Interdiction, W.Addison Gast [room on the broom read aloud .txt] 📗

my continued education or Great Britain. My parents have made funding for this available but I will have to seek employment in order to live. Will you assist me in this endeavor when and if I am able to come to the United States?
“Hey man, you can have my room while I am at the Point if I make it. If not, we can be roomies together at whatever University we can get into—OK?” Said D-J
D-J made this promise and offer full well knowing that Abdul’s parents would feel good about their son having an American family to live with. Abdul’s father was a Saudi liaison between the