The Faithful, North African and Middle Eastern Islamic nations, are plotting to seize the oil resources of the Middle East. By controlling the earth's oil and its major trade routes, they plan to bring the world to its knees. Then, when the entire world is kneeling, the Faithful of Allah will read to them from the Koran, preaching the message of Islam, the True Faith. The Faithful will stop at nothing to achieve their goal. But how far will they go? And how many lives will it cost?

9 Turning Points

9.3 Israel

9.3.1 Maybe

"Madam Prime Minister, it is possible by using American aircraft. The Americans, you see, have continued to produce military products that are no longer as useful as they once were. When they were considered the guardians of Europe, they needed a large number of medium-to-long ranged aircraft which could carry heavy loads and land on unimproved air strips. That led to the development of their C-17s.

"But, Madam Prime Minister that was years ago. Once they retreated across the ocean, they failed to review their needs or rebuild their forces for the new role, which they had assumed. Therefore, they continued to build aircraft and ships which were no longer useful to them strategically or tactically. Their present position demonstrates the results.

"They have insufficient, long-range, heavy-lift aircraft to bring their larger armored formations from America to Saudi Arabia. They have insufficient numbers of vessels, and the ones they do have were laid up in mothballs. So, they were only able to bring their lightest troops, such as their airborne and so-called light divisions, into this theater quickly. They have only recently brought their Twenty-Fourth Armored Infantry Division into action and then only by hamstringing the rest of their operations.

"In the meantime, what do they do with their huge number of intra-theater, heavy-lift aircraft? They use them primarily to bring supplies from Europe to Riyadh and Hufuf. But, that is a relatively small effort for so large a number of planes. In effect, Madam Prime Minister, they need us.

"We are the only military force left to them within fifteen hundred kilometers. They can not count upon either the Greeks or the Turks. The French will not fight, the Germans can not fight, which leaves the English. But, they are involved in Egypt protecting the Suez Canal. We are all that is left.

"Can we do it? That is the important question. Much depends upon our control of Syria. For instance, there is a small but usable airport at Dayr az-Zawr. There are many in the Damascus area as well as further north in Halab, Hamah and Hims Homs. Each of these would be suitable for such aircraft as the American C-17.

"As for traveling overland, no. It is impossible. Many years ago we made a series of decisions, to maintain our firepower and effectiveness along our borders. This decision forced us to commit ourselves to short-range warfare. We are the best in the world at defending our tiny country, but to do this we sacrificed our ability to attack at great distances from our borders. Only in our Air Force do we maintain such a capability, and even that is limited."

"So, you are saying we should do this, General Eban."

"No, Madam Prime Minister, I am not. You asked me for my assessment. I have given it to you. You have not asked me for a political statement of ends and means. I am a professional army officer. I see things strictly in terms of the defense of Israel. I will not, in fact it would be illegal for me to verbalize thoughts regarding international policy. I am not an elected representative of the citizenry of Israel."

"I quite understand your dilemma, General. Yet, if I were to suggest such a policy, what would you, as the Commander of the Israeli Defense Forces say to me, your Commander in Chief, either to assure me or to dissuade me?"

"I? I would say nothing."

"Oh, Isman! I have seen you ranting and raving about military procurements. I have seen your infamous cue-cards, your on-screen presentations, and your computer tricks elegantly designed to terrify the junior members of the Knesset. When it comes to the defense of Israel, you are a lion. Why do you play at being the lap cat?"

"Madam Prime Minister, you have me at a disadvantage. I do not know what to say, for no matter which I do, it may be wrong. Will it be my turn to share in the blame for all that goes wrong, while you and your political cronies take all the credit?"

"Well said, my old enemy. We have been on opposite sides of many questions, but now I must weigh far more than my political career, or the state of Israel's defenses. I must wager on Israel's survival.

"The dice will be thrown, Isman. Either I will throw them or they will be thrown for me. Regardless they will fall, and the number of their kind will determine the fate of Israel. Then, neither you, nor I, nor the IDF will have any control. If the numbers come up against us, it will be a long and bloody fight, but, in the end, we will perish. If the numbers are right, we will prosper as envisioned by King Solomon. Therefore, old enemy, I come to you to ask your advice. You are one of the very few alive who will answer me honestly."

