land, governing principles and perhaps monetary reparations. None of these things are attractive to their government or their economic bottom line.” The President stated.
“I and my advisors agree. If the Hamas had a legitimate army with full-scale, modern, military grade weapons at their disposal, Israel would rush to the peace table. They would willingly give concessions to ensure the future peace of the region.” President Vanderbilt waited for a response from the Imam. He took a sip from an ice cold diet coke and leaned into the headrest on his chair.
He continued after it became evident that the cleric had nothing to add.
“I have a small contingency of tanks, armored Humvees and light tactical vehicles dedicated to that end. I have also appropriated enough rifles, grenades and bayonets to arm five thousand of your troops. The shipment will be available to you in the next twenty four hours.” He said smiling.
Nazari swallowed hard.
“Let me be perfectly clear.” Vanderbilt said. “These weapons are part of the peace process. They are meant to level the playing field. They cannot be deployed under any circumstances. I will be notifying the Israeli Prime Minister of the delivery. Additionally, I will have a unit of American soldiers on the ground to safeguard the delivery. Once the Israelis know that you possess the ability to inflict more than minimal damage to their military, the peace talks will proceed as they should. Once a treaty has been signed and implemented we will help you begin the process of being recognized as a sovereign state by the United Nations. The weapons may remain in your possession and be grafted into your official military charter, as long as the succeeding Palestinian government maintains stability.”
The President pushed back from the table and stood. He didn’t suspect that Nazari would use the weapons. But even if he did the armament that was being given Nazari was limited. It would be possible to inflict great numbers of casualties with the weapons but ultimately, the Israelis would still be able to devastate any force that rose up to challenge the treaty. Until then, blind trust had to be extended.
Nazari had never dreamed that he would be using technologies from the West against his enemies. Of course, he would have to play the President’s game for a day or so. But the fruits that he would gain would be enormous. Things were falling into place far better than he’d ever anticipated. Nazari needed to give the President some scrap of confidence that he could leave the meeting with, lest he begin to doubt sending the weapons and pull them back before they were received.
“This is a very generous offer. It will go a long way toward building bridges between our two great Nations. I too believe that this new found incentive will properly motivate our friends to do the right thing.” Nazari said, almost choking on his excitement.
“Good. Since the Israelis destroyed the YAI Airport in ’01, my planes will be forced to land at Gaza Airstrip. Major General Beau Kirkland will be meeting you at Gush Katif at twelve hundred hours. After that I will notify the United Nations of the deployment to your forces and then the Israelis. Imam Nazari, I expect there to be considerable fall out from this transaction. Israel will probably threaten you with a force invasion of both Gaza and the West Bank. Do not react to such rhetoric. I will be in control of their movements. Believe me, they won’t do anything that isn’t sanctioned by the United States. If they do, they risk losing billions of dollars in aid and weapons. History has shown that they will only risk such sanctions in extreme cases, like when they bombed the Syrian nuclear facility.”
“It was never confirmed that there was a nuclear reactor in Syria.” Nazari blurted out. He had always felt that Israel had acted presumptuously with Syria. They had not attempted to contact the Syrian government, they just acted with brut military force. He was touchy on the subject.
“Even if the Syrians had actually maintained a nuclear reactor, what difference did it make? They are a Sovereign Nation, they do not answer to anyone, any more than your own country does. What right did they possess which allowed them to make such an emboldened move?” He asked. It was more of a rhetorical question than one he actually expected the President to answer. But, true to his reputation, Graham Vanderbilt offered a response.
“While we may not see the same situations in the same light, I understand your frustration. What Israel and the United States both agreed on with that particular strike is the premise that no other country should be pursuing nuclear weapons. I know that this is a tough thing to hear. But those countries that are nuclear armed–with the exception of a few rogues–agree that the nukes have to go. If the World is trying to rid itself of the stockpiles that exist–and we are–then what kind of fools would we be to allow our neighbors to turn existing technology into a new bomb?” The President also framed his question in a rhetorical tone.
Neither man wanted to argue the point any further. The President wanted to drop the conversation so as not to agitate the Islamic leader, while Nazari wanted to mask the fact that he was diametrically opposed to Western notions of right and wrong.
“Yes, I see.” Was all that Nazari offered. He bit down on the inside of his cheek to quell his anger. For men like Nazari, the American President represented every wicked corruption that his people fell prey to. He saw the man as being a great evil influence, but was too stupid to know it.
