by Ira Tabankin
“Excellent idea, I’ll notify United I’ll require one of their planes for the trip. We should look into getting another plane from Boeing. One just isn’t enough for us.”
“If we’re successful at The Hague, there won’t be a problem with a second or third plane. Puten will pay us whatever we ask for. We’ll be saving him billions of Rubles if we’re successful in taking down Brownstone, we’ll be able to unite the country under us and remove the USA’s military threat from the world.”
“Harold, we can’t lose. We already have the world opinion solidly behind us. We’ll take them both down; then we’ll move in and control the entire country.”
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“Jefe, Presidente Reid just made an offer of $50 million for the capture of Presidente Brownstone. He doesn’t care if he’s dead or alive.”
“Juan, contact Presidente Reid’s staff, see if they will pay in gold, the LSA currency isn’t even good toilet paper. If they agree to pay in gold, we’ll put the plans in place to grab him. If the Presidente double crosses us, it’ll be him we grab. He’ll live a short and very painful life. I don’t trust him or his vice president as far as I can throw them. I’d be happy to take down Presidente Brownstone; his new drug policy costs me billions of dollars. Overnight he destroyed my business. A business that took me years to build. I had to kill twenty-two people to reach the top, now the Norte Americano Presidente has destroyed our business. The other cartel members are also ready to do anything necessary to get their businesses back. With a stroke of his pen, he destroyed all of us. I’ve heard that two of our friends in Colombia are trying to purchase a nuke on the black market to take out Washington.”
“Jefe, if they did this, the Americanos will wipe Colombia and the rest of us off of the map.”
“Juan see if you can arrange a meeting of the entire cartel. This is something we all should discuss. We need to agree on a common plan, or we’ll be fighting among ourselves again. All of the progress we’ve made in the last few years will vanish into thin air.”
“Si, Jefe, I’ll personally see to it.”
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The cyber war between the LSA and USA swings back and forth. Each side increases the number of posts and tweets. The LSA has government sponsored hackers trying to break into every USA network; their goals are to bring the economy of the USA to a halt and steal as many of the USA’s secrets and money as possible. The LSA sells the secrets on the black market to the highest bidder. They keep the cash to support their progressive programs.
Just as President Reid thinks he’s gotten the upper hand in the cyber war, every network in the LSA freezes, every television channel, every search engine and everyone using their computer is greeted with a black display; a face wearing a Guy Fawkes mask appears out of the blackness, “Liberal States of America, or a more appropriate name might be, the Communism States of America, we are Anonymous, you have tried to hack the internet, you have tried to steal the secrets of the USA. You have tried to kill and main American citizens and censor the internet. You in the LSA think you’re doing the right thing in protecting the planet, you think you’re doing the right thing by making things better for your children’s children, you’re not. There’s nothing the LSA can do on your own that will improve the planet. The course of action you’ve undertaken is not going to turn out well for you, the average citizens of the LSA. Study history, learn how dictatorships treat anyone who disagrees with the ruling class. You’ve fooled yourselves into thinking your way is the only way forward. Your leaders have committed murder to remain in power; they, not President Brownstone arranged the killing of your founder. Open your minds, open your eyes, you are playing games with yourselves. Your leaders are lying to you, if you truly desire peace, you will learn the truth.
“We will not allow you to censor the internet that belongs to everyone in every country. We are Anonymous; we will not allow you to harm the world for a false idea. We will now teach you a lesson - LSA; your internet access is now blocked for the next 30 days.”
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“President Brownstone, we have a risky plan we’d like to discuss with you.”
“John, Alvin, come in, I find I usually like your risky plans, what’s on your minds?”
“We got some intel that Polsi and Reid are going to be traveling to The Hague to present their case against you. United tipped us off that Polsi is going to fly on one of their planes. We propose ‘jet-jacking’ Polsi’s flight, sort of like car jacking, only we’re planning to take over her jet.”
“She’s flying commercial? That’s a long way to fall for the once mighty.”
“Mr. President, she’s flying on a commercial airplane, but not really commercial. She’s taking over an entire United 777 from Los Angeles to The Hague. She’ll be flying with only a couple of her staff. Reid’s flying on LSA’s Air Force One. If we’re successful, we can ransom her back to Reid if he agrees to drop any pending charges against you or anyone else in this administration.”
“Interesting idea, however, not one I can condone, I can’t approve us forcing a plane down and taking a hostage. What separates us from them? Why would we be any different from them? And what makes you think Reid will accept the swap? His international address painted him into a corner where he has to proceed. If he withdraws from presenting his case at the World Court, both the LSA and he personally will lose too much face. That’s not like Reid. I thank you for the idea and work that went into preparing it. I suggest we look into the best trial lawyers we know and bring them here to discuss how best to fight this in the World Court. If we choose not to present a defense on the world stage, then the world will see us as guilty. We’ll lose everything we’ve tried to rebuild. Even with our currency tied to precious metals, countries will be pressured into not trading with us. We’ll lose export sales; some countries may decide not to sell to us. The products we import may fail due to a lack of spare and replacement parts. Hundreds of thousands of consumers may get stuck with useless products, we’ll be the ones they blame. Tens of thousands could lose their jobs. We are going to have to play Reid’s game, on his court, with his ball.”
