tc.thebearandthedragon-第139部分
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〃Indeed； Bas。 It's class…A information； and it has us worried。 We're hoping that pulling Russia into NATO can scare them off。 Grushavoy just agreed on it。 How do you suppose the rest of these folks will react to it？〃
〃They'll react cautiously； but favorably； after they've had a chance to consider it。〃
〃Will Britain back us on this play？〃 Ryan asked。
〃I must speak with the PM。 I'll let you know。〃 With that； Sir Basil walked over to where the British Prime Minister was chatting with the German Foreign Minister。 Charleston dragged him off and spoke quietly into his ear。 Instantly； the Prime Minister's eyes； flaring a little wide； shot over to Ryan。 The British PM was somewhat trapped； somewhat unpleasantly because of the surprise factor； but the substance of the trap was that Britain and America always supported each other。 The 〃special relationship〃 was as alive and well today as it had been under the governments of Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill。 It was one of the few constants in the diplomatic world for both countries； and it belied Kissinger's dictum that great nations didn't have friendships； but rather interests。 Perhaps it was the exception proving the rule； but if so； exception it was。 Both Britain and America would hurl themselves in front of a train for the other。 The fact that in England； President Ryan was Sir John Ryan； KCVO； made the alliance even more firm。 In acknowledgment of that； the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom walked over to the American chief of state。
〃Jack； will you let us in on this development？〃
〃Insofar as I can。 I may give Basil a little more on the side； but； yeah； Tony； this is for real； and we're damned worried about it。〃
〃The gold and the oil？〃 the PM asked。
〃They seem to think they're in an economic box。 They're just about out of hard currency； and they're hurting for oil and wheat。〃
〃You can't make an arrangement for that？〃
〃After what they did？ Congress would hang me from the nearest lamppost。〃
〃Quite；〃 the Brit had to agree。 BBC had run its own news mini…series on human rights in the PRC； and the Chinese hadn't e off very well。 Indeed； despising China was the new European sport； which hadn't helped their foreign…currency holdings at all。 As China had trapped themselves； so the Western nations had been perversely co…opted into building the wall。 The citizens of these democracies wouldn't stand for economic or trade concessions any more than the Chinese Politburo could see its way to making the political sort。 〃Rather like Greek tragedy； isn't it； Jack？〃
〃Yeah； Tony； and our tragic flaw is adherence to human rights。 Hell of a situation； isn't it？〃
〃And you're hoping that bringing Russia into NATO will give them pause？〃
〃If there's a better card to play； I haven't seen it in my deck； man。〃
〃How set are they on the path？〃
〃Unknown。 Our intelligence on this is very good； but we have to be careful making use of it。 It could get people killed； and deny us the information we need。〃
〃Like our chap Penkovskiy in the 1960s。〃 One thing about Sir Basil； he knew how to educate his bosses on how the business of intelligence worked。
Ryan nodded； then proceeded with a little of his own disinformation。 It was business； and Basil would understand： 〃Exactly。 I can't have that man's life on my conscience； Tony； and so I have to treat this information very carefully。〃
〃Quite so； Jack。 I understand fully。〃
〃Will you support us on this？〃
The PM nodded at once。 〃Yes； old boy； we must； mustn't we？〃
〃Thanks； pal。〃 Ryan patted him on the shoulder。
CHAPTER 44
The Shape of a New World Order
It took all day； lengthening what was supposed to have been a pro forma meeting of the NATO chiefs into a minor marathon。 It took all of Scott Adler's powers of persuasion to smooth things over with the various foreign ministers； but with the assistance of Britain； whose diplomacy had always been of the Rolls…Royce class； after four hours there was a head…nod…and…handshake agreement； and the diplomatic technicians were sent off to prepare the documents。 All this was acplished behind closed doors； with no opportunity for a press leak； and so when the various government leaders made it outside； the media learned of it like a thunderbolt from a clear sky。 What they did not learn was the real reason for the action。 They were told it had to do with the new economic promise in the Russian Federation； which seemed reasonable enough； and when you came down to it； was the root cause in any case。
In fact most of the NATO partners didn't know the whole story； either。 The new American intelligence was directly shared only with Britain； though France and Germany were given some indications of America's cause for concern。 For the rest； the simple logic of the situation was enough to offer appeal。 It would look good in the press； and for most politicians all over the world； that was sufficient to make them doff their clothes and run about a public square naked。 Secretary Adler cautioned his President about the dangers of drawing sovereign nations into treaty obligations without telling them all the reasons behind them； but even he agreed that there was little other choice in the matter。