“Imam Nazari, I hope this will be the beginning of a lasting alliance between the United States and the Palestinian people.” Vanderbilt said, signaling the end of the conversation.
Nazari nodded and thanked him. The monitor went black again and Nazari’s tech geek was back and quickly unplugging something on the back of the monitor. He looked to Nazari and smiled.
“We have them right where we want them, Imam Nazari. We will soon win our victory over th
e West won’t we?” The young Arab said.
Nazari grimaced at the foolish optimism in the youth’s voice. He was naive to think that things would go smoothly for them. America was the strongest Nation on the planet. If September 11th had rallied the rest of the ‘Militant Islamic World’, it had taught Nazari that America was far stronger and resilient than he had anticipated and he had never considered them weak to begin with.
“We shall see.” Nazari said as he got up and left the conference room.
• • •
Kenneth Paine shook President Vanderbilt’s hand and patted him on the back with his other.
“That was perfect Graham. Nazari knows that he can’t use the weapons but he knows that they will be in his possession. I wouldn’t be surprised if the two parties were talking by the end of the week.” He said, plopping his slender frame down on one of the twenty or so leather office chairs that surrounded a long oval table in the White House situation room.
The President contemplated Paine’s words. He still wasn’t sure that he had done the right thing. Every one of his staffers that had been informed of the deal had advised him not to offer the arms to Nazari. In fact, only the Vice President and Paine, (the architect) backed the plan. He had moved forward with Paine’s idea for two reasons.
First, no one else had any plausible methods for jump starting the peace process. Second and dearest to Graham’s heart was the knowledge that any obscure or ‘out of the box’ idea that actually worked in bringing peaceable terms to the region would do wonders for his political career. Of course, there was another side to offering Nazari the arms. If Nazari went against the President’s order and launched an attack on the Israeli border, Vanderbilt would likely be impeached. Either way, it was the biggest gamble of his life. If he hadn’t been duly convinced by Paine that it was a sure bet, he wouldn’t have moved forward with it.
Kenneth knew that the President had people on his team that would both leak the bold move to the public and to members of Congress. It was a matter of minutes, not hours before the President’s phone started ringing. It was not likely to stop until the ink was dry on a new Israeli and Palestinian peace treaty.
Paine was about to say so when one of the three interior doors to the situation room flew open. Edmond Bailey marched in. An intense scowl burdened his face. He had obviously heard the news of the President’s offer.
“What is wrong with you?” Edmond demanded.
Graham was thrown off by the intrusion but he quickly rebounded and lurched his body forward out of his chair. “Excuse me, that’s Mr. President.” He shouted from across the room.
Paine rose from his chair. He was a few inches shy of Bailey’s towering figure but Kenneth knew nothing of fear. As the National Security Advisor increased his stride, Paine turned so that his body directly blocked Bailey’s. Without so much as a pause, Edmond cocked back his right fist and lunged at the President’s secret counsel. Edmond’s fist landed on the soft part of Paine’s cheek with a deep thud. The smaller man tumbled backward over his chair and came crashing to the floor on the other side of it. The President cowered behind the table as the assault transpired and tapped an emergency button beneath the great oak oval. All of the doors were flung open this time. Before Bailey could close the distance between himself and Graham Vanderbilt, the extravagant office was suddenly bursting with Secret Service agents and Marines on White House security detail. Dozens of guns were in Bailey’s face and he was on the ground. It all happened in seconds.
The President had resumed his normal stature. He now appeared calm and reserved and in total control of the situation. Kenneth Paine took a little more time to recover from Edmond’s haymaker.
President Vanderbilt asked the security detail to leave and for the agent in charge to release the National Security Advisor. Agent Whittle nodded to the men and they all cleared out as commanded. He helped Bailey off of the floor and let go of his hands, which he had tightly balled together behind Bailey’s back.
“Thank you Agent Whittle, that will be all. Please be sure to speak of this to no one.” The President stated.
Whittle left the room and Graham Vanderbilt looked at Bailey.
“Have a seat Edmond.” He said pointing to a chair that he expected the Advisor to pull up and plant himself in.
“It would look like things are out of control in my administration if this were to lead to formal charges. Care to tell me what that was all about?” Vanderbilt asked calmly.
