tc.thebearandthedragon-第143部分

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fax　said；　was　in　terrible　shape。　The　DIA　had　some　good　things　to　say　about　the　senior　Russian　mander　in　theater；　but　a　smart　guy　with　a　。22　against　a　dumb　one　with　a　machine　gun　was　still　at　a　disadvantage。　So；　he　hoped　the　Chinese　would　be　taken　aback　by　this　days　news；　but　CIA　and　States　estimate　of　that　possibility　was　decidedly　iffy。
　〃Scott？〃　Ryan　asked　his　Secretary　of　State。
　〃Jack；　I　can't　say。　This　ought　to　discourage　them；　but　we　can't　be　sure　how　tight　a　corner　they　think　they　are　in。　If　they　think　they're　trapped；　they　might　still　lash　out。〃
　〃God　damn　it；　Scott；　is　this　the　way　nations　do　business？〃　Jack　demanded。　〃Misperceptions？　Fears？　Outright　stupidity？〃
　Adler　shrugged。　〃It's　a　mistake　to　think　a　chief　of　government　is　any　smarter　than　the　rest　of　us；　Jack。　People　make　decisions　the　same　way；　regardless　of　how　big　and　smart　they　are。　It　es　down　to　how　they　perceive　the　question；　and　how　best　they　can　serve　their　own　needs；　preserve　their　own　personal　well…being。　Remember　that　we're　not　dealing　with　clergymen　here。　They　don't　have　much　in　the　way　of　consciences。　Our　notion　of　right　and　wrong　doesn't　play　in　that　sort　of　mind。　They　translate　what's　good　for　their　country　into　what's　good　for　themselves；　just　like　a　king　in　the　twelfth　century；　but　in　this　case　there　isn't　any　bishop　around　to　remind　them　that　there　may　be　a　God　looking　down　at　them　with　a　notebook。〃　They'd　gone　out　of　their　way；　Adler　didn't　have　to　say；　to　eliminate　a　cardinal…archbishop　just　to　get　themselves　into　this　mess。
　〃Sociopaths？〃　the　President　asked。
　Secretary　Adler　shrugged。　〃I'm　not　a　physician；　just　a　diplomat。　When　you　negotiate　with　people　like　this；　you　dangle　what's　good　for　their　country…them…in　front　of　their　eyes　and　hope　they　reach　for　it。　You　play　the　game　without　entirely　understanding　them。　These　people　do　things　neither　one　of　us　would　ever　do。　And　they　run　a　major　country；　plete　with　nuclear　weapons。〃
　〃Great；〃　Ryan　breathed。　He　stood　and　got　his　coat。　〃Well；　let's　go　watch　our　new　ally　sign　up；　shall　we？〃
　Ten　minutes　later；　they　were　in　the　reception　room　of　the　Lazienski　Palace。　There　was　the　usual　off…camera　time　for　the　various　chiefs　of　government　to　socialize　over　Perrier…and…a…twist　before　some　nameless　protocol　official　opened　the　double　doors　to　the　table；　chairs；　documents；　and　TV　cameras。
　The　speech　from　President　Grushavoy　was　predictable　in　every　detail。　The　NATO　alliance　had　been　established　to　protect　Western　Europe　against　what　his　country　had　once　been；　and　his　former　country　had　established　its　own　mirror…image　alliance　called　the　Warsaw　Pact　right　here　in　this　very　city。　But　the　world　had　turned；　and　now　Russia　was　pleased　to　join　the　rest　of　Europe　in　an　alliance　of　friends　whose　only　wish　was　peace　and　prosperity　for　all。　Grushavoy　was　pleased　indeed　to　be　the　first　Russian　in　a　very　long　time　to　be　a　real　part　of　the　European　munity；　and　promised　to　be　a　worthy　friend　and　partner　of　his　newly　close　neighbors。　（The　military　ramifications　of　the　North　Atlantic　Treaty　were　not　mentioned　at　all。）　And　everyone　present　applauded。　And　Grushavoy　pulled　out　an　ancient　fountain　pen　borrowed　from　the　collection　at　The　Hermitage　in　St。　Petersburg　to　sign　in　the　name　of　his　country；　and　so　bring　membership　in　NATO　up　by　one。　And　everyone　applauded　again　as　the　various　chiefs　of　state　and　government　walked　over　to　shake　their　new　ally's　hand。　And　the　shape　of　the　world　changed　yet　again。