Besides； there was a built…in escape clause that the media wouldn't see at first； and hopefully； neither would the Chinese。
The media got the story out in time for the evening news broadcasts in America and the late…night ones in Europe； and the TV cameras showed the arrival of the various VIPs at the official dinner in Warsaw。
〃I owe you one； Tony；〃 Ryan told the British Prime Minister with a salute of his wineglass。 The white wine was French； from the Loire Valley； and excellent。 The hard liquor of the night had been an equally fine Polish vodka。
〃Well； one can hope that it gives our Chinese friends pause。 When will Grushavoy arrive？〃
〃Tomorrow afternoon； followed by more drinking。 Vodka again； I suppose。〃 The documents were being printed up at this very moment； and then would be bound in fine leather； as such important documents invariably were； after which they'd be tucked away in various dusty basement archives； rarely to be seen by the eyes of men again。
〃Basil tells me that your intelligence information is unusually good； and rather frightening；〃 the PM observed； with a sip of his own。
〃It is all of that； my friend。 You know； we're supposed to think that this war business is a thing of the past。〃
〃So they thought a hundred years ago； Jack。 It didn't quite work out that way； did it？〃
〃True； but that was then； and this is now。 And the world really has changed in the past hundred years。〃
〃I hope that is a matter of some fort to Franz Ferdinand； and the ten million or so chaps who died as an indirect result of his demise； not to mention Act Two of the Great European Civil War；〃 the Prime Minister observed。
〃Yeah； day after tomorrow； I'm going down to Auschwitz。 That ought to be fun。〃 Ryan didn't really want to go； but he figured it was something of an obligation under the circumstances； and besides； Arnie thought it would look good on TV； which was why he did a lot of the things he did。
〃Do watch out for the ghosts； old boy。 I should think there are a number of them there。〃
〃I'll let you know；〃 Ryan promised。 Would it be like Dickens's A Christmas Carol？ he wondered。 The ghost of horrors past； acpanied by the ghost of horrors present； and finally the ghost of horrors yet to be？ But he was in the business of preventing such things。 That's what the people of his country paid him for。 Maybe 250；000 a year wasn't much for a guy who'd twice made a good living in the trading business； but it was a damned sight more than most of the taxpayers made； and they gave it to him in return for his work。 That made the obligation as sacred as a vow sworn to God's own face。 Auschwitz had happened because other men hadn't recognized their obligation to the people whom they had been supposed to serve。 Or something like that。 Ryan had never quite made the leap of imagination necessary to understand the thought processes of dictators。 Maybe Caligula had really figured that the lives of the Roman people were his possessions to use and discard like peanut shells。 Maybe Hitler had thought that the German people existed only to serve his ambition to enter the history books…and if so； sure enough it had happened； just not quite the way he'd hoped it would。 Jack Ryan knew objectively that he'd be in various history books； but he tried to avoid thinking about what future generations would make of him。 Just surviving in his job from day to day was difficult enough。 The problem with history was that you couldn't transport yourself into the future so that you could look back with detachment and see what the hell you were supposed to do。 No； making history was a damned sight harder than studying it； and so he'd decided to avoid thinking about it altogether。 He wouldn't be around to know what the future thought anyway； so there was no sense in worrying about it； was there？ He had his own conscience to keep him awake at night； and that was hard enough。
Looking around the room； he could see the chiefs of government of more than fifteen countries； from little Iceland to the Netherlands to Turkey。 He was President of the United States of America； by far the largest and most powerful country of the NATO alliance…until tomorrow； anyway； he corrected himself…and he wanted to take them all aside and ask each one how the hell he （they were all men at the moment） reconciled his self and his duties。 How did you do the job honorably？ How did you look after the needs of every citizen？ Ryan knew that he couldn't reasonably expect to be universally loved。 Arnie had told him that…that he only needed to be liked； not loved； by half…plus…one of the voters in America…but there had to be more to the job than that； didn't there？ He knew all of his fellow chief executives by name and sight； and he'd been briefed in on each man's character。 That one there； he had a mistress only nineteen years old。 That one drank like a fish。 That one had a little confusion about his sexual preference。 And that one was a crook who'd enriched himself hugely on the government payroll。 But they were
