Middle Eastern tyrants

Chapter 248 Victory
When news of the blue eagle flag being raised over Haifa spread throughout the Middle East, the entire Arab world and even the world was shaken.

The Arabs have actually won their first battle in their counterattack against Zion!
For twenty-five years, Zion's army has never been defeated in any of the Middle East wars. At its peak, the area of ​​land it controlled was even comparable to that of the former Ottoman Empire.

Just three years later, the situation took an unexpected turn. The Arabs not only recovered most of the lost territory, but also pushed the battle line into Zion territory.

Today, Haifa, a city with an important port and strategic position, has changed hands under the offensive of the Arab coalition.

This is not just a victory in a border war, but also a sign of the rise of the Arab world.

All of this begins with a carefree prince on the border who gradually rises to become the marshal of the Arab allied forces.

In Cairo's cafes, Damascus's markets, and Amman's government buildings, people passed around newspapers featuring photos of Haifa.

Media outlets in Western countries such as London and Washington are also vying to report on this event. A united Arab nation has prompted the world to re-examine this people who have long been divided and embroiled in internal strife.

The White House and the Kremlin also convened emergency national security meetings to adjust their policies toward Arab countries and Shuangzhi.

The relationship has shifted from one of domination to one of cooperation.

While the strong may be feared, they will also be given equal respect.

Within Shuangzhi, from Abha in the south to Hafbar in the north, the same scene is playing out.

"Three, two, one!"

As the countdown ended, giant murals were unfurled from the exterior walls of high-rise buildings in major cities such as Riyadh and Jeddah.

In the image, Amir gazes up at the sky at a 45-degree angle, the sunlight casting a golden silhouette on his face, with a striking line of Arabic script below—

In the name of the angel Gibril.

"Is this His Highness the Marshal?"

What did you do suddenly?

"."

In the Shamashites, which strictly adhere to Wahhabism, personality cults are absolutely forbidden and are generally only practiced when a king ascends the throne.

Before people could even process what was happening, the city's public address system simultaneously broadcast:
[Glorious News! Prince Amir ibn Muhammad ibn Abdulaziz Al Saud, Commander-in-Chief of the Arab Allied Forces, Minister of Defense and Army General, and Governor of the Northern Border Region, has completely taken control of Zion Haifa on November 21, 1389 AH, annihilated the enemy's Fifth Army, and captured the commander of the Zion Army.]

The sound of broadcasts echoed through the market, streets, and houses.

The date vendors stopped hawking their wares, taxi drivers turned up the volume on their radios, and school children were organized by their teachers to listen to the good news.

Every word, every symbol, comes together to form the joyous news of victory.

"Victory!"

"The Marshal has reached Haifa!"

The calls gradually rose from every corner, like a torrent reaching every corner of the city.

In reality, although war is a distant prospect for ordinary people in Zion, under the subtle influence of history and faith, Zion has been shaped into an "enemy of faith" that must be eliminated.

The Sheikh family gave the war religious legitimacy, binding Amir to the identity of a "savior."

Therefore, when victory comes, especially victory achieved under the guidance of the "angel Gibril," it is nothing short of a miracle for devout believers.

Medina, the Holy Land.

Inside the solemn marble building of the Supreme Religious Council, Grand Mufti Abdulaziz stood by the window, gazing at the believers on the street prostrating themselves before the prince's portrait.

Imam Osman whispered beside him, "It seems that His Highness Amir has completely confirmed his identity as an angel."

The Great Mufti's gaze followed an old woman who was kneeling in prayer.

People prefer to believe in gods who are "powerful" rather than gods who are "efficacious".

The angel representing "war" brings victory.

"Do you think His Highness Amir can lead us to capture Tel Aviv?" Osman continued to ask.

In the Islamic world of the Middle East, the various sects of Islam are not monolithic, but have split into hundreds or even thousands of smaller sects. The two largest sects are Sunni and Shia, and their struggle has even extended to relations between Arab countries.

However, if Amir can unite all the countries and represent all factions to defeat their common enemy, his status will be no less than that of the historical caliphs, and the Wahhabi speeches of the Dujati will thus become the undisputed orthodoxy of the Arab world.

"Don't ask what you shouldn't ask."

