tc.thebearandthedragon-第29部分

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　to　load　up　their　equipment　and　move　out。　All　that　force　…　and　it　was　a　whole　shitload　of　force；　Diggs　reflected　…　had　been　part　of　NATO's　mitment　to　defend　Western　Europe　from　a　country　called　the　Soviet　Union　and　its　mirror…image　Warsaw　Pact；　huge　formations　whose　objective　was　the　Bay　of　Biscay；　or　so　the　operations　and　intelligence　officers　in　Mons；　Belgium；　had　always　thought。　And　quite　a　clash　it　would　have　been。　Who　would　have　won？　Probably　NATO；　Diggs　thought；　depending　on　political　interference；　and　mand　skills　on　both　sides　of　the　equation。
　But；　now；　the　Soviet　Union　was　no　more。　And　with　it　was　also　gone　the　need　for　the　presence　of　V　and　VII　Corps　in　Western　Germany；　and　so；　1st　Armored　was　about　the　only　vestige　left　of　what　had　once　been　a　vast　and　powerful　force。　Even　the　cavalry　regiments　were　gone；　the　11th　to　be　the　OpFor　…　〃opposing　force；〃　or　Bad　Guys　…　at　the　National　Training　Center　and　the　2nd　〃Dragoon〃　Regiment　essentially　disarmed　at　Fort　Polk；　Louisiana；　trying　to　make　up　new　doctrine　for　weaponless　troopers。　That　left　Old　Ironsides；　somewhat　reduced　in　size　from　its　halcyon　days；　but　still　a　formidable　force。　Exactly　whom　Diggs　might　fight　in　the　event　hostilities　sprang　unexpectedly　from　the　ground；　he　had　no　idea　at　the　moment。
　That；　of　course；　was　the　job　of　his　G…2　Intelligence　Officer；　Lieutenant　Colonel　Tom　Richmond；　and　training　for　it　was　the　problem　assigned　to　his　G…3　Operations　Officer；　Colonel　Duke　Masterman；　whom　Diggs　had　dragged　kicking　and　screaming　from　the　Pentagon。　It　was　not　exactly　unknown　in　the　United　States　Army　for　a　senior　officer　to　collect　about　him　younger　men　whom　he'd　gotten　to　know　on　the　way　up。　It　was　his　job　to　look　after　their　careers；　and　their　jobs　to　take　care　of　their　mentor　…　called　a　〃rabbi〃　in　the　NYPD　or　a　〃Sea　Daddy〃　in　the　United　States　Navy　…　in　a　relationship　that　was　more　father/son　than　anything　else。　Neither　Diggs　nor　Richmond　nor　Masterman　expected　much　more　than　interesting　professional　time　in　the　1st　Armored　Division；　and　that　was　more　than　enough。　They'd　seen　the　elephant　…　a　phrase　that　went　back　in　the　United　States　Army　to　the　Civil　War　to　denote　active　participation　in　bat　operations　…　and　killing　people　with　modern　weapons　wasn't　exactly　a　trip　to　Disney　World。　A　quiet　term　of　training　and　sand…table　exercises　would　be　plenty；　they　all　thought。　Besides；　the　beer　was　pretty　good　in　Germany。
　〃Well；　Mary；　it's　all　yours；〃　outgoing　Major　General　（promotable）　Sam　Goodnight　said　after　his　formal　salute。　〃Mary〃　was　a　nickname　for　Diggs　that　went　back　to　West　Point；　and　he　was　long　since　past　getting　mad　about　it。　But　only　officers　senior　to　him　could　use　that　moniker；　and　there　weren't　all　that　many　of　them　anymore；　were　there？
　〃Sam；　looks　like　you　have　the　kids　trained　up　pretty　well；〃　Diggs　told　the　man　he'd　just　relieved。
　〃I'm　especially　pleased　with　my　helicopter　troops。　After　the　hoo…rah　with　the　Apaches　down　in　Yugoslavia；　we　decided　to　get　those　people　up　to　speed。　It　took　three　months；　but　they're　ready　to　eat　raw　lion　now　…　after　they　kill　the　fuckers　with　their　pocket　knives。〃
　〃Who's　the　boss　rotor…head？〃
　〃Colonel　Dick　Boyle。　You'll　meet　him　in　a　few　minutes。　He's　been　there　and　done　that；　and　he　knows　how　to　run　his　mand。〃