John looks at the president, almost whispering, “Sir; we can make Reid’s plane disappear.”
“John don’t go there. I’m not going to order the assassination of another country’s leader.”
“Mr. President, he appointed himself, he’s not the official leader of the LSA.”
“John, he is, he was Obsma’s Vice President, when Obsma died he became the LSA’s president.”
“Mr. President, we all know Reid killed Obsma. He might as well have pulled the trigger and murdered him in cold blood; we all know that.”
“John, can you prove that in a court of law?”
“Sir, no, of course not.”
“Then it’s not truth. I think the legal term is, hearsay.”
“Yes sir.”
“If anything happens to Reid’s or Polsi’s planes the world will blame us. If lightening strikes their planes, we’ll be blamed for causing the lightning with one of those SciFi weapons we’re developing. We’re in a lose-lose position. Let’s not make it any worse than it already is.”
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Citizens of the USA are confused, most don’t want to believe their president arranged the death of President Obsma. Even those who believed in the policies of President Brownstone started to have doubts. Many of those who leaned to the left or who are liberal knew President Brownstone arranged the blackout and murder of President Brownstone. They soon took to the streets of America chanting “The man in the white house has blood on his hands.”
The liberal media are in President Reid’s back pocket. They report nothing except for Reid’s address to the LSA. The media was Obsma’s best friend. They fully support the LSA and the bullshit coming out of the Gray House. They aren’t happy Brownstone engineered the overthrow of the duly elected government. It didn’t matter to the media that President Brownstone fulfilled his promises to turn the econ
omy around, returned to the gold standard, cut real unemployment, increased the number of real jobs and lowered taxes; all of his actions greatly improving the lives of the average American citizen. None of this mattered since President Brownstone showed the world the media hadn’t been telling the complete story for years.
The media created quick stories for print, online and broadcast, telling the story of the horror of weapons of mass destruction. Images from the two atomic attacks on Japan are re-shown, horrible images of burns, radiation sickness, the blackened land and destroyed buildings. Images of the outlines of people burned into the faces of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Survivor's stories are retold. The media performed voice overs to these images asking if America could be trusted with such weapons when America was the only country to have ever used nuclear weapons. The media carries Reid’s water setting the stage for the disarming of America. The liberals around the world side with the media, old signs and marches screaming, “Ban The Bomb” once again takeover the streets of most of the world’s cities.
Puten arranged mass demonstrations for the media in Europe and Russia. He arranged for the FSB to have the signs made, people were given the day off of work; the media are bused in so they can capture the best shots and interview those preselected by the FSB to speak on air with the international media. Russia even goes so far as to have camera stands built along the lines of the streets the protestors plan to take through the cities. Puten goes on European and Russian television pledging “no first use," he speaks about the special responsibility that comes from owning weapons of mass destruction. Puten appears on the Russian version of Saturday Night Live. He plays off of the media push in America for full background checks for all firearm sales. An American news reporter, who’s on the LSA’s payroll, asks why countries don’t have to pass background checks before they can purchase or build nuclear weapons. Puten invites the reporter to Moscow where he’s shown the elaborate security measures in place to ensure Russia could never have an accidental nuclear weapons release. The American reporter is shown and allowed to keep a copy of the Russian military personal tests every member of the Russian military has to pass before being in the chain of command for nuclear weapons. Puten shows the world Russia is doing full background checks. He asks the other nuclear powers to release their personal checklists and tests too. Puten brags that Russia is the adult at the table while the rest of the nuclear club should either become an adult or turnover their weapons of mass destruction to the United Nations so they can be destroyed. Russia managed to conquer Europe while looking like the only peace-loving adult in the room. He’d managed to turn world opinion to support him and against the rest of the nuclear powers even while he’s crushed freedom in a third of the world.
President Reid announces the LSA will never use or possesses weapons of mass destruction as such the LSA has nothing to release. Reid pauses, then turns on the 50 foot video monitor behind his podium, the image on the screen comes into focus to show President Puten smiling and waving to the televised crowds. The two symbolically shake hands on the screen. Reid announces the signing of a mutual defense and special status trading agreement with Russia. The LSA is promised low to zero import duties on products, parts and raw materials flowing into the LSA from either Russia or the Russian controlled European countries. Russia is granted zero import duties on their products. Russia is also promised special status when bidding on LSA major projects.
Steve Fobas and Rash Linebacker are in the Oval Office watching President Reid’s address with the President; both look concerned while they’re watching Reid and Puten’s address. They turn to speak to President Brownstone, who holds up his right hand to motion them to be quiet.
