Chapter 1369
Reaching a Consensus
Chapter 1369 Reaching Agreement
The following afternoon at 2 PM, in Bhaktapur's "Green Zone".
Song Heping's convoy arrived at the outermost and most heavily guarded checkpoint of the Green Zone, known as "Assassin's Gate."
The inspection process is cumbersome and rigorous.
The entire vehicle was scanned, all personnel disembarked for inspection with handheld metal detectors, documents were repeatedly verified, biometric identification was compared, and accompanying weapons were registered and sealed with security tape...
Guided by another young U.S. Army lieutenant, Song Heping finally arrived at the outer room of Major General Duke's office.
"Mr. Song, the general is waiting for you."
The secretary was a capable female civilian military officer in her forties. She pushed open the heavy solid wood door to the inner room.
Major General Duke stood in front of the map, his back to the door.
Hearing the door open, he turned around and smiled.
"Song, welcome back. Was your journey safe?"
He didn't go up to shake hands, but simply pointed to the chair opposite the desk, and then walked around to sit down in the large, high-backed chair.
"It went fairly smoothly, General. Thank you for your concern."
Song Heping sat down with neither arrogance nor servility, calmly meeting Duke's scrutinizing gaze.
"I heard you went back to China? How is your homeland now? It must have changed a lot."
Duke casually started the conversation, but his fingers tapped lightly on the clean tabletop with a meaningful sound.
"The changes are indeed significant, happening every day."
Song Heping sensed the probing implication and smiled, deflecting the question by saying:
"However, no matter how big the changes are, they don't seem to compare to the 'new drama' that plays out in Bakhta every week. I heard that the parliament building was 'visited' again by Mr. Sadr's followers last week? It seems to have become a regular occurrence."
Duke's lips twitched slightly, and a barely perceptible hint of displeasure flashed in his eyes, but he quickly concealed it.
This is one of the most troublesome issues in current Iligo politics for him.
While Prime Minister Haider Abadi has made some progress in combating 1515 and pushing for some reforms, the country remains mired in a severe political deadlock, with ongoing sectarian and party disputes.
Within the Shia community, the faction led by populist religious leader Muqtada al-Sadr frequently organizes large-scale demonstrations and even storms government offices (including in the Green Zone) to protest corruption and demand reforms, making the already fragile operation of the government even more difficult.
Economically, the global oil price slump has severely impacted the finances and livelihoods of Iligo, a country that relies almost entirely on oil revenue. High unemployment has fueled extremist ideologies and unrest.
“Iligo’s democratic process has always progressed through twists and turns.”
Duke coughed lightly, gave a vague reply, and then got to the point:
"Let's talk about something more pressing. Your men have submitted a very... ambitious plan outline. A complete eradication of the 1515 armed forces in Tikrit, with a strict timetable."
He looked up at Song Heping, as if trying to see through the latter and understand what he was thinking.
“Song, based on my past observations and understanding, you and the interests you represent have always pursued a certain ‘controlled pressure’ strategy. You use the presence of 1515 in the northwest to balance the authority of the central government in Bakda, to restrain the excessive expansion of certain… regional forces, and at the same time to ensure your own indispensable position in that region. Tell me, why did you suddenly change your strategy? What prompted you to decide to uproot 1515 now? This seems… inconsistent with your usual ‘cost-benefit’ calculations.”
The questions were sharp and insightful, directly pointing to the motives behind Song Heping's actions.
Duke needs to determine whether this is a trap or if there is a deeper scheme behind it.
Song Heping was well prepared.
He leaned back in his chair, relaxed, and said with a smile:
"General, you are right. Situation assessment is based on costs and benefits. And when costs and benefits change, strategies naturally need to be adjusted."
He paused, organizing his thoughts in his mind.
“In 2014, when 1515 was just rising to prominence, Prime Minister Maliki’s government exhibited strong sectarian exclusivity, and its oppressive policies toward the Sunni community were actually one of the important reasons for 1515’s rise to power.”