　〃Nice　to　know；〃　Diggs　allowed；　as　they　boarded　the　World　War　II　mand　car　to　troop　the　line；　a　goodbye　ride　for　Sam　Goodnight　and　wele　for　Mary　Diggs；　whose　service　reputation　was　as　one　tough　little　black　son　of　a　bitch。　His　doctorate　in　management　from　the　University　of　Minnesota　didn't　seem　to　count；　except　to　promotion　boards；　and　whatever　private　pany　might　want　to　hire　him　after　retirement；　a　possibility　he　had　to　consider　from　time　to　time　now；　though　he　figured　two　stars　were　only　about　half　of　what　he　had　ing。　Diggs　had　fought　in　two　wars　and　ported　himself　well　in　both　cases。　There　were　many　ways　to　make　a　career　in　the　armed　services；　but　none　so　effective　as　successful　mand　on　the　field　of　battle；　because　when　you　got　down　to　it；　the　Army　was　about　killing　people　and　breaking　things　as　efficiently　as　possible。　It　wasn't　fun；　but　it　was　occasionally　necessary。　You　couldn't　allow　yourself　to　lose　sight　of　that。　You　trained　your　soldiers　so　that　if　they　woke　up　the　next　morning　in　a　war；　they'd　know　what　to　do　and　how　to　go　about　it；　whether　their　officers　were　around　to　tell　them　or　not。
　〃How　about　artillery？〃　Diggs　asked；　as　they　drove　past　the　assembled　self…propelled　155…mm　howitzers。
　〃Not　a　problem　there；　Mary。　In　fact；　no　problems　anywhere。　Your　brigade　manders　all　were　there　in　1991；　mainly　as　pany　manders　or　battalion　S…3s。　Your　battalion　manders　were　almost　all　platoon　leaders　or　pany　XOs。　They're　pretty　well　trained　up。　You'll　see；〃　Goodnight　promised。
　Diggs　knew　it　would　all　be　true。　Sam　Goodnight　was　a　Major　General　（promotable）；　which　meant　he　was　going　to　get　star　number　three　as　soon　as　the　United　States　Senate　got　around　to　approving　the　next　bill　with　all　the　flag　officers　on　it；　and　that　couldn't　be　rushed。　Even　the　President　couldn't　do　that。　Diggs　had　screened　for　his　second　star　six　months　earlier；　just　before　leaving　Fort　Irwin；　to　spend　a　few　months　parked　in　the　Pentagon　…　an　abbreviated　〃jointness〃　tour；　as　it　was　called…before　moving　back　to　Germany。　The　division　was　slated　to　run　a　major　exercise　against　the　Bundeswehr　in　three　weeks。　First　AD　vs。　four　German　brigades；　two　tanks；　two　mechanized　infantry；　and　that　promised　to　be　major　test　of　the　division。　Well；　that　was　something　for　Colonel　Masterman　to　worry　about。　It　was　his　neck　on　the　line。　Duke　had　e　to　Germany　a　week　early　to　meet　with　his　also…outgoing　predecessor　as　divisional　operations　officer　and　go　over　the　exercise's　rules　and　assumptions。　The　German　mander　in　the　exercise　was　Generalmajor　Siegfried　Model。　Siggy；　as　he　was　known　to　his　colleagues；　was　descended　from　a　pretty　good　Wehrmacht　mander　from　the　old…old　days；　and　it　was　also　said　of　him　that　he　regretted　the　fall　of　the　USSR；　because　part　of　him　wanted　to　take　the　Russian　Army　on　and　rape　it。　Well；　such　things　had　been　said　about　a　lot　of　German；　and　a　few　American　senior　officers　as　well；　and　in　nearly　every　case　it　was　just　that　…　talk；　because　nobody　who'd　seen　one　battlefield　ever　yearned　to　see　another。
　Of　course；　Diggs　thought；　there　weren't　many　Germans　left　who　had　ever　seen　a　battlefield。
　〃They　look　good；　Sam；〃　Diggs　said；　as　they　passed　the　last　static　display。
　〃It's　a　hell　of　a　tough　job　to　leave；　Marion。　Damn。〃　The　man　was　starting　to　fight　back　tears；　which　was　one　way　of　telling　who　the　really　tough　ones　were　in　this　line　of　work；　Diggs　knew。　Walking　away　from　the　mand　of　soldiers　was　like　leaving　your　kid　in　the　hospital；　or　maybe　even　harder。　They'd　all　been　Sam's　kids；　and　now　they　would　be　his　kids；　Diggs　thought。　On　first　inspection；　they　looked　healthy　and　smart　enough。
