tc.thebearandthedragon-第174部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃Yob　tvoyu　maht！〃
　〃Soon　we're　going　to　make　the　fighter　jocks　obsolete；　Colonel。　Another　year　or　so　and　we'll　be　doing　terminal　guidance　on　missiles　launched　from　a　coupla　hundred　miles　away。　Won't　need　fighter　pilots　then。　Guess　I'll　have　to　buy　me　a　scarf。　So；　Colonel；　what　else　do　you　want　to　see？〃
　
　The　II…86　landed　at　a　rustic　fighter　base　with　only　a　few　helicopters　on　it；　Colonel　Mitch　Turner　noted。　As　divisional　intelligence　officer；　he　was　taking　in　a　lot　of　what　he　saw　in　Russia；　and　what　he　saw　wasn't　all　that　encouraging。　Like　General　Diggs；　he'd　entered　the　Army　when　the　USSR　had　been　the　main　enemy　and　principal　worry　for　the　United　States　Army；　and　now　he　was　wondering　how　many　of　the　intelligence　estimates　he'd　help　draft　as　a　young　spook　officer　had　been　pure　fantasy。　Either　that　or　the　mighty　had　fallen　farther　and　faster　than　any　nation　in　history。　The　Russian　army　wasn't　even　a　shadow　of　what　the　Red　Army　had　been。　The　〃Rompin'；　Stompin'　Russian　Red　Ass〃　so　feared　by　NATO　was　as　dead　as　the　stegosaurus　toys　his　son　liked　to　play　with；　and　right　now　that　was　not　such　a　good　thing。　The　Russian　Federation　looked　like　a　rich　family　of　old　with　no　sons　to　defend　it；　and　the　girl　kids　were　getting　raped。　Not　a　good　thing。　The　Russians；　like　America；　still　had　nuclear　weapons…bombs；　deliverable　by　bombers　and　tactical　fighters。　However；　the　Chinese　had　missiles　to　deliver　theirs；　and　they　were　targeted　at　cities；　and　the　Big　Question　was　whether　the　Russians　had　the　stones　to　trade　a　few　cities　and；　say；　forty　million　people　for　a　gold　mine　and　some　oil　fields。　Probably　not；　Turner　figured。　Not　something　a　smart　man　would　do。　Similarly；　they　could　not　afford　a　war　of　attrition　against　a　country　with　nine　times　as　many　people　and　a　healthier　economy；　even　over　this　ground。　No；　if　they　were　to　defeat　the　Chinese；　it　had　to　be　with　maneuver　and　agility；　but　their　military　was　in　the　shitter；　and　neither　trained　nor　equipped　to　play　maneuver　warfare。
　This；　Turner　thought　on　reflection；　was　going　to　be　an　interesting　war。　It　was　not　the　sort　he　wanted　to　fight。　Better　to　clobber　a　dumb　little　enemy　than　mix　it　up　with　a　smart　powerful　one。　It　might　not　be　glorious；　but　it　was　a　hell　of　a　lot　safer。
　〃Mitch；〃　General　Diggs　said；　as　they　stood　to　walk　off　the　airplane。　〃Thoughts？〃
　〃Well；　sir；　we　might　have　picked　a　better　place　to　fly　to。　Way　things　look；　this　is　going　to　be　a　little　exciting。〃　〃Go　on；〃　the　general　ordered。
　〃The　other　side　has　better　cards。　More　troops；　better…trained　troops；　more　equipment。　Their　task；　crossing　a　lot　of　nasty　country；　is　not　enviable；　but　neither　is　the　Russian　task；　defending　against　it。　To　win　they　have　to　play　maneuver　warfare。　But　I　don't　see　that　they　have　the　horsepower　to　pull　it　off。〃
　〃Their　boss　out　here；　Bondarenko。　He's　pretty　good。〃　〃So　was　Erwin　Rommel；　sir；　but　Montgomery　whupped　his　ass。〃　There　were　staff　cars　lined　up　to　drive　them　into　the　Russian　mand　post。　The　weather　was　clearer　here；　and　they　were　close　enough　to　the　Chinese　that　a　clear　sky　wasn't　something　to　enjoy　anymore。
　
　
　
　
　CHAPTER　53
　Deep　Concerns
　
　〃So；　what's　happening　there？〃　Ryan　asked。

