Middle Eastern tyrants

Chapter 124 The Value of United Front Work

When Lu Lin saw the tank, he felt like he had traveled back in time, but when he saw Bandar's big face, he was immediately pulled back.

Lu Lin was furious. "Why the hell did you take so long to arrive?"

I commanded several battalions and managed to hold off an entire armored division for several hours!

But when he saw this tank with its extremely futuristic design, he couldn't help but ask, "M1?"

“Uh, the people in the United States call this thing MBT-70,” Bandar scratched his head, “They say it’s designed to rival the chief, but in reality, it could definitely beat the chief to a pulp!”

Upon hearing "MBT-70," Lu Lin instantly lost his composure.

This thing might sound unfamiliar at first, but it's actually the "prototype" of two other famous tanks.

These are Proscenic's "Leopard 2" and the United States' "M1".

That's right, the MBT-70 was a project jointly undertaken by the United States and Prossen in the early 1960s, positioned to replace the M60 or Chieftain and to rival the T-62 as the next generation tank.

This tank represents the pinnacle of Western tank technology during the mid-Cold War, and is a typical experimental product in the transition from second-generation to third-generation tanks.

Strictly speaking, it can be considered "2.5 generation".

It surpasses second-generation tanks in firepower, mobility, and protection, and also possesses beyond-visual-range combat capabilities.

The United States will definitely maintain its technological advantage, Lu Lin thought to himself: "Does this mean that the M1 has already been developed by the Americans?"

Damn, they're stuffing us with those old things from the warehouse again!

"This thing should be placed on the front lines, not sent into alleys to grind with infantry!" Lu Lin frowned as he looked at the 152mm gun muzzle. "This is clearly a deadly weapon that can be loaded with anti-tank missiles and snipe tanks at long range!"

“I heard the situation in the city is urgent, and this thing’s equivalent protection does sound pretty scary,” Bandar explained.

How many vehicles arrived?

“That’s not many, only six in total.” Bandar’s face still seemed to show shock. “But the import price of just one MBT-70 is almost seven or eight times that of an M60A1! And more than twenty times that of a T-55!”

Lu Lin was shocked after hearing this. No wonder the Americans are so keen on the arms trade; the profits are simply unbeatable!

He recalled the rumors he had heard before that Persia imported tanks from the United States using gold equivalents, with each M60A1 tank costing 8000 ounces of gold (approximately 227 kilograms).

"What about the other units?"

"I deployed them outside the city to intercept the flanks of the Tin Armored Division, and I also brought new equipment from the United States, a vehicle-mounted anti-tank missile called TOW something."

Holy crap, Tao!

Lu Lin finally obtained the weapon he had longed for, and now Shuangzhi finally received support equivalent to what Zion received from the United States in the previous world.

At that moment, the roar of fighter jets could be heard from the sky. Lu Lin saw the markings of friendly forces and knew that it was an F-4 formation in the air.

However, in terms of scale, it far exceeds the import volume of Shuangzhi.

Lu Lin looked up: "So you're not going to act anymore?"

"They called for reinforcements first!" Major Bandar shrugged. "Don't forget who got hit by naval gunfire in Nukhir and lost their entire command post!"

This sentence left Lu Lin speechless.

"Damn it." Bandar realized he shouldn't have brought it up, then he saw that Lu Lin's shoulder was still bleeding, and quickly shouted behind him, "Where's the medic! Take the major general and retreat!"

"No need!" Lu Lin was about to refuse when he felt his forehead burning hot and his body aching terribly.

His left shoulder was starting to swell, which was not a good sign.

He was still holding on thanks to the adrenaline, but now that reinforcements have arrived, that breath has been depleted.

His head was spinning, but the two soldiers reacted quickly, supporting him from both sides and carrying him into the car.

Bandar realized that Lu Lin's current state was not right, so he said to him seriously, "Take over the command to me for the time being!"

If you dare to say such a thing, you would be the first person I would execute in ancient times.

Lu Lin used his remaining thoughts to consider the current situation. The support troops had arrived, and they had also received support from the United States, so the battle situation was basically stabilized.