　
　
　Yeah；　Arnie；〃　President　Ryan　said。　His　voice　betrayed　his　emotions　more　than　a　growl　or　a　shout　could　have。
　〃Nobody　ever　said　the　job　was　fun；　Jack。　Hell；　I　don't　know　why　you're　plaining。　You　don't　have　to　schmooze　people　to　raise　money　for　your　reelection　campaign；　do　you？　You　don't　have　to　kiss　ass。　All　you　have　to　do　is　your　work；　and　that　saves　you　a　good　hour　…　maybe　an　hour　and　a　half　…　per　day　to　watch　TV　and　play　with　your　kids。〃　If　there　was　anything　Arnie　loved；　Ryan　thought；　it　was　telling　him　（Ryan）　how　easy　he　had　it　in　this　fucking　job。
　〃But　I　still　spend　half　my　day　doing　unproductive　shit　instead　of　doing　what　I'm　paid　to　do。〃
　〃Only　half；　and　still　he　plains；〃　Arnie　told　the　ceiling。　〃Jack；　you'd　better　start　liking　this　stuff；　or　it'll　eat　you　up。　This　is　the　fun　part　of　being　President。　And；　hell；　man；　you　were　a　government　employee　for　fifteen　years　before　you　came　here。　You　should　love　being　unproductive！〃
　Ryan　nearly　laughed；　but　managed　to　contain　himself。　If　there　was　anything　Arnie　knew　how　to　do；　it　was　to　soften　his　lessons　with　humor。　That　could　be　annoying　as　hell。
　〃Fine；　but　exactly　what　do　I　promise　them？〃
　〃You　promise　that　you'll　support　this　dam　and　barge…canal　scheme。〃
　〃But　it's　probably　a　waste　of　money。〃
　〃No；　it　is　not　a　waste　of　money。　It　provides　employment　in　this　two…state　area；　which　is　of　interest　to　not　one；　not　two；　but　three　United　States　Senators；　all　of　whom　support　you　steadfastly　on　the　Hill；　and　whom　you；　therefore；　must　support　in　turn。　You　reward　them　for　helping　you　by　helping　them　get　reelected。　And　you　help　them　get　reelected　by　allowing　them　to　generate　about　fifteen　thousand　construction　jobs　in　the　two　states。〃

　〃And　screw　with　a　perfectly　good　river　for〃　…　Ryan　checked　the　briefing　folder　on　his　desk　…　〃three　and　a　quarter　billion　dollars。。。　Jesus　H。　Christ；〃　he　finished　with　a　long　breath。
　〃Since　when　have　you　been　a　tree…hugger？　Cutthroat　trout　don't　vote；　Jack。　And　even　if　the　barge　traffic　up　the　river　doesn't　develop；　you'll　still　have　one　hell　of　a　recreation　area　for　people　to　water…ski　and　fish；　toss　in　a　few　new　motels；　maybe　a　golf　course　or　two；　fast…food　places。。。〃
　〃I　don't　like　saying　things　and　doing　things　I　don't　believe　in；〃　the　President　tried　next。
　〃For　a　politician；　that　is　like　colorblindness　or　a　broken　leg：　a　serious　handicap；〃　van　Damm　noted。　〃That's　part　of　the　job；　too。　Nikita　Khrushchev　said　it：　'Politicians　are　the　same　all　over　the　world；　we　build　bridges　where　there　aren't　any　rivers。'　〃
　〃So　wasting　money　is　something　we're　supposed　to　do？　Arnie；　it　isn't　our　money！　It's　the　people's　money。　It　belongs　to　them；　and　we　don't　have　the　right　to　piss　it　away！〃
　〃Right？　Who　ever　said　this　is　about　what's　right？〃　Arnie　asked　patiently。　〃Those　three　senators　who're〃　…　he　checked　his　watch　…　〃on　their　way　down　here　right　now　got　you　your　defense　appropriations　bill　a　month　ago；　in　case　you　didn't　remember；　and　you　may　need　their　votes　again。　Now；　that　appropriations　bill　was　important；　wasn't　it？〃
　〃Yes；　of　course　it　was；〃　President　Ryan　responded　with　guarded　eyes。
　〃And　getting　that　bill　through　was　the　right　thing　for　the　country；　wasn't　it？〃　van　Damm　asked　next。
　A　long　sigh。　He　could　see　where　this　was　going。　〃Yes；　Arnie；　it　was。
　〃And　so；　doing　this　little　thing　does　help　you　to　do　the　right　thing　for　the