　〃Ivan　Emmetovich；〃　Golovko　said；　as　he　approached　the　American　President。
　〃Sergey　Nikolay'ch；〃　Ryan　said　in　quiet　reply。
　〃What　will　Beijing　think　of　this？〃　the　chief　of　the　Russian　intelligence　service　asked。
　〃With　luck；　we'll　know　in　twenty…four　hours；〃　Ryan　answered；　knowing　that　this　ceremony　had　gone　out　on　CNN's　live　global　feed；　and　positive　that　it　was　being　watched　in　China。
　〃I　expect　the　language　will　be　profane。〃
　〃They've　said　nasty　things　about　me　lately；〃　Jack　assured　him。
　〃That　you　should　have　carnal　relations　with　your　mother；　no　doubt。〃
　〃Actually；　that　I　should　have　oral　sex　with　her；〃　the　President　confirmed　distastefully。　〃I　suppose　everybody　says　things　like　that　in　private。〃
　〃In　person；　it　can　get　a　man　shot。〃
　Ryan　grunted　grim　semi…amusement。　〃Bet　your　ass；　Sergey〃
　〃Will　this　work？〃　Golovko　asked。
　〃I　was　going　to　ask　you　that。　You're　closer　to　them　than　we　are。〃
　〃I　do　not　know；〃　the　Russian　said；　with　a　tiny　sip　of　his　vodka　glass。　〃And　if　it　does　not。　。　。〃
　〃In　that　case；　you　have　some　new　allies。〃
　〃And　what　of　the　precise　wording　of　Articles　five　and　six　of　the　treaty？〃
　〃Sergey；　you　may　tell　your　president　that　the　United　States　will　regard　an　attack　on　any　part　of　the　territory　of　the　Russian　Federation　as　operative　under　the　North　Atlantic　Treaty。　On　that；　Sergey　Nikolay'ch；　you　have　the　word　and　the　mitment　of　the　United　States　of　America；〃　SWORDSMAN　told　his　Russian　acquaintance。
　〃Jack；　if　I　may　address　you　in　this　way；　I　have　told　my　president　more　than　once　that　you　are　a　man　of　honor；　and　a　man　of　your　word。〃　The　relief　on　his　face　was　obvious。
　〃Sergey；　from　you　those　words　are　flattering。　It's　simple；　really。　It's　your　land；　and　a　nation　like　ours　cannot　just　stand　by　and　watch　a　robbery　of　this　scale　taking　place。　It　corrupts　the　foundations　of　international　peace。　It's　our　job　to　remake　the　world　into　a　peaceful　place。　There's　been　enough　war。〃
　〃I　fear　there　will　be　another；〃　Golovko　said；　with　characteristic　honesty。
　〃Then　together　your　country　and　mine　will　make　it　the　very　last。〃
　〃Plato　said；　'Only　the　dead　have　seen　the　end　of　war。'　〃
　〃So；　are　we　to　be　bound　by　the　words　of　a　Greek　who　lived　twenty…five　centuries　ago？　I　prefer　the　words　of　a　Jew　who　lived　five　centuries　later。　It's　time；　Sergey。　It's　fucking　time；〃　Ryan　said　forcefully。
　〃I　hope　you　are　right。　You　Americans；　always　so　madly　optimistic。。。〃
　〃There's　a　reason　for　that。〃
　〃Oh？　What　would　that　be？〃　the　Russian　asked。
　Jack　fixed　his　eyes　on　his　Russian　colleague。　〃In　my　country；　all　things　are　possible。　They　will　be　in　your　country；　too；　if　you　just　allow　it。　Embrace　democracy；　Sergey。　Embrace　freedom。　Americans　are　not　genetically　different　from　the　rest　of　the　world。　We're　mongrels。　We　have　the　blood　of　every　country　on　earth　in　our　veins。　The　only　thing　different　between　us　and　the　rest　of　the　world　is　our　Constitution。　Just　a　set　of　rules。　That's　all；　Sergey；　but　it　has　served　us　well。　You've　been　studying　us　for　how　long？〃
　〃Since　I　joined　KGB？　Over　thirty…five　years。〃
　〃And　what　have　you　learned　of　America　and　how　it　works？〃　Ryan　asked。
　〃Obviously　not　enough；〃　Golovko　answered　honestly。　〃The　spirit　of　your　country　has　always　puzzled　me。〃
　〃Because　it's　too　simple。　You　were　looking　for　plexity。　We　allow　people　to　pursue　their　dreams；　and　when　the　dreams　succeed；　we　reward　them。　Others　see　that　happen　and　chase　after　their　own　dreams。〃