Bandar is a commander with experience in several major battles, and under my circumstances, I might not be able to do as well as him.

Moreover, with the increase in subsequent aid, the war will first enter a protracted war, and then the extremely long supply lines will definitely make Zion suffer. With the aid of the United States, the balance of power will gradually tilt.

So he nodded, "Then I'll leave it all to you." Then he closed his eyes wearily.

-----

Zion, 210th Division.

Lieutenant General Laden was tapping his fingers on the table. He had received intelligence that the armored division was approaching the enemy from the west, which meant that enemy reinforcements had arrived.

At the same time, the enemy's air force brought him an unusual sense of pressure, which was completely unlike the qualities one would expect from an Arab country.

"Your Excellency, perhaps we can deploy our reserves and make this a quick victory," the adjutant suggested from the side.

The other staff officers also looked over. In fact, most of the officers in Zion thought that even if the other side could conjure up a division out of thin air, it wouldn't make much difference.

Throughout the war, Zion fought against the Arab states, mostly with a numerical disadvantage of several times that of the Arab army, yet still managed to rout them.

So if it's just a close contest, it might not be enough to really get the point.

“Get to Tel Aviv,” Lieutenant General bin Laden paused for a moment, “We need to prepare a contingency plan for evacuation in advance.”

His adjutant and staff officers looked at each other in bewilderment.

“But we’re making progress,” the adjutant couldn’t help but say.

“Haven’t you realized it yet?” Lieutenant General Laden retorted. “The feedback from the front lines is that we’ve encountered new weapons and equipment, as well as more frequent and precise airstrikes.” He swept his gaze across each bewildered face. “This means the United States has entered the fray.”

“But we haven’t even deployed our reserves yet,” the chief of staff offered a different opinion: “At least we should test the waters a bit more.”

Lieutenant General Laden shook his head: "Whoever those big powers want to win, they will win."

He paused, then continued, "And now, they've chosen Amir."

"Just because Shuangzhi is an ally of the United States?" the adjutant pressed. "No, it's because he demonstrated his value in united front tactics," Lieutenant General Ladan replied.

Although there was silence on the radio, he knew the young man must be alive:

"He defeated our troops on the land of Shuangzhi, and he also defeated our troops in Al-Ilag. No matter where he was, he never lost a single time, and no matter what kind of offensive we launched, he never retreated a single step."

Even on the flanks, he effectively tied down our main forces and caused chaos in Western countries through the 'oil embargo'.

If all Arab countries are a mess, then he is the shining star on the battlefield.

In the past, the United Arab Emirates and the United States would at most provide some weapons, but would never get involved themselves. However, the appearance of Amir made these major powers realize that the Arab world still has truly capable generals. As long as they are willing to invest, this young man can bring them benefits.

He stepped over the corpses of Zion soldiers to make himself irreplaceable.

There was a long silence in the headquarters.

Lieutenant General Laden's orders were quickly carried out; the call went directly to the Prime Minister's office.

Prime Minister Hilbert answered the phone personally, and seemed to be in a good mood: "Oh, David, I'm enjoying my chocolate cake. Do you have some good news to share?"

Lieutenant General bin Laden then voiced his speculation that the United States might intervene in the war.

But the Prime Minister responded with skepticism: "Are you saying it's just suspicion right now?"

Lieutenant General Laden was silent for a moment, then took a deep breath: "Yes."

"Do you have concrete evidence to prove that the United States has entered the war?"

".No."

Hilbert's voice on the other end of the phone turned displeased: "Laden, I gave you a rank! Troops! Status! And most importantly, trust!"
Do you know how much pressure I have to withstand every day from the colonial empire led by the United Kingdom in order to protect you?
We signed a ten-year non-aggression pact with the Hashemite and returned territory in the East Bank, all so that your 210th Division could safely reach Ghanam!

Hilbert's voice suddenly rose: "And now you're telling me you're retreating? Even without using the reserves?"

Lieutenant General Laden's sharp gaze swept quickly across the command post, but everyone remained calm.