　〃The　Chinese　are　seventy　miles　inside　Russia。　They　have　a　total　of　eight　divisions　over　the　river；　and　they're　pushing　north；〃　General　Moore　replied；　moving　a　pencil　across　the　map　spread　on　the　conference　table。　〃They　blew　through　the　Russian　border　defenses　pretty　fast…it　was　essentially　the　Maginot　Line　from　1940。　I　wouldn't　have　expected　it　to　hold　very　long；　but　our　overheads　showed　them　punching　through　fairly　professionally　with　their　leading　infantry　formations；　supported　by　a　lot　of　artillery。　Now　they　have　their　tanks　across…about　eight　hundred　to　this　point；　with　another　thousand　or　so　to　go。〃
　Ryan　whistled。　〃That　many？〃
　〃When　you　invade　a　major　country；　sir；　you　don't　do　it　on　the　cheap。　The　only　good　news　at　this　point　is　that　we've　really　given　their　air　force　a　bloody　nose。〃
　〃AWACS　and　…15s？〃　Jackson　asked。
　〃Right。〃　The　Chairman　of　the　Joint　Chiefs　nodded。　〃One　of　our　kids　made　ace　in　a　single　engagement。　A　Colonel　Winters。〃
　〃Bronco　Winters；〃　Jackson　said。　〃I've　heard　the　name。　Fighter　jock。　Okay；　what　else？〃
　〃Our　biggest　problem　on　the　air　side　is　going　to　be　getting　bombs　to　our　airmen。　Flying　bombs　in　is　not　real　efficient。　I　mean；　you　can　use　up　a　whole　C…5　just　to　deliver　half　the　bombs　for　one　squadron　of　F…15Es；　and　we've　got　a　lot　of　other　things　for　the　C…5s　to　do。　We're　thinking　about　sending　the　bombs　into　Russia　by　train　to　Chita；　say；　and　then　flying　them　up　to　Suntar　from　there；　but　the　Russian　railroad　is　moving　just　tanks　and　vehicles　for　now；　and　that　isn't　going　to　change　soon。　We're　trying　to　fight　a　war　at　the　end　of　one　railroad　line。　Sure；　it's　double…tracked；　but　it's　still　just　one　damned　line。　Our　logistical　people　are　already　taking　a　lot　of　Maalox　over　this　one。〃
　〃Russian　airlift　capacity？〃　Ryan　asked。
　〃FedEx　has　more；〃　General　Moore　replied。　〃In　fact；　FedEx　has　a　lot　more。　We're　going　to　ask　you　to　authorize　call…up　of　the　civilian　reserve　air　fleet；　Mr。　President。〃
　〃Approved；〃　Ryan　said　at　once。
　〃And　a　few　other　little　things；〃　Moore　said。　He　closed　his　eyes。　It　was　pushing　midnight；　and　nobody　had　gotten　much　sleep　lately。　〃VMH…1　is　standing…to。　We're　in　a　shooting　war　with　a　country　that　has　nuclear　weapons　on　ballistic　launchers。　So；　we　have　to　think　about　the　possibility…remote　maybe；　but　still　a　possibility…that　they　could　launch　at　us。　So；　VMH…1　and　the　Air　Force's　First　Heli　at　Andrews　are　standing…to。　We　can　get　a　chopper　here　to　lift　you　and　your　family　out　in　seven　minutes。　That　concerns　you；　Mrs。　O'Day；〃　Moore　said　to　Andrea。
　The　President's　Principal　Agent　nodded。　〃We're　dialed　in。　It's　all　in　The　Book；〃　she　said。　That　nobody　had　opened　that　particular　book　since　1962　was　beside　the　point。　It　was　written　down。　Mrs。　Price…O'Day　looked　a　little　peaked。
　〃You　okay？〃　Ryan　asked。
　〃Stomach；〃　she　explained。
　〃Try　some　ginger？〃　Jack　went　on。
　〃Nothing　much　works　for　this；　Dr。　North　tells　me。　Please　excuse　me；　Mr。　President。〃　She　was　embarrassed　that　he'd　noticed　her　disfort。　She　always　wanted　to　be　one　of　the　boys。　But　the　boys　didn't　get　pregnant；　did　they？
　〃Why　don't　you　drive　home？〃
　〃Sir；　I〃
　〃Go；〃Ryan　said。　〃That's　an　order。　You're　a　woman；　and　you're　pregnant。　You　can't　be　a　cop　all　the　time；　okay？　Get　some　relief　here　and　go。　Right　now。〃
　Special　Agent　Price…O'Day　hesitated；　but　she　did　have　an　order；　so　she　walked　out　the　door。　Another　agent　came　in　immediately。
　〃Machismo　from　a　woman。　What's　the　goddamned　world　ing　to？〃　Ryan　asked　the　assembly。
　〃You're　not　real　liberated；　Jack；〃　Jackson　observed　with　a　grin。