　〃But　the　class　issues？〃
　〃What　class　issues？　Sergey；　not　everybody　goes　to　Harvard。　I　didn't；　remember？　My　father　was　a　cop。　I　was　the　first　guy　in　my　family　to　finish　college。　Look　how　I　turned　out。　Sergey；　we　do　not　have　class　distinctions　in　America。　You　can　be　what　you　choose　to　be；　if　you　are　willing　to　work　at　it。　You　can　succeed　or　you　can　fail。　Luck　helps；〃　Ryan　admitted；　〃but　it　es　down　to　work。〃
　〃All　Americans　have　stars　in　their　eyes；〃　the　Chairman　of　the　SVR　observed　tersely。
　〃The　better　to　see　the　heavens；〃　Ryan　responded。
　〃Perhaps。　Just　so　they　don't　e　crashing　down　on　us。〃
　
　〃So；　what　does　this　mean　for　us？〃　Xu　Kun　Piao　asked；　in　an　entirely　neutral　voice。
　Zhang　Han　San　and　his　premiere　had　been　watching　the　CNN　feed　in　the　latter's　private　office；　plete　with　simultaneous　translation　through　headphones　now　discarded。　The　senior　Minister　Without　Portfolio　made　a　dismissive　wave　of　the　hand。
　〃I've　read　the　North　Atlantic　Treaty；〃　he　said。　〃It　does　not　apply　to　us　at　all。　Articles　Five　and　six　limit　its　military　application　to　events　in　Europe　and　North　America　only…all　right；　it　includes　Turkey；　and；　as　originally　written；　Algeria；　which　was　part　of　France　in　1949。　For　incidents　at　sea；　it　applies　only　to　the　Atlantic　Ocean　and　the　Mediterranean　Sea；　and　then　only　north　of　the　Tropic　of　Cancer。　Otherwise；　the　NATO　countries　would　have　been　pelled　to　join　in　the　Korean　War　and　Vietnam　on　the　American　side。　Those　things　did　not　happen　because　the　treaty　did　not　apply　outside　its　defined　area。　Nor　does　it　apply　to　us。　Treaty　documents　have　discrete　language　and　discrete　application；〃　he　reminded　his　party　chief。　〃They　are　not　open…ended。〃　〃I　am　concerned　even　so；〃　Xu　responded。
　〃Hostilities　are　not　activities　to　be　undertaken　lightly；〃　Zhang　admitted。　〃But　the　real　danger　to　us　is　economic　collapse　and　the　resulting　social　chaos。　That；　rade；　could　bring　down　our　entire　social　order；　and　that　is　something　we　cannot　risk。　But；　when　we　succeed　in　seizing　the　oil　and　gold；　we　need　not　worry　about　such　things。　With　our　own　abundant　oil　supply；　we　will　not　face　an　energy　crisis；　and　with　gold　we　can　buy　anything　we　require　from　the　rest　of　the　world。　My　friend；　you　must　understand　the　West。　They　worship　money；　and　they　base　their　economies　on　oil。　With　those　two　things　they　must　do　business　with　us。　Why　did　America　intervene　in　the　Kuwait　affair？　Oil。　Why　did　Britain；　France；　and　all　the　other　nations　join　in？　Oil。　He　who　has　oil　is　their　friend。　We　shall　have　oil。　It　is　that　simple；〃　Zhang　concluded。
　〃You　are　very　confident。〃
　The　minister　nodded。　〃Yes；　Xu；　I　am；　because　I　have　studied　the　West　for　many　years。　The　way　they　think　is　actually　very　predictable。　The　purpose　of　this　treaty　might　be　to　frighten　us；　I　suppose；　but　it　is　at　most　a　paper　tiger。　Even　if　they　wished　to　provide　military　assistance　to　Russia；　they　do　not　have　the　ability　to　do　so。　And　I　do　not　believe　that　they　have　that　wish。　They　cannot　know　our　plans；　because　if　they　did；　they　would　have　pressed　their　advantage　over　us　in　terms　of　currency　reserves　at　the　trade　talks；　but　they　did　not；　did　they？〃　Zhang　asked。
　〃Is　there　no　way　they　could　know？〃
　〃It　is　most　unlikely。　rade　Tan　has　no　hint　of　foreign　espionage　in　our　country　at　anything　approaching　a　high　level；　and　his　sources　in　Washington　an