"But now, Prime Minister Abadi is relatively moderate and pragmatic, and is also trying to promote national reconciliation—despite the many difficulties. More importantly, the nature of the 1515 armed group itself has undergone a qualitative change."
Song Heping's tone became serious.
"It has evolved from a rebel/terrorist organization primarily operating in Iligo and Syria into a 'quasi-state' terrorist entity with global appeal and attack capabilities. Their terrorist attacks in Europe, Turkey, Egypt, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and other locations have caused numerous innocent civilian casualties, including citizens of the United States and other Western countries."
“Just last month during Ramadan, they claimed to have carried out more than 390 attacks worldwide. General, this fire has spread to everyone’s backyard; it’s no longer just a localized problem in the Middle East. Continuing to allow them to remain in key locations like Tikrit is not only nurturing a tiger to cause future trouble, but also tarnishing the credibility of all counterterrorism forces.”
Duke listened quietly, outwardly calm but inwardly deeply moved.
Song Heping is not just a simple mercenary leader.
He has a thorough understanding of international politics, geopolitics, the situation in the Middle East, and so on.
This was completely different from some of the contractors he had known before.
Someone of Song Heping's caliber, if he weren't a student at Dongda University, and not a person with yellow skin and black eyes, but rather an Onsa person born in the United States, with a bit of family background, he could not only become a defense contractor, but also run for Congress.
If he were to join the army, Duke felt he would definitely have to win over this guy in front of him.
The future is bright!
Song Heping continued to escalate the situation, lowering his voice slightly:
"Moreover, General, don't you think now is an excellent tactical window? The Russians' strong military intervention in Syria, especially in the Aleppo region, has attracted a large number of elite troops and command resources to move west. They are also under great pressure in Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor. And their garrison in Tikrit within Iligor, although its fortifications are strong, is at a relative low in strength, morale and external support."
"If we concentrate our efforts and swiftly resolve Tikrit, we can significantly weaken their entire defense system in northern Iligo, creating excellent conditions for the next step of dealing with Ozam. This aligns with the overall strategy of the international anti-1515 coalition, and even more so with your White House counter-terrorism strategy. Our interests overlap, don't they?"
Duke's gaze shifted to the large map on the wall, lingering for a moment on the red dot representing Tikrit.
Song Heping knew he was weighing his options.
For the current Obama administration, cracking down on 1515 is an important foreign policy and national security issue, and it hopes to achieve a landmark victory before the end of its term to add weight to the Democratic Party's election campaign.
However, the United States, having learned a lesson from its quagmire in the Middle East, is unwilling to commit large-scale ground troops again.
Therefore, they can only rely on local allies (Khords, Iligor government forces) and regional partners, including "collaborators" with complex backgrounds like Song Hoping, to provide air support, intelligence and advisors in order to achieve their goal of eliminating the 1515 militants.
However, the United States remained wary of the expansion of Persian power in Iligo, fearing that excessively weakening Iligo would "benefit others."
Therefore, Americans are also very conflicted.
What kind of support does your plan require from the U.S. military?
After much deliberation, Duke finally spoke.
Song Heping immediately and clearly listed his requirements:
"First and foremost, we need all-weather, high-intensity close air support (CAS) and battlefield air interdiction (BAI) covering the entire campaign cycle, with a focus on urban assaults and the western desert front. We need 'Reaper' and 'Predator' drones to provide 24/7 ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance). Once we detect the 1515 unit's assembly, vehicle movement, or any cluster attempting to flee west, we must immediately call in tactical aircraft or 'Hellfire' missiles carried by the drones themselves for strikes. The air support response time must be short enough, ideally within 15 minutes."
"Second, comprehensive intelligence sharing. I know that the CIA and DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency) have a fairly deep human intelligence and signals intelligence network in Tikrit and the surrounding area. We need real-time or near-real-time intelligence, including but not limited to the precise location of the 1515 command center; major ammunition depots and vehicle distribution centers; the movements and possible hiding places of senior commanders; and their defensive deployment adjustments. This can greatly improve our strike efficiency and reduce civilian casualties."
After finishing his sentence, Song Heping paused and observed Duke's reaction.
He went on and on, and Duke needs time to process it all.