　〃It's　called　objective　circumstances；　I　think。　She's　still　a　girl；　even　if　she　does　carry　a　pistol。　Cathy　says　she's　doing　fine。　This　nausea　stuff　doesn't　last　forever。　Probably　feels　like　it　to　her；　though。　Okay；　General；　what　else？〃
　〃Kneecap　and　Air　Force　One　are　on　hot…pad　alert　'round　the　clock。　So；　if　we　get　a　launch　warning；　in　seven　minutes　or　less；　you　and　the　Vice　President　are　on　choppers；　five　more　minutes　to　Andrews；　and　three　more　after　that　you're　doing　the　takeoff　roll。　The　drill　is；　your　family　goes　to　Air　Force　One　and　you　go　to　Kneecap；〃　he　concluded。　Kneecap　was　actually　the　National　Emergency　Airborne　mand　Post　（NEACP）；　but　the　official　acronym　was　too　hard　to　pronounce。　Like　the　VC…25A　that　served　as　Air　Force　One；　Kneecap　was　a　converted　747　that　was　really　just　a　wrapper　for　a　bunch　of　radios　flying　in　very　close　formation。
　〃Gee；　that's　nice　to　know。　What　about　my　family？〃　POTUS　asked。
　〃In　these　circumstances；　we　keep　a　chopper　close　to　where　your　wife　and　kids　are　at　all　times；　and　then　they'll　fly　in　whatever　direction　seems　the　safest　at　the　moment。　If　that's　not　Andrews；　then　they'll　get　picked　up　later　by　a　fixed…wing　aircraft　and　taken　to　whatever　place　seems　best。　It's　all　theoretical；〃　Moore　explained；　〃but　something　you　might　as　well　know　about。〃
　〃Can　the　Russians　stop　the　Chinese？〃　Ryan　asked；　turning　his　attention　back　to　the　map。
　〃Sir；　that　remains　to　be　seen。　They　do　have　the　nuclear　option；　but　it's　not　a　card　I　would　expect　them　to　play。　The　Chinese　do　have　twelve　CSS…4　ICBMs。　It's　essentially　a　duplicate　of　our　old　Titan…II　liquid　fuels；　with　a　warhead　estimated　to　be　between　three　and　five　megatons。〃
　〃City…buster？〃　Ryan　asked。
　〃Correct。　No　counterforce　capability；　and　there's　nothing　we　have　left　to　use　against　it　in　that　role　anyway。　The　CEP　on　the　warhead　is　estimated　to　be　plus　or　minus　a　thousand　meters　or　so。　So；　it'd　do　a　city　pretty　well；　but　that's　about　all。〃
　〃Any　idea　where　they're　targeted？〃　Jackson　asked。　Moore　nodded　at　once。
　〃Yes。　The　missile　is　pretty　primitive；　and　the　silos　are　oriented　on　their　targets　because　the　missile　doesn't　have　much　in　the　way　of　cross…range　maneuverability。　Two　are　targeted　on　Washington。　Others　on　LA；
　San　Francisco；　and　Chicago。　Plus　Moscow；　Kiev；　St。　Petersburg。　They're　all　leftovers　from　the　Bad　Old　Days；　and　they　haven't　been　modified　in　anyway。〃
　〃Any　way　to　take　them　out？〃　Jackson　asked。
　〃I　suppose　we　could　stage　a　mission　with　fighter　or　bomber　aircraft　and　go　after　the　silos　with　PGMs；〃　Moore　allowed。　〃But　we'd　have　to　fly　the　bombs　to　Suntar　first；　and　even　then　it'll　be　rather　a　lengthy　mission　for　the　F…117s。〃
　〃What　about　B…2s　out　of　Guam？〃　Jackson　asked。
　〃I'm　not　sure　they　can　carry　the　right　weapons。　I'll　have　to　check　that。〃
　〃Jack；　this　is　something　we　need　to　think　about；　okay？〃
　〃I　hear　you；　Robby。　General；　have　somebody　look　into　this；　okay？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　
　〃Gennady　Iosifovich！〃　General　Diggs　called　on　entering　the　map　room。
　〃Marion　Ivanovich！〃　The　Russian　came　over　to　take　his　hand；　followed　by　a　hug。　He　even　kissed　his　guest；　in　the　Russian　fashion；　and　Diggs　flinched　from　this；　in　the　American　fashion。　〃In！〃
　And　Diggs　waited　for　ten　seconds：　〃Out！〃　Both　men　shared　the　laugh　of　an　insider's　joke。
　〃The　turtle　bordello　is　still　there？〃
　〃It　was　the　last　time　I　looked；　Gennady。〃　Then　Diggs　had　to　explain　to　the　others。　〃Out　at　Fort　Irwin…we　collected　all　the　desert　tortoises　and　put　them　in　a　safe　place　so　th