The smiling clown

An excerpt of the Thriller THE GLOBAL THREAT.

The global threat

An excerpt

'So the smiling clown with the turban and his right hand that had broken so many women hearts are still our guests?' The president remarked at the opening of the first session after his return from his tour of rounds in the East Coast. He was updated all along his tour what these two and their aides are doing, but he felt a deep need to express his wonder; not by the Iranians' stubbornness but due to the absurd situation, in which he finds himself. He remembered very well the efforts he did right after the beginning of his second term to get in touch with this smiling clown, while now he can't get rid of him. 'What else do we've to do to make him feel deeply insulted, without overdoing it of course?' 

'We can't ignore them anymore sir, you must see him and listen to what he has to say.' The vice president expressed his view based on his fresh experience. 

'As you already know sir, Jeff met both of them in the first meeting, and with Zarif alone during the second one; while he represented his offended president, but we've to hear what's on their minds now… They had several meeting with their ambassador in his anti tape proof office, and they must have turned to their supreme leader for instructions.' The defense secretary reminded the president, what he has surely forgotten. 

'So you believe that they'll come up with a completely different tune, am I right?' 

'Yes sir, we might hear less disguised hidden threats this time, such as the extremists under Qasem Soleimani are on the verge of attacking our naval task force, and so on and so forth…' 

'Do you really believe that they're on the verge of attacking our fifth fleet task force, we've heard such empty threats since 2004, when our John Kennedy aircraft carrier entered the Persian Gulf and anchored there.' 

'That's right sir,' the CIA Head hastened to intervene. 'But up to the agreement with the Russian on Syria and Iran these were empty threats, not anymore and we shouldn't underestimate those more or less same threats now,' 

'I'm not underestimating their threats and I do know with whom we're dealing.' The president protested raising his voice. 'But in any case I haven't met the smiling clown yet, and I haven't heard what he wants; so I suggest to discuss this issue after I'll meet him, and as long as he's here and awaits an audience with me nothing is going to happen over there.' 

'There're some other issues that we should dedicate a few thoughts to…' The defense minister ventured to cut the sudden short tensed silence, which filled the library space. 

'Okay let's do it the same day next week say at ten am, after I'll meet the clown and we'll have the meeting's results, with all the guys concerned.' The president muttered indifferently, and stood up and left the library. 

In less than 48 hours a formal meeting between the president team of advisors and the Iranian representatives took place in the map room. 

After some fifteen minutes of an informal and mutual introduction on soft drinks and snacks, like a hasty cocktail party; the two groups sat facing each other on both sides of the long desk. 

'All along my tours at the West and East Coasts,' the president opened up the meeting. 'I was updated about your two meeting with the vice president and your peculiar request Mr. Rohanei. May I ask what's the urgency and why now?' 

'The answer is very simple,' Rohanei replied with a note of impatience and ignoring the American president's obvious insult. He did not smile nor did he try to appear calm and pleasant, as he usually took pains to appear in his contacts with foreigners, no matter what their status or ranks are. 'We've signed the agreement of understanding and have renewed our diplomatic relations with you and the Europeans long ago, the crippling sanctions that you've imposed on us were removed; thus you've no whatsoever reason to keep on your fifth fleet in our territorial waters. 

'Our fifth fleet responsibility is to control the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Sea of China and to protect the shipping lines in these waters, and it protects you too by the way.' The president remarked with a scornful smile. 

'We've our own navy of warships, various vessels and even submarines. It's a modern navy thus we do thank you for your kind protection but we don't need it.' Rohanei retorted clearing his throat nervously, but went on with his argument. 'The presence of your aircraft carriers before the establishment of diplomatic relationship between our countries, and before our mutual agreement was understandable and could be tolerated but not anymore.' 

Rohanei's last sentences changed the amiable atmosphere, which the American team tried so much to keep; and a sudden short silence ensued, as the hidden threat in Rohanei last sentence was too obvious. 

'And why not, why can't it be tolerated when our aircraft carriers are anchored in the Persian Gulf since 2004?' The president asked cutting the second spell of a sudden and short silence, with a grim and tensed expression on his face. 

'You were surely notified by the fifth fleet commander on the daily provocations by our extremists, which eased down somewhat after the agreement and the increasing power it gave to the liberal force in our country that I proudly represent. But our success in freeing Syria from the terrorists' groups has increased without comparison the prestige of the extremists' leaders and the balance is not deteriorating just in our country, but in the entire region is threatened again.' 

'So you believe that if we'll withdraw our aircraft carriers and warships from the Persian Gulf, the peaceful balance would be restored, and it won't encourage the extremists and it won't increase their influence?' The president wondered emphasizing his skepticism. 

'It will increase the influence of the liberals in our country, and that's why I was sent to ask your support.' The quick change in Rohanei's words from hidden threat into a show of dependence cooled the atmosphere instantly. 

'I'll have to discuss it separately with my security experts and I'll get you an answer.' The president summed the meeting up with a promise. 'But we'd better have something to eat now, I'm simply famished.' He added smiling.

© Haim Kadman June 2014 " all rights reserved.

"The global threat" is a thriller that describes possible geopolitical developments in the very near future. Its plot encompasses the era from mid 2014 up to the end of July 2016. The book's various protagonists are the decision makers in several states all over the globe, which are linked to each other by mutual and contracting state and personal interests. 

This thriller is a work of fiction, and is a product of the author's imagination. The protagonists and the different characters' names, and the plot's background descriptions might remind real persons and locations; as the book's purpose is to praise human wisdom, endeavors and accomplishments, there is no harm, offense or insult in it's being a facsimile of real life.

THE GLOBAL THREAT a thriller published with Amazon, 57 chapters, 147 pages, 72,341 words.

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