Osman's face turned pale instantly; he realized that he had inadvertently crossed a red line.

But the Great Mufti did not pursue the matter further. Instead, he said, "Inform Elder Fatah of the Council of Elders that he is old and should enjoy a peaceful old age. As for the successor, I have other considerations."

Each seat on the Religious Council represented immense power, wealth, and influence, and at one time it rivaled that of the royal family.

Although their influence was greatly weakened during the last purge, as long as Shuangzhi remains a religious state, they will still be among the most elite.

Traditionally, elders can elect successors to maintain the interests of their own faction, but the Grand Mufti's actions are tantamount to cutting off their flesh.

“I’m afraid the elders won’t agree,” Osman whispered.

Grand Mufti didn't even lift his eyelids: "Just a remnant of the conservatives... If he's unwilling to retire voluntarily, then let the anti-corruption bureau come and talk to him."

Or let 'Meraik' speak to him personally.

This empty space is reserved for Tamiya.

Or perhaps, this church is none other than his.

Osman nodded in agreement and then went to report back.

Meanwhile, the Great Mufti continued to look out the window, for the Sheikh family and the royal family shared both prosperity and ruin.

It doesn't matter whether we win or lose, or whether the country is ruled by conservatives or progressives.

The important thing is who ends up sitting in that position.

"Young people, don't put so much pressure on yourselves. Take a break and get married soon."

The Great Mufti stroked his beard and looked in the direction where the sun was setting.

What he looks forward to most now is that Amir, who is an angel, will marry him and have children.

Only then will everything settle down.

Meanwhile, at the residence of the current Crown Prince Durah, the elderly man, who had long claimed to be ill, unexpectedly announced a grand banquet. "Father, what's wrong?"

The youngest son, Saud, asked in bewilderment, "Ever since Durrah was forced to accept the crown prince position under pressure from the Sudri faction, he has been feigning illness and claiming that he is unwell."

Prince Durlach took a sip of rose liqueur, laughed heartily as he tossed raisins into the air, and raised his glass, exclaiming, "Because I won't have to pretend to be sick anymore!"

Saud was completely bewildered. Logically speaking, as the crown prince's father, he should be more cautious.

Although King Muhammad's accession to the throne still followed the "brother succeeds brother" system, it was clear to everyone that it was only a matter of time before the Sudri faction seized power. A crown prince who was not a Sudri would certainly be regarded as a thorn in the side by the Sudri faction.

This is why his father, even though he was sidelined, remained subservient.

Accident, assassination, imprisonment.
Such things are commonplace in the dark world of royal infighting; it's a miracle if you can even keep your life, let alone become king.

Prince Durrah chuckled and explained, “Think about it. His Highness Amir is now the Minister of Defense and the Governor-General of a province. What reward could he possibly ask for after this great victory in Haifa? Besides my position as Crown Prince!”

The attendants stood quietly to one side, terrified by the prince's words.

“Don’t you understand?” Prince Durrah looked at his sons, “This position I’m holding is a death knell! But I can’t resign; the Sudri faction won’t allow me to step down. But now it’s different; I can gracefully relinquish this burden!”

He raised his glass in a gesture of respect to the north: "Thank God that I don't have to wait for the day when I'm assassinated like those unfortunate crown princes in other countries. Now I can finally take my own life and enjoy my old age in peace!"

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.

Meanwhile, in distant Ghana, Damascus, Oman, and even the capitals of many other Arab countries, the moment they received news of the Haifa victory, they were instantly plunged into a sea of ​​celebration.

On the war-torn main road of Ghana, people spontaneously gathered, waving any blue strips of cloth they could find, forming a blue river, and cheering deafeningly.

In Damascus, people flooded the streets, celebrating the hard-won victory with the rhythm of traditional dabuka drums and the honking of car horns.

Countless blue flags fluttered in the monsoon winds against the backdrop of the Golan Heights, and citizens leaning out of their high-rise windows waved the flags vigorously, immersing the entire city in waves of blue.

At this moment, the joy that transcends national borders tightly connects the Arab world.

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.

Riyadh, the King's Office.

At this time, the secretaries of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were extremely busy. Ever since the news of the victory reached the country, the phone had been ringing off the hook with calls from countries all over the world.

