pushed around. And he would
be fully, completely justified in doing so.
He
dialed a special secure pager number, then sat and waited. Several minutes
later, a call was put through to him: “Speak.”
“This
is Ulama al-Khan, Majesty,” Khalid al-Khan, the chief justice of the Egyptian
Supreme Court and the leader of the main opposition party, responded. “God be
with you.”
“And
to you, Ulama,” Zuwayy said. This guy had to be the biggest idiot in all of
Egypt and probably all of northern Africa, Zuwayy scoffed to himself. Khan saw
himself as an Islamic holy man, a true believer who fancied himself a spiritual
master and leader. He was so zealous in his beliefs—and so enamored of
himself—that he couldn’t see danger when it was right in front of his face. His
ambition would quite possibly drive him into the Presidential Palace—but he had
no concept of how to lead a government, except to send out his henchmen in the
Egyptian Republican Guards and assassinate a political enemy. He truly believed
that God would absolve him of all his sins, no matter how heinous his crimes.
But
most times stupidity and ambition made for a pliant coconspirator, and that’s
what Zuwayy had in Khan. The Egyptian cleric thought it was in the best
interest of all concerned for Egypt to join the Muslim Brotherhood—a loose
confederation of Libya, Sudan, and Yemen, with major support in Syria, Jordan,
Iraq, and Lebanon, and with some wealthy supporters in such pro-Western states
such as Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and
even
Kuwait. Jadallah Zuwayy, as ruler of the most powerful military in the
alliance, was the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood. Their sworn mission: to
replace all of the secular governments in the Middle East with religious- based
governments firmly grounded in traditional Muslim beliefs. Egypt joining the
Muslim Brotherhood would be the crown jewel in strengthening the organization
and convincing other undecided nations to join—Egypt had the most powerful
military force in the entire region, almost on a par with Israel
quantitatively.
Zuwayy
found a ready and willing ideological slave in Khalid al-Khan. Obviously the
cleric never read anything but propaganda sheets—for he truly believed that
Zuwayy was descended from the Prophet Muhammad and was the savior and sword of
Islam. Zuwayy nurtured that fiction every chance he could, and Khan was
obviously enjoying and benefiting from the attention. It did not take long to
lodge al-Khan firmly under Zuwayy’s thumb.
“I
have a request of you, Ulama,” Zuwayy said.
“Ask
anything of me, Majesty,” Khan replied devoutly.
“A
sneak attack by unidentified commandos was perpetrated against Libya tonight.”
“I
have heard of this, Majesty. Are you safe?”
“Perfectly
safe, Ulama.”
“I
swear this to you, Majesty, that the terrorists that did this deed will be
hunted down like the dogs they are and punished!”
“You
would tell me if these terrorists came from Egypt, Khalid?”
“Of
course, Majesty!” Khan cried. “I would notify you the instant I found out, even
if I risked violating state secrets. You are descended from the loving
Prophet—none may seek to harm you! All true believers know this to be true!”
“Thank
you for your words of comfort, Khalid,” Zuwayy said. “But I need your help to
find the terrorists.”
“Anything,
Majesty.”
“I
believe that the terrorists crossed into Egypt to make their escape. I need your military
forces to provide me with radar and patrol data so that I may track them
be fully, completely justified in doing so.
He
dialed a special secure pager number, then sat and waited. Several minutes
later, a call was put through to him: “Speak.”
“This
is Ulama al-Khan, Majesty,” Khalid al-Khan, the chief justice of the Egyptian
Supreme Court and the leader of the main opposition party, responded. “God be
with you.”
“And
to you, Ulama,” Zuwayy said. This guy had to be the biggest idiot in all of
Egypt and probably all of northern Africa, Zuwayy scoffed to himself. Khan saw
himself as an Islamic holy man, a true believer who fancied himself a spiritual
master and leader. He was so zealous in his beliefs—and so enamored of
himself—that he couldn’t see danger when it was right in front of his face. His
ambition would quite possibly drive him into the Presidential Palace—but he had
no concept of how to lead a government, except to send out his henchmen in the
Egyptian Republican Guards and assassinate a political enemy. He truly believed
that God would absolve him of all his sins, no matter how heinous his crimes.
But
most times stupidity and ambition made for a pliant coconspirator, and that’s
what Zuwayy had in Khan. The Egyptian cleric thought it was in the best
interest of all concerned for Egypt to join the Muslim Brotherhood—a loose
confederation of Libya, Sudan, and Yemen, with major support in Syria, Jordan,
Iraq, and Lebanon, and with some wealthy supporters in such pro-Western states
such as Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and
even
Kuwait. Jadallah Zuwayy, as ruler of the most powerful military in the
alliance, was the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood. Their sworn mission: to
replace all of the secular governments in the Middle East with religious- based
governments firmly grounded in traditional Muslim beliefs. Egypt joining the
Muslim Brotherhood would be the crown jewel in strengthening the organization
and convincing other undecided nations to join—Egypt had the most powerful
military force in the entire region, almost on a par with Israel
quantitatively.
Zuwayy
found a ready and willing ideological slave in Khalid al-Khan. Obviously the
cleric never read anything but propaganda sheets—for he truly believed that
Zuwayy was descended from the Prophet Muhammad and was the savior and sword of
Islam. Zuwayy nurtured that fiction every chance he could, and Khan was
obviously enjoying and benefiting from the attention. It did not take long to
lodge al-Khan firmly under Zuwayy’s thumb.
“I
have a request of you, Ulama,” Zuwayy said.
“Ask
anything of me, Majesty,” Khan replied devoutly.
“A
sneak attack by unidentified commandos was perpetrated against Libya tonight.”
“I
have heard of this, Majesty. Are you safe?”
“Perfectly
safe, Ulama.”
“I
swear this to you, Majesty, that the terrorists that did this deed will be
hunted down like the dogs they are and punished!”
“You
would tell me if these terrorists came from Egypt, Khalid?”
“Of
course, Majesty!” Khan cried. “I would notify you the instant I found out, even
if I risked violating state secrets. You are descended from the loving
Prophet—none may seek to harm you! All true believers know this to be true!”
“Thank
you for your words of comfort, Khalid,” Zuwayy said. “But I need your help to
find the terrorists.”
“Anything,
Majesty.”
“I
believe that the terrorists crossed into Egypt to make their escape. I need your military
forces to provide me with radar and patrol data so that I may track them
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