Chapter 39

"Yesterday was the first time we met, and the first impression Lieutenant Muhammad gave me was very profound," Bao said. "You are a true warrior, and we Americans fully support brave warriors like Lieutenant Muhammad."

After saying this, Bao extended his hand to shake Muhammad's.

The two hands gripped each other tightly, and both men smiled, as if they were old friends.

For two minutes, they held hands before finally letting go. Muhammad placed his hand on his back and shook it hard. "Damn, that hurts! This guy has a really strong grip!"

At the same time, Bao on the other side did the same, placing his hand behind his back, and his mouth seemed to be twitching.

"Come, Mr. Bao, please sit down," Musaif said with a smile, as if he hadn't noticed anything.

When Bao turned to sit down, Muhammad could see that the guy's hand was slightly swollen. It seemed that his grip was still stronger.

"We don't need to chat," Bao said. "I came here on the president's orders. The Stinger missile is newly developed, and its performance is not yet stable. I'm sorry, but we cannot provide it to the Afghan guerrillas. The TOW anti-tank missile is complex to operate, and we fear the guerrillas won't be able to handle it. However, our CIA has obtained three hundred RPG-7s through secret channels, which we can provide to your guerrilla group. The RPG-7 can penetrate the main armor of Soviet tanks and can also bring down Mi-24 Hind helicopters."

It cannot be denied that the RPG-7 is a mature and simple weapon, and it can be seen in every war. However, its effectiveness cannot compare to the Stinger.

The RPG-7 is an unguided rocket-propelled grenade. Once launched, it flies by inertia. Whether it hits the target depends on the shooter's experience and the grace of God. To put it simply, it's like lighting a firecracker.

To bring down a Hind, dozens of RPG-7s are needed. If it were just about firing rockets, it would be fine, but the key is that after the shooter fires, if they can't bring down the helicopter, they will be killed by it. Helicopters are the bane of infantry, just like eagles preying on chickens.

Muhammad was unwilling to sacrifice lives. Three hundred RPG-7s were not enough to show sincerity.

"Mr. Bao, do you know what the war in Afghanistan means?" Muhammad asked Bao.

Hearing Muhammad's question, Bao replied without hesitation, "The Soviets disregarded international norms and brazenly invaded a sovereign country, violating the UN Charter. The international community has strongly condemned the Soviet Union. The Afghan people, undaunted by Soviet power, have taken up arms to defend their homeland. The entire Western world supports the Afghan people, and their guerrilla war is just."

Muhammad shook his head. "Mr. Bao, politics is dirty. Don't make it sound so sacred. Why doesn't your country support the wars in Africa?"

"Lieutenant Muhammad, watch your words," Musaif said. Although he outranked Bao in rank, Bao represented the United States and was directly responsible to the President, reporting on the situation and requesting support. This person must not be offended. Pakistan even allowed him to open a bar on the street to support him.

Muhammad immediately bowed his head. "I'm sorry, Mr. Bao. I did not mean to offend your country's dignity. I just want to say that the Afghan war has won the support of the Western world because of the Soviet Union. Essentially, this is a war between the West and the Soviet Union, fought through the hands of the Afghan people. Do you agree?"

This was the first conversation between Bao and Muhammad. This meeting left a deep impression on Bao, so much so that even years later, when Muhammad had become a powerful warlord and relations with the United States had deteriorated, Bao still held him in high regard. Muhammad was a formidable opponent with keen political insight.

Muhammad was not just a soldier but also possessed exceptional political talent.

"For the Western world, helping the Afghan people win this war is a victory over the Soviet Union," Muhammad said. "That's why I was sent to Afghanistan to help train the guerrillas. However, this view is not entirely accurate. The significance of the Afghan war goes beyond just defeating the Soviet Union. It has deeper implications!"

Muhammad looked at Bao, who was staring at him with glowing eyes. Muhammad felt a sense of satisfaction. He was confident that he could persuade Bao.

Muhammad relied not on political sensitivity but on his knowledge from the future.

The Afghan war impoverished the Soviet Union, leading to Gorbachev's reforms. He found that to reform the economy, he had to reform the political system first, which ultimately led to the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Without the Afghan war, the Soviet Union would have collapsed, but it would have taken a few more years.

Even Musaif was looking at Muhammad with admiration, waiting for him to continue.

"Afghanistan will be a quagmire. Once the Soviet giant puts its foot in, it won't be able to pull it out. They will sink deeper and deeper, eventually being consumed by the quagmire. When they are exhausted, they will disappear," Muhammad said, making a vivid analogy.

Muhammad knew he had successfully persuaded Bao.

Muhammad and Musaif were silent, both deep in thought, contemplating the new ideas brought by this low-ranking lieutenant.

"The biggest threat to the Afghan guerrillas is the Soviet Hind. During my guerrilla operations in Afghanistan, I constantly faced the threat of Hinds. To eliminate this threat, I risked entering the helicopter base in Jalalabad and destroyed the helicopters there. The Soviets had to bring in new helicopters from their homeland. A single Hind costs $5.5 million, and the loss of a dozen Hinds amounts to over $60 million. How much oil does the Soviet Union need to export to make up for this loss?" Muhammad said. "This tactic can only be used once. The Soviets will strengthen the base's defenses, and we won't have a second chance. If we had Stingers, we could continuously destroy Soviet helicopters, causing them significant losses."

"Modern war is an economic war. When the Soviet Union's finances are drained by the Afghan war, they will find that the money they should have spent on bread has been used to build planes and has been wasted. The Soviet people will be dissatisfied with their living conditions, and the Soviet Union will fall into a terrible predicament. All of this depends on the losses the Afghan guerrillas can inflict on the Soviets in the Afghan theater," Muhammad said. "We need Stingers and TOW anti-tank missiles."

It seemed that his persuasion had been effective. Muhammad finally said to Bao, "Mr. Bao, please convey to our trusted president that the Afghan guerrillas need Stingers and TOW anti-tank missiles. Your country only needs to provide the weapons, while the guerrillas will offer their blood and lives. We are working towards the same goal: to bring down the Soviet Union!"

"I will convey these words to the president," Bao said. "You know, the United States is a democratic country, and exporting these weapons requires the approval of the senators. Sometimes, even the president is in a difficult position."

"Mr. Bao, didn't you just say that the Stinger is not yet mature?" Muhammad asked.

Bao realized that he had been following Muhammad's line of thought throughout their conversation. In fact, he didn't need to come today, but he wanted to have a deeper discussion with Muhammad after seeing him last night.

"Lieutenant Muhammad, let's talk about this later. Let's chat about the beautiful Aisha by your side," Bao said.

Aisha? Did this guy know that Aisha had stayed with him overnight? The CIA is truly omnipresent.

Leaving the headquarters, Muhammad felt very satisfied. Although Bao had to consult the President, Muhammad felt that the President would agree. Reagan, the actor-turned-president, was very eager to defeat the Soviet Union.

When he stepped out of the headquarters, Muhammad paused. Under a tree on the street, a girl was standing, smiling when she saw him.

"Aisha?" Muhammad called out. "What are you doing here?"

"I forgot to tell you, the radio station is on holiday today, so I don't have to go," Aisha said. "I saw you enter here from my room and have been waiting outside."

The guesthouse was not far from here, and Muhammad had stayed there for convenience. He hadn't expected the girl to notice.

Aisha naturally took Muhammad's arm. "I'm hungry."

"Hungry? Alright, let's go have some milk tea," Muhammad said.

Walking through the streets of Peshawar, Muhammad felt the unique fragrance of the girl beside him, filling his nostrils. It felt like the first love.

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