Duke did not respond immediately after hearing this.
He stood up and walked back to the large screen map, his back to Song Heping, seemingly staring at the point of Tikrit, or perhaps contemplating a grander game of chess.
Silence fell over the office.
A full minute passed before Duke turned around.
"Song, I have two questions."
He sat down again opposite Song Heping, his gaze fixed on the latter's face for several seconds. "The first question concerns the Persians. What role will Nassin, the Quds Force currently stationed in Iligobaiji, and of course, Nasreddin behind him, play in this operation? Will they follow the coordination of your 'Joint Command,' or will they directly accept orders from Tehran, or even Damascus? If their actions exceed our 'rules of engagement,' or if they attempt to seize political and military control after the war, how should we respond? You know, we're not on good terms with them."
This issue touches on the most sensitive geopolitical nerves.
The old and new grievances between the United States and Persia, as well as those long-standing, trivial matters, are all open secrets.
Song Heping cautiously replied, “Commander Nassin has formally agreed to participate in the operation and pledged that the forces he coordinates will accept the unified operational coordination of the Joint Command. General, we must face the reality of Iligor today. Without the participation of a large number of Shiite militia members who are familiar with the terrain and have rich combat experience, any large-scale ground offensive will be difficult to succeed, and they will be the main force in liberating Titrick and Ozam.”
"The key is to establish effective coordination mechanisms, clear rules of engagement, and post-war arrangements, and to bring them into a framework for constraint, rather than pushing them aside and forcing them to act on their own, which would have more unpredictable consequences. I believe that a successful, multi-party liberation campaign of Tikrit, if handled properly, can serve as a model for building mutual trust and cooperation, and will also benefit your future."
Duke remained noncommittal and proceeded to pose a second question:
"The second question concerns you personally, Song. Your eagerness, even somewhat... desperate, to push forward this campaign, completed within a month, is it truly solely due to international counter-terrorism pressure, a tactical window of opportunity, or 'for the sake of Iligo's future'? Are there more... realistic reasons? For example, to thoroughly consolidate the positions of Samir and Abuyu, the two proxies you've fostered, in the Northwest? Or, by completing such an extremely difficult campaign, to prove your value and indispensability to certain parties, thereby gaining greater... support or authorization?"
This is a more direct test, concerning Song Heping's personal motives and the true intentions of the forces behind him.
Song Heping laughed inwardly.
Duke probably never imagined that he was asked to do this by his former coach.
He would never have known that by doing this, he was actually making a contribution to his motherland.
This is thanks to the image he has cultivated over the years—a military contractor and arms dealer who only cares about profits.
Good.
Americans would never think that way.
For me, this is definitely a good thing.
So, meeting Duke's gaze, he deliberately forced a look of helplessness on his face and said:
"General, in Iligo, idealism and practical interests are never mutually exclusive. A stable, secure Northwest Territory free from the ravages of 1515 is in the interest of the people of Iligo, in the interest of an efficient central government in Bakta, in the counterterrorism and security interests of the United States and its allies, and of course, in the fundamental interests of myself and my partners."
"Eliminating 1515, the biggest source of instability and a common threat, is a prerequisite for achieving all these interests. If we succeed, Samir and Abuyu's position in the Iligor and Kolde Autonomous Okrug will be more secure, which in turn strengthens their control over the Northwest region and contributes to local stability. Isn't this a virtuous cycle?"
He said earnestly, “General, we are all in the same boat, although we may each be thinking of different ports. But now, there is a big hole in the bottom of the ship. We must work together to plug the hole before we can talk about which direction to row next. Otherwise, if the ship sinks, no one will benefit.”
Duke on the other side fell silent again.
He was always wary of Song Heping.
Duke hasn't forgotten how Kurt died.
Before coming here, he had read all the background information and analyses of Song Heping, and they all revolved around one word—cunning!
After a full three minutes of silence, Duke finally reached out and pressed the button on the internal communicator.