"Old enemy, you call me! Yes, it is true that we have been on opposite side of many issues. Yet, I have always believed that we were both fighting for the same goals. We both fought for a free Israel, at peace within itself and with the rest of the world. Then, we could go to sleep as a people, secure in our homes and religion, letting the rest of the world pass us by. Yes, I will answer you, as one old enemy to another.

"Do it, Madam! Seize this opportunity, but seize it with both hands. Do not just do it militarily. Do it with all the heart and soul and passion of our people. Take the chance to bring peace, not just to Israel, but to the whole world!"

"You were always as eloquent as a Lebanese, Isman. I perceive your meaning clearly. If they want us, they must accept us completely, and if we do go to their aid, we must have already accepted them, warts and all, for what they are. We must build bridges and use our army as a corps of engineers, not as an engine of destruction or revenge.

"Thank you my old enemy. Please, if you have any other thoughts, come to me and advise me. Whether we agree or disagree, you are a comfort to me. God be with you, Isman."

9.3.2 Movements

David Weissman received his orders late that afternoon. His battalion was to return to Dayr Az-Zwar, and rendezvous with the rest of Second Brigade, to rest and recuperate.

'Why not just let us go home?' he wondered. 'It would be a lot easier to recuperate in Tel Aviv than out here in the Syrian desert.' But in this war, he had learned the hard lesson of the army all over again. Take your orders and do your best, and most of the time you'll be OK.

"Mount 'em up! Move 'em out!" he yelled. He'd always wanted to say that every since he'd seen that American cowboy series when he was a kid. Who was that actor? Clint Wood, or something? He'd have to look up that old series sometime.

His Impala started with a lurch, and sand sprayed up in every direction. He glanced around at his battalion. They were as tired as he was. Hatches were open. Men were lazing in the sun on the flat backs of the Impalas and the Badgers. If he didn't know better, he'd have viewed them as the losers, not the victors. His mind wandered back to the night they'd raced wildly up the Golan Heights, the assault on Mt. Ammar, and the frenzied battle at the Hijanah Salient. They had earned a rest.

A cloud of dust appeared on the distance. He grabbed his binoculars, as much out of habit as curiosity. A staff car was coming fast. It had to be somebody important. He whistled at the vehicles around him, and yelled, "Somebody coming! Make this look like a unit of the victorious Israeli Army, not a pack of hoodlums out to scare children and women."

Reluctantly, his men put on their shirts and tied their shoes. Slowly, even as their vehicles were moving, they clambered back inside. But, the hatches remained open, and men's heads appeared from them.

The car wheeled up rapidly and skidded to a halt. A young lieutenant jumped out, shouting, "Major Weissman! Major Weissman!"

"Here, boy!"

The lieutenant rushed up and saluted. Weissman made a half-hearted attempt at military courtesy. He was just too tired to give a damn.

"Sir, you must come with me. General Eban wants you there."

That brought David out of his lethargy! General Isman Eban was the Chief of Staff of the IDF. Everybody, except the Prime Minister, reported to him. David made sure that everybody knew what they were supposed to do, and then departed with the clean-shaven, baby-faced lieutenant wearing the clean, pressed uniform.

The ride was either long or short. It had to have been long, because David awoke several times with an incredibly stiff neck and shoulders from falling asleep in the car. At the same time, it was very short, because he had missed so much of it. Yet, it was nightfall when they reached the town of Dayr az-Zawr.

The lieutenant had orders to deliver the major to the general, and he took his duty quite literally. David was given no time to eat, shave or change his clothes before he was ushered into a great room filled with virtually every other middle and high-ranking officer in the IDF, each of whom looked and smelled as awful as he did. Some were standing around trying to make small talk. Others were sound asleep in the little steel chairs so common at these types of meetings. Still others were eating ravenously at the small buffet in the corner. Weissman decided that, of the choices, food looked the best.

"David!" a voice boomed. He turned to greet Colonel Schwartz who had also decided on the food. "How's Iraq?"

"Sir, I pissed on it!"

"What?" David explained, and the Colonel laughed so hard he had to sit down. Finally, after several minutes of near hysteria, he looked up at his battalion commander through tear-filled eyes, and gasped, "Damn, I wish I could have been there to help you. Wouldn't we have made a fine pair, standing there with our flies open."

"Attention!"

General Eban entered and strode quickly to the small raised platform. "Gentlemen, grab your food, wake everybody up, gather around. We have work to do."

Slowly but surely everybody gathered in a hubbub of discussion. Who had work to do? We're going home aren't we?