He forced a smile and explained, "The Kurdish offensive has been thwarted, and if we enter into a war of attrition, the situation will be very unfavorable for us. There's a high probability that the enemy will cut off our supply lines, making even retreat a problem."

“Then let’s get this over with quickly!” Prime Minister Hilbert said. “If you think you can’t do it, then I’ll find someone else who can!”

Lieutenant General Laden shut up.

After a rather unpleasant work report, Lieutenant General Laden hung up the phone.

The chief of staff spoke up: "What did the Prime Minister say?"

Lieutenant General bin Laden paused for a moment: “Regardless of the initial investment or the strategic significance, this battle must continue, and the Prime Minister remains optimistic.”

"Perhaps Shuangzhi's troops are struggling to hold on," the chief of staff reassured him. "After all, we've been making good progress so far."

Lieutenant General Laden hesitated, realizing that the timing he had mentioned was somewhat inappropriate, but it was too late now; this phone call had effectively cut off his escape route.

Hopefully, things won't go as he imagines.

“Pass on my orders,” Lieutenant General Laden said: “White phosphorus and poison gas bombs are permitted for clearing buildings. Any non-friendly units may be opened fire immediately.”

The chief of staff felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing this; this was deliberately escalating the intensity of the war, dragging the entire city of Canam into an even deeper hell.

Would this be...?

"If you understand, then do it."

Lieutenant General bin Laden's expression was cold and hard: "We are all soldiers, and obeying orders from our superiors is our duty."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Double will, four directions palace.

The bishops, led by King Shams, were receiving Erich von Stern, the Secretary of State of the United States.

The day after Shuangzhi imposed the oil embargo, Ehrlich, as a representative of the United States and the Western world, visited his staunchest Middle Eastern ally.

After nearly two weeks of negotiations, the specific cooperation framework has been largely finalized.

Outwardly, Erich von Stern was a square-faced man with dark circles under his eyes caused by long hours of staying up late. These circles looked like two deep ravines under his eyes, contrasting sharply with his sharp gaze.

He always spoke with a slightly awkward German-Saxon accent, which sounded very cold and harsh.

This old man looked like someone who was not easy to deal with, but in reality, he was a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and was hailed as the greatest Secretary of State in the history of the United States.

In an exquisitely decorated and luxurious meeting room, after a long discussion, Erich had deep bags under his eyes. He looked at the coffee that the eldest prince had personally served him and forced a smile: "Look, even His Highness knows that I am destined to be a workaholic."

King Shams dismissed his son and then asked the high-ranking Secretary of State, "Mr. Stern, how long do you think this agreement can last?"

“Your Majesty,” Ehrlich replied in his signature deep voice, “in Washington we call this the ‘foreseeable future,’ and you need not worry, at least until the next presidential election.”

Prince Suleiman, who was standing nearby, recalled that the current president of the United States seemed to still have many years left in his term.

Another prince chimed in, "I hope you can understand, after all, we've staked our oil fields on this."

"And we've given you the green light to our weapons production lines. That's what we call win-win cooperation, my friend."

“That’s why we’re getting a steady stream of planes and tanks to Ghanam,” Erich sipped his coffee. “Honestly, your young man Amir is doing a great job. He’s quite a celebrity in the Pentagon. These days, the generals like to analyze his tactics all the time, and he gets very positive feedback.”

The generals of the United States are notoriously arrogant and domineering, so it is quite an achievement to get them a "above average" rating.

King Shams looked at Erich as if to say, “Say more, I want to hear more.”

"Given time, he will become a representative figure among modern Arab generals," Erich added. "And without a doubt, absolutely positive."

At this moment, the attendant interrupted: "Gentlemen, it's dessert time. Today's specialty is saffron ice cream with Persian pistachios."

Ehrlich glanced at his watch, slowly rose, and straightened the hem of his suit jacket. "It's getting late, gentlemen. I should go and report the results of this meeting to the President."

Before leaving, he picked up the bowl of ice cream, scooped up a spoonful of ice cream, and smiled, saying, "I hope that next time we meet, we can continue to discuss this young man's wonderful performance."

(End of this chapter)