"The King of Magan will be visiting Riyadh the day after tomorrow, which coincides with the meeting with Sheikh Trusir."

Khalid was extremely busy. He had just finished coordinating the details of the ceremony for receiving a congratulatory telegram from a North African country, and now he had to immediately review the arrangements for the celebration reception the next day.

The phone kept ringing; it seemed like everything was piling up at once, and all of it was urgent.

Despite the trivial matters, Khalid showed no impatience whatsoever.

As Lu Lin's former adjutant, he had been cleaning up Amir's messes since college, all the way into the military, and now he was just in a different place.

Watching his opponent rise from major general to marshal, it would be a lie to say he didn't regret staying in the military, but he felt more of a sense of pride and honor.

"Jingle Bell--"

Another call came in. Khalid quickly picked up the receiver, listened to only one sentence, then covered the receiver with his hand and said to his assistant, "Secretary-General Al-Iraq's office, bring it in and inform His Majesty."

The message was quickly relayed through an internal secretary, and soon King Mohammed answered the phone himself in his study.

The two greeted each other first.

"My dear brother."

Secretary General Kozonie began by saying, "On behalf of Al-Iraq and myself, I extend my sincerest congratulations to Shuangji. The capture of Haifa is a victory in the history of the Arab nation!"

"Marshal Amir's military talent is astonishing. He has fulfilled the dreams of two generations of us and proved with this victory that the power of Arab unity is unstoppable!"

Mohammed did not respond, and Kozonie continued, "However, Your Majesty, conquering a city may be easier than governing it, and we will also face significant pressure from the international community, especially from Washington and Moscow. My suggestion is that we need to convene an emergency meeting of Arab leaders as soon as possible to coordinate our next diplomatic and political strategies."

Muhammad responded in an unchanged tone, "This is a constructive proposal, Secretary General Kozonie, but the war is not over yet. The specific details will be discussed further by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."

Cozonne did not achieve his goal, but he also knew that the time was not right.

Given Shuangzhi's current success, after offering polite congratulations, Cozon hung up the phone.

Following Al-Iraq, almost all other Arab countries also expressed their congratulations, with Lirvia and Algeria being particularly enthusiastic, their words filled with genuine joy and strong support.

King Muhammad expressed his full appreciation and gratitude for this.

Soon after, another congratulatory telegram arrived from Nubian President Ghafar.

President Ghafar, in a loud voice, after offering his congratulations, asked a question that everyone was concerned about: "Your Majesty Muhammad, after Marshal Amir captured Haifa, he is only 100 kilometers away from Tel Aviv. I wonder what the Shuangzhi Army plans to do next?"

“Thank you for your concern, but all the battle situation and military decisions on the front are currently under the full responsibility of the Allied Command,” Muhammad replied with some regret. “But I’m afraid I don’t know more about the specific operational details than you do.”

"Oh, that's how it is."

Judging from Jafar's disappointed tone, he had probably already asked the frontline command, but unfortunately did not get the answer he wanted.

Although Nubia has a large land area, it lacks economic resources, so it has been hedging its bets between Ant and the United States.

And there are actually many countries like this.

After hanging up the phone, Muhammad stared at it for a while longer.

"Is His Majesty spacing out?"

While organizing documents, the confidential secretary, Enshood, muttered to himself.

Khalid glanced at the king's stiff back and lowered his voice: "I guess His Majesty is hesitating whether to call the marshal. The news of the victory at the front has spread throughout the country, but the royal family hasn't even given a formal commendation."

“Perhaps they’re considering the scale of the reward?” Enshroud tried to retort, “After all, it has to match such a feat of merit.”

"Come on," Khalid said, pulling out his wallet from his inner pocket and slapping a hundred-yuan rials onto the pile of documents. "They're probably waiting for the Marshal to personally fight back. These two are really at odds."

Enshroud stared at the banknotes for a moment, then finally pulled out his wallet from his suit pocket: "I followed him. His Majesty clearly picked up the microphone just now."

As expected, Muhammad remained unmoved. After glancing at the landline for a while, he looked away and continued with his work.

"I am willing to admit defeat."

Under Nshude's dejected gaze, Khalid smiled and folded the two banknotes neatly, stuffing them into his wallet.

(End of this chapter)