"Men of the Israeli Defense Force!"

'Oh, no! Whenever someone like him starts out like that, there's trouble in the air.'

"We have a golden opportunity to achieve peace and prosperity!"

'We just did! We kicked the Arabs back across the Tigris and destroyed Syria for generations.'

"Maps," he ordered. Two aides rushed forward with large easels to support a big poster-board map of the Middle East from the Persian Gulf to the Egypt-Libya border.

"Gentlemen, the situation is this. Israel has won a war against both the Syrians and the Iraqis, but it is a hollow victory. The moment we look beyond our borders, we see defeat, not only for our neighbors, but, ultimately, for ourselves.

"Let us look to the West, first. In Egypt, Libya and Tunisia have amassed over two hundred and fifty thousand troops. They are advancing on Alexandria. The Egyptians have mobilized three divisions, and both the British Royal Marines and the American Marines have come to their assistance. Ninety thousand defend the lands of Egypt against three times their number.

"Let us look now to the East. Five hundred thousand Persians and Assyrians have invaded Saudi Arabia. Against them stand a pitiful few. The Saudi Army was destroyed at Suffaniyah, and has resurrected only two brigades. The Americans have landed five divisions, but of these only one is armored. The rest are so-called light divisions used for rapid deployment. The Italians have landed one brigade. The total strength of our allies in the East is less than one-hundred and fifty thousand.

"You are all military men. What are the military options open to either the Americans and Saudis in Saudi Arabia or to the Egyptians with their British and American allies? How long will it be until they are defeated? A week? A few days?

"What then will be our fate? The North African Islamic States will be on our southern border. The Persians and Assyrians will return in uncountable numbers. We will face combined armies one third as large as our entire population. This time, they will not burn the Temple and send us into exile to the four corners of the Earth to roam for centuries a broken and despised people.

"No! They will utterly annihilate us!

"What is our choice? Shall we await the final onslaught like the kine awaiting the butcher's knife? Or shall we do as we have learned to do by bitter experience?

"We won the war against the Syrians and the Assyrians, because we did not wait for them to prepare. We preempted them and struck them before their plans for our demise had matured. This is what we will do again.

"Today, I announce the formation of three divisions within the structure of the IDF. Two of these are already familiar to you. General Myer will command the First Division consisting of the Third and Ninth Brigades. General Geldfein will command the Second Division containing the Second and Eleventh Brigades. General Hadera will command the Third Division consisting of the Twelfth and Eighteenth Brigades.

"Each of you will attend a division-level briefing following this meeting. At that time, your division commanders will brief you on the situation and our response to that situation. You will then receive your orders.

"Prepare your minds for the new ideas and concepts you are about to hear for the first time. First and Second Divisions will embark to Saudi Arabia to defend that royal kingdom from the Persians and Assyrians. Third Division will embark for Egypt, where it will ally with the Egyptians, the Americans and the British in defense of Egypt and the Suez Canal."

The whole room erupted in a cacophony of voices. Some men yelled. Others wept openly. All of them protested, loudly.

"Attention! Attention!" General Eban re-established order quickly. "It says in the Torah that God works in mysterious ways. It is up to Man to discern his pattern and then to go forth to do God's work. Today, we see a mysterious pattern before us, and we wonder how we shall fulfill His plan for His nation of Israel.

"We shall do this as we have always done. We shall go forth with His name upon our lips and smite our enemies! In this process, we will find new friends and allies, and perhaps bring about a new world order.

"We may fail. It is very likely that anything we do will fail, and we shall fall. But, we will fall whether we try or not. So, we will try, and perhaps we will succeed, for it is our only hope.

"Officers of the Israeli Defense Forces, this plan of action has been carefully considered, and this is what will happen. You will accept this, and that is an order. Further, after you have learned what you are to do and have accepted your assignments, you will then go return to your units. and they too will accept these orders.

"The survival of Israel and Judaism are at stake. If we, by our presence, can change the outcome of this war from defeat into victory, then Egypt and Saudi Arabia will be in our debt. This will be a new beginning, and a change that will shake the world. Israel shall become a power for peace, rather than the scapegoat of the world's politicians. We shall be seen as a kind and generous people who help our neighbors when they are in distress, while destroying those who would dare attack us.

"We may die achieving victory, or retreat and be slaughtered like sheep. Those are your choices, men of Israel. Go! You are dismissed!"