Reid and Puten continue, “In four days, we’re both flying to The Hague to present our case for an international arrest warrant for President Brownstone. We are going to make our case that the USA, in the person of President Brownstone, did plan and carry out first-degree murder against the loved founder and first President of the LSA, President Obsma. He did also commit murder against citizens of twenty other countries. Our goal is for The Hague to ask the United Nations to send sufficient force to remove the murderer from office, bringing him to face the truth in the World Court. We are doing this to bring the world together, to ensure there is a single governing body that can hold countries or the most-powerful people in the world, responsible for their sins against humanity. A world justice system that is blind to wealth and individual power, because the World Court will represent all the people all the time, not just those who can afford the best-legal teams to get them off with a slap on the wrist for the worst crimes. The world has long needed a final court to bring grievances against other world powers. It’s our hope that the World Court is able to settle international issues so that another world war never happens again.”
Puten continues, “It is our hope that the United Nations, which was founded to preserve world peace, will vote to enforce whatever ruling The Hague hands down. We also hope the United Nations agrees to enforce the destruction of the world’s weapons of mass destruction. I am making it my life’s goal to ensure these horrible weapons are never used again. Russia is proud to announce we are seconding 50,000 soldiers to United Nations disarmament and peacekeeping forces. Russia agrees with President Reid; there’s no reason why private citizens should own a firearm. We in Russia don’t allow private ownership of firearms, our violent crime rate is a fraction of that of the USA’s. Removing military styled firearms from the world’s streets will dramatically improve the lives of all of the planet’s citizens. Our children will never have to grow up afraid of a drive-by shooting. Our children will never be afraid to play outside again. President Reid and I are convinced we can, and will, make this small planet we all share, a safer home for all of us. Thank you and good night from Moscow.”
Rash looks at President Brownstone, “Sir; this is really going to open the floodgates. The media will appoint Puten the second coming within an hour, and why not? He’ll never allow the United Nations entrance into Russia…”
“Rash, you’re wrong, yes he will. He’ll invite them into Chechen; he’ll hand over the very dirty job of disarming the rebels to them, only this time the 50,000 promised Russian troops will be tied up elsewhere. He’ll get Chechen cleared out without the loss of a single Russian life. He’ll never get rid of his own WMD, He’ll say he is, he’ll go on TV to show Russia scrapping some old useless weapons systems to show the world he’s good to his word. Hell, I bet he does this very soon, this will show the world he’s a man of peace, just forget all of that bullshit about Europe and oh, do you want to know about those 5,000 tanks massed along the Iranian border? They’re for the protection of the Iranian people. You just watch. He and Reid just pulled off a very special coup.”
Steve, looking very worried said, “Sir, what are we going to do? We can’t allow you to be tried at the World Court; the World Court hates America more than the United Nations does. It’ll be impossible for us to even make our case let alone have you tried in a fair and balanced manner. Plus, sir, the most-important point is we, YOU, didn’t do anything. Hell, we didn’t know what caused the blackout when it happened. We didn’t know until the New York City Fire Department reached the power generating facility. We can’t afford to fight the entire world at the same time; we have many millions of people who lean to the left or who actively support the LSA. The instant polls already show these people believe Reid. We’ll end up fighting on every front including inside our own country. Reid threw a perfect breaking curve ball at us.”
Rash looks thoughtful, “Mr. President, Steve, we can’t, or even if we could take on the entire world, I know we don’t want to. The risk far outweighs any potential positive outcome. We developed the personality testing for handling WMD before anyone else, why don’t we just make all of our procedures public? We should up the ante in their game, but up the ante.
Why don’t we suggest a meeting of the world’s nuclear club, the announced an
d the assumed to own such weapons such as Israel and Japan?”
“Rash, I fear that whatever meeting we call will fall on deaf ears because we’re calling it. We’re being accused of killing another world leader; no country is going to trust us not to do it to their leader. I have to admit; Reid pulled a fast one on us. Having Puten request, the United Nations perform the disarming was a good slight of hand for him. We’re innocent, however in the eyes of the world we’re guilty; we’re going to have to prove our case to the world and make it so iron clad no one will be able to break any holes in it. No matter what we say, or which documents we release, who’s going to believe us? Many think I led the coup against President Obsma; I got him impeached so I could take over in a military coup. You hear them every day chanting and picketing outside the White House fence. Even if President Obsma came back to life and told them I didn’t arrange to have him killed, his followers wouldn’t believe him. We’re innocent and have no logical way to prove it. We’re living the perfect Catch 22.”
Steve pours himself a fresh cup of coffee, as he takes his first sip, his face drains of all color, Steve grabs his chest falling over onto the floor, the President yells, MEDIC! MEDIC! The doors to the Oval Office are thrown open, three secret service guards rush in, followed by a US Navy Captain carrying a medical bag. The agents shove the two couches away so the doctor can have access to Steve. He rips Steve’s shirt open while placing a large patch of nitroglycerin on his chest, “When is the ambulance due?”
One of the agents talks into his microphone, “Doc, six minutes, we can have Marine One here in five if needed.”
“Get Marine One here right now, where’s the mobile stretcher?”
“On the way, almost here.”