This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. As fiction, the characters are not bound by the usual dictates of modern society. Unsafe sexual practices can be undertaken with impunity only in the world of fantasy. In reality, it is both your obligation and your right to play safely, sanely and healthily. I hope you enjoy my work, and if you have any comments, or ideas that may inspire new work, please feel free to contact me - all e-mails will be answered to the best of my ability.
End of chapter 41
"Most likely not... But at least they will know what you really think and want. From what he says, the President wants to know the truth. Once you make it clear, who knows what will happen, but at least you will both know what the bottom line is." Joseph said.
Chapter 42
"And you don't think I should use diplomatic language to sort of ease the picture?" the Emir asked.
"Far be it from me to tell you what to say or how to say it." Joseph answered. "I am not the diplomat, your Eminence.
"No you are not, that is for sure. But the idea of speaking the truth appeals to me and for once I think that its day has come." He said as he took his briefcase and went into the legation office. "Please wait here everyone. I want to do a little work on my speech," he said as he shut the door.
An hour later, he came out of the room. There was a smile on his face and he looked at Joseph and said, "Yussef, it is done and it feels right."
"Do you want to go over it with me?"
"Absolutely not! At this point, I think it is better if every one thinks these are my thoughts and my words. I don't want anyone to think that you had any direct or indirect input into it. What I am going to say could be construed as a declaration of war. Until the time when you are safely out of the army and under our complete protection, I do not want your discharge or loyalty to the USA to be questioned or affected," the Emir said. "There will be plenty of questions asked as it is, without you having to lie about this. After you become a member of my family, I will be able to offer you my complete protection. Perhaps you should leave before I take the podium."
"No! I wish to stay and hear this." Joseph said forcefully. "If, as you say, I am to be a member of your family, I had better learn to take the heat," he then continued, "And Jiddi", using the Arabic word for my grandfather, "the sooner I learn-the better. We must tell the truth and the truth will set us free."
"Yes, Yussef, the truth." He said as he led the delegation back into chambers. However, at the doorway he stopped, turned and signaled to his security detail. When they came over to him he whispered to them and then said to Joseph, "I'm sorry, Yussef, I order you not to come in with us. I repeat I will not have you even suspected of having anything to do with this. You can watch this on the closed circuit TV here and let me know what you think after my speech."
The security guards closed in around Joseph and gently but forcefully directed him to a seat in front of the TV where they made him sit down. This is one of those times when I better keep my mouth shut, he thought, as he relaxed himself and took out a notebook and pencil to make notes.
The Emir was not the first Muslim representative to speak, but he was the most important. As the head of the so-called radical fundamentalist coalition, his pronouncements were often considered to be equal to those of the Pope. The only difference being that the Emir did not have to rely on titular power alone. He could and did command vast numbers of loyal fanatics waiting to do his bidding. The first to speak was the representative of a country that was known for it's moderate western policies. After he had finished, the Emir was introduced and he took his place at the speaker's stand.
"This morning, we all sat here and witnessed a great theatrical performance by the President of the United States of America. We heard him call for a new beginning." Here he stopped and slowly clapped his hands together a few times signaling his utter disdain and contempt. Then he continued, in part quoting from the President's speech, "A new beginning, one based on truth and justice. How wonderful, and I agree, Mr. President but on whose truth and whose justice? Ah yes, this is the question. However, we must first define and decide on what is truth and what is justice. You cannot have a new beginning unless all parties agree on what the truth is and whose justice is right. As it stands now, what you want to do and what you say is a sham. You have to right the wrongs of the past before we can talk of any rapprochement. We have to take a hard look at the past and define the basic problem. When we in truth do this, we will discover that crimes have been committed, not only out there in the outside world, but here in this very room. We have to ascertain who is the criminal here. Who is it that is occupying whose lands? Before we can talk, the United States must withdraw its forces from every country outside it borders. You, Mr. President, and your country are the bandits; it is you who are the terrorists, not us. You and your government must be brought before an international tribunal. This building in which we meet is not the place for that case to be held. The organization that meets here is the cause of our struggle. The United States and the United Nations are the reason for what you call terrorism. There can be no discussion until you accept this fact, and then there can be no peace until all of you accept Islam. We shall continue our struggle. We shall not rest until this is so. We shall not stop our struggle. And that, Mr. President, is the bottom line as you Americans are so fond of saying. No peace, no security, no rest until every nation is Islamic. As your past President said, 'You are either with us or against us'. You have left us no alternative. This is Holy War, Jihad. Any person, any religion, any country that stands in our way can expect to be a target for our martyrs and that includes the so-called moderates among us. There is no place for moderates or moderation in Islam. We are all united in purifying the world and if we are going to purify the world - we must purify ourselves as well."
With that he left the platform and returned to the legation. The delegates were stunned.
No more than twenty minutes later a message came from the President asking the Emir meet with him.
"No, I will not meet with him. Enough talk." The Emir said and angrily stood up and shook his fists.
"Your Eminence" Joseph said to him trying to calm him down, "how can you not meet with him? You must at least look like you are willing to hear what he has to say."
"But why? If there is nothing more to say and this is my bottom line - the only option left for him is surrender. Is this not so?"
"If you do not make it look like you are trying to be reasonable, the only thing you accomplish is to unite the American people behind him. Once that is done it will be harder, if not impossible, to take over peacefully and you will have a full-blown war on your hands."
"I shall never understand you Americans," the Emir said and smiled. "And that is why I want and need you by my side. Fazzi was right. I cannot rule here. No non-American can. I need you to explain them to me. I feel that you are one of us yet you are able to be one of them also. You feel our pain and make it your own. Now I know why Fazzi wanted you, or someone like you, to be the one to rule here. Allie, Hassan and I were so in opposition to Fazzi on this one point that we almost wanted to depose him. In fact, Hassan thought he could solve the problem by offering to kill you... Fazzi, and later Allie, convinced me to change my mind. Now I'm glad they did," then throwing his hands up in surrender he gave in, "O.K. O.K., I will meet with your President but only if you come with me to act as a translator."
"I cannot do that! He is my Commander-in-Chief and it would not be appropriate." Joseph said, "Besides your English is good enough, you do not need me."
"You are right! I do not need you -but I want you to be by my side. I order you to be there anyway. If I can arrange it, will you accompany me?"
"I think you are making a mistake, but if you can arrange it, I will be glad to act as an independent translator for you. But the President may want his own translator there also."
"Let him have 50 translators there, I see no problem with that. You can make sure the translators are giving a good rendition of what I say. Now go tell Hassan to get in here and I will set this up."