“Mary, inform the Central Command Frontline Command (CFC) that I need to immediately initiate a preliminary assessment and coordination of an air support plan. At the same time, schedule a video conference with Iligor Defense Minister Khalid Obeidi and the Prime Minister’s Security Advisor, scheduled for today…before 6 p.m..”
He put down the communicator, looked at Song Heping, and clasped his hands together, as if to say—it's all settled.
“Okay, Song. The U.S. military has agreed in principle to provide the air support and intelligence sharing you requested, but the levels and details need to be finalized by the operational commanders.”
His tone became businesslike.
"However, I have two non-negotiable conditions: First, this operation must be fully incorporated into the official operational order of the Iligo government forces. It needs to be formally declared by Prime Minister Abadi or the Minister of Defense that this is a military operation led by the Iligo security forces aimed at liberating the country. All participating forces, at least nominally, must be coordinated by the Iligo Joint Operations Command (JOC). This concerns the legality of the operation and the post-war political arrangements."
Song Heping breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that the most crucial hurdle had been overcome.
Duke's meaning was actually to steal credit.
They were unwilling to take credit for it.
To put it bluntly, he cares about his reputation, but he also cares about his personal gain.
Ha ha.
This is the hypocritical, bureaucratic style of American military officers.
He stood up and extended his right hand: "Completely agree, General. It's a pleasure working with you!"
Duke also reached out and shook hands with Song Heping.
The handshake was brief but powerful, and a temporary alliance based on current common interests was thus formed between the two old rivals.
They both knew that the alliance was fragile and full of calculations.
Following the Battle of Tikrit, the power struggles surrounding Ozam, the future political arrangements for Ilig, and the ebb and flow of Persian and American influence will only intensify.
But at least for this game, they have temporarily placed pieces of the same color.
As we left the Green Zone, the setting sun painted the western sky of Bakta a magnificent yet poignant blend of blood red and orange.
As the convoy drove onto the highway back to Hurmatu, the scenery on both sides quickly blurred in the twilight, leaving only the black silhouettes of the concrete barriers and checkpoint towers, like tombstones standing on ruins.
The indicator light on the vehicle's encrypted satellite phone started flashing.
Song Heping pressed the answer button.
"How was the conversation?"
The sound of thunder came through, slightly distorted and delayed due to encryption and possibly multiple relays.
Song Heping subconsciously glanced out the car window.
I had just left Duke's office when Lei called...
Fuck...
Song Heping felt a chill run down his spine.
"Duke agreed in principle. The condition was that the operation be fully integrated into the framework of the Iligo government forces and that the post-war arrangements be monitored by the international community."
Song Heping gave a brief report.
"As expected. Legitimacy is a prerequisite for their participation in the game, and it's also the talisman you need."
The thunder's voice revealed little emotion.
"Domestic diplomatic resources are already being mobilized. On the UN side, we will push for a new statement or draft resolution emphasizing support for Iligigo's sovereignty and counter-terrorism efforts, and calling for guarantees of civilian and humanitarian access. The Middle East Special Envoy's trip to Bakhta next month has been confirmed, at which time a package of economic reconstruction and livelihood assistance plans can be announced, with a focus on newly liberated areas."
"Then I can say that I have done a good thing for the Iligos."
Song Heping breathed a long sigh of relief.
"You've also done a good thing for your motherland." Lei Ming said, "Heping, you should be different from those American contractors. They don't know how to behave like human beings. You should do human things occasionally. After all, you are a student of Dongda University. You can't be like those scumbags."
"Hehe." Song Heping couldn't help but laugh: "Team Leader Lei, I think I understand now. You mean I didn't do human things before."
"Hehe." Lei Ming also laughed: "It's always good to do some good deeds, it's a way to accumulate merit. At least, we won't forget those who have helped the country."
This sentence has many implications.
Song Heping understood.
After ending the call and putting down his phone, Song Heping leaned back in his seat, feeling exhausted, but his mind was unusually clear.
The wilderness of Iligor outside the car window had completely lost its outline in the night, blending into the darkness. Only the headlights illuminated a short stretch of road ahead, rugged and unknown.
Asking for a monthly ticket! Asking for a monthly ticket!
(End of this chapter)