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End of Chapter # 28
When they returned to the estate Fazzi called over his cook and housekeeper and told her what he wanted done. "Do you think he can do it? Ask him to have it done before I leave for Syria next week. I will pay him extra for such short notice."
"I'm sure he can do it." She said and took the watch.
*
"Are you leaving next week?" Asked the cook. "I thought it was in two weeks."
"Of course it is in two weeks, but I want to have the watch repaired and in my possession before then." Fazzi told her. "If he thinks I'm leaving in two weeks, he just may take too much time to do it and I'll be without a good time piece. Besides, with all I have to do in the next few weeks, I will need the watch to keep me on schedule. Has Allie called today?"
"Only about 3 times. He said you were to contact him when you got in. He said he just wanted to check on how things went at the bazaar."
"Thank you Summaya. I will be in the library I do not wish to be disturbed. I have a lot of bills to go over. This little party we have thrown today has cost me a small fortune. That cafe owner makes Ali Baba and his forty thieves look like small time thieves!" Fazzi said as he went into his library and locked the door behind him. Seating himself at his desk and unlocking the bottom desk draw, he removed his concealed secure phone and dialed Allie's phone number.
Allie's sleepy voice answered, "Good morning Fazzi. How did the bazaar go?"
"It is evening here Allie. The bazaar, thanks to you, went very well. You did one hell of a job in Iraq. Ibrahim said you were his savior, his knight in shinning armor. Now, tell me, how are you doing on our other project?"
"There are a few people that I am having problems with but most will be glad to meet with you. Our friend in Afghanistan is having a problem and doesn't think he can make it, but he will send his son and said he has full authority to act for him."
"Not good enough, but for now in his case, I will allow it. You must make him aware that this is a one-time forgiveness. Next time I will not be so understanding. Between you and I his days as a leader are coming to an end. He has to realize that he is no longer in charge and he will learn that lesson soon." Fazzi said. "Is that the only problem?"
"Yes it is. I just wanted to warn you of it and also to find out about the bazaar and how it went."
"Thank you for the warning and we will take care of it. Like I said the bazaar went off beautifully. Everyone here is pleased, but Yussef is most impressed with you. I have been telling him that I was thinking of appointing you as his assistant in the fund."
"What does he think about that?"
"He is very pleased and says that if your actions on the Ibrahim situation was any indication of your abilities, he would be honored to have you on board." Fazzi said, "and I think the two of you would make a good team. By the way I have officially adopted him as my son and legal heir."
"Fazzi, Excellency, I beg of you, can I please speak plainly?"
"Yes. I told you when you came to work for me that I want my operatives to feel that they can always feel free to talk to me. It is what makes a good system."
"Yes I remember that, but since you have already adopted him, I am still respectfully asking the question. Are you sure you want to do that? He is still an outsider."
"Yes, but I will have time to work on him. I believe he is coming around. You must remember that some of our most dedicated and best people have been 'outsiders', as you put it. Yussef and this last incident have convinced me that we have been somewhat wrong in our methods."
"Wrong? How so?"
"You know the old saying, 'more is gained with honey than vinegar'. For over a thousand years we have waged war against the infidel. What we gained, we only later lost." Fazzi said. " For example, someone once said that if we had accepted the original partition plan for Palestine offered us in 1947, it would have created an unworkable Jewish State that would in time have fallen apart and disappeared from the map. If we had used one tenth of the money that we wasted on wars to educate and train our people as the Jews did, then by this time we would have been in charge of the entire country. And we could have done this without the loss of life and treasure."
"Are you saying that we should surrender to the infidels?"
"Never!" he said violently. "And if you ever say I did, I will kill you with my own two hands. But, as a leader, I must consider all sides of a question or an action. Our problem is that we have never used our heads. We were and are ruled with our emotions and the new leadership is going to have to change its methods. There was one farsighted Arab politician who knew this, but instead of listening to him, we assassinated him."
"Who was that?"
"Field Marshal Muhammad Anwar al-Sadat."
"But Sadat was a traitor to the Arab cause."
"No, my dear Allie, not a traitor. He and later King Hussein were the only Arab leaders to win back Arab land. Both won it by waging peace. They changed the world's conception of Arab leaders. Before them we were all imprinted by the vision of that gun-toting idiot, Arafat, standing before the UN, uncovering his shoulder holster and yelling "don't make me use this". Sadat and Hussein, each portrayed a new and cultured diplomat." Fazzi continued. "Sadat stating in that calm voice of his. "No more war! No more killing! No more grieving Egyptian and Israeli mothers! He said No more war, but also said and insisted that he wanted every bit of sacred Egyptian land back. Not one grain of Egyptian sand would he concede? By portraying himself as a pipe smoking cultured peace-loving man, he not only got them to withdraw from Egypt but he became the most dangerous enemy the Zionists ever had. He created a wedge in that solid Zionist wall. He saw and knew that the only thing that united them was their hatred of terrorists. Without that they would fall apart."
"And is this what you are going to tell our 'friends in two weeks?" Allie asked.
"The Emirate can not do that, at least not now. They want to, but the time is not right yet. First things first - we must get complete control over all these groups. Later we can come into the open. Your work in Iraq proved it could be done. The world now thinks we can be negotiated with and trusted to keep an agreement. What will be in a few years from now-will be. In the meantime we will use Sadat's strategy, Negotiate but concede nothing and get it all!"
"Do you think it will work?"
"As long as we keep the hotheads in line, I think so. And that is our job Allie, yours, mine and also to a large part, Yussef's." Fazzi said.
"Yussef's? How come it's his job? Is he involved in this in some way that I'm not knowledgeable of?" Allie asked, smiling to himself. Here could be the proof he needed in order to confirm his suspicions.
"Allie, Yussef is now my son. Well before I die, I will have prepared him for what he will have to do."
"What if you die before that?"
"The Emirate knows what to do. I have set things up so they will use Yussef as a front man for international Arab charities. We have set up these agencies so that they appear to be legitimate and some of them are." Fazzi said and then asked, "Have you arranged for the meeting place that I requested? It must be in that town I told you about."