“Did you really think that I wasn’t going to find out? I am the National Security Advisor Graham. I have more contacts in the intelligence community than you.” Edmond said as he removed his frameless glasses and rubbed the condensation that had fogged his lenses with the end of his silk tie.
“First of all Edmond, you will not address me by my first name. I am Mr. President to you. Is that clear?” He said, secretly enjoying the opportunity to dress the veteran intelligence officer down.
“Second, what does that have to do with your assault on Kenneth here?” He said waving his hand over to where Kenneth was. Paine picked up his chair and slipped into it quietly, an arrogant look washing over his face.
“I have no beef with your lapdog. That punch was meant for you. He got in my way.” Edmond said rashly.
“Assaulting the President is not the only way to land yourself in a federal prison. You can be charged for simply making the threat.” Paine offered.
“Don’t lecture me about the laws on Presidential authority and violations of it. I helped write it thirty years ago, when you were in junior high.” Edmond added.
“If you thought I was going to sit back idle as you unraveled the very fabric of our democracy by giving weapons to terrorists, then you are far less intelligent than I ever gave you credit for.” Bailey said.
“What terrorists? You can’t possibly be speaking about the Palestinians. Nazari gathered his troops and initiated a ceasefire without anyone’s prodding. He is only now threatening to lift it because the Israelis downright refused to meet with him. We merely offered him another solution Edmond. Think about it. If the Palestinians had the power to pose a real threat to the Israelis, or at least the appearance of a genuine threat, then will Israel not jump at the chance for peace? Of course they will. They will run to the table and we will be there to hold their hands through the process. I don’t have to tell you that our good name is not so good over there anymore. The Middle East is no friend to the United States. But perhaps, if we can be the ones who brought peace to a part of the World that has torn itself apart for more than a millennium, then how can anyone harbor ill will against us?” Vanderbilt said sharply.
“Are you a complete fool? Or are you just that willing to do anything to further your career?” Edmond said.
Before the President could object to Bailey’s bitter question, the National Security Advisor continued.
“We forget that Hamas is a terrorist organization. Why, because we want so badly to believe that they are simply misunderstood people. That is a spurious notion. Hamas came to power by violence. They worked their way up the food chain of Middle East politics by violence. The terrorist arm of Hamas has never been disbanded. Its leadership has never wavered in its desire to see our strongest ally in the region destroyed. What do we know about Imam Nazari? Nothing. He rose to prominence overnight, before then no one had ever heard of him. I haven’t even touched on your presumption that Israel won’t launch an all-out attack on the Palestinians as soon as they learn of Hamas’s new ability to wage conflict. What if they don’t respond exactly as you have anticipated? What if a bloody war breaks out between the two groups? Who will we side with then? The United States is now complicit in providing a large and ruthless terrorist organization with material support.” Edmond growled.
To say that Graham Vanderbilt was not used to being talked so bluntly to, off of the campaign trail, would be a massive understatement. He cringed at the words that Edmond lobbed over the desk at him. It would have been
embarrassing if it was just Edmond and the President but with his lifelong buddy privy to the verbal lashing, it was downright disgraceful. He decided that to respond to Edmond’s onslaught was below him. It was admittedly convenient also. He had nothing to combat what the Security Advisor said. Edmond Bailey was no dummy and he knew the facts. That was why he had survived in the intelligence community, Washington in particular, for so long. He was a priceless asset as long as he was on your side. If he was against you, he was a formidable foe.
Edmond took a deep breath and readied himself to continue his deluge of contempt but could think of nothing else to say, he was finished. He stood to leave and extended his hand. President Vanderbilt looked awkwardly up at Edmond. It was a strange gesture to shake the hand of the man who has just ripped you to shreds verbally. Always the politician Vanderbilt grabbed onto Edmonds hand and shook it vigorously.
“You know Edmond, I know we have had our differences and I know you don’t always agree with my policies but we work well together. I will tell you, between you and I, with my Vice President’s failing health, I could be looking to replace him at the beginning of the next fiscal year. It would be a huge step up from the role of National Security Advisor for you and I’d have a heck of a time trying to find a suitable replacement for the intelligence slot but….” Edmond interrupted the President’s disingenuous, ridiculous offer.
“You’ll be looking to replace me a whole lot sooner than that. You will have my formal resignation by the close of business today. Incidentally, I think you’re a sinking ship Vanderbilt, I wouldn’t be caught dead as your second in command.”
SANCTION: A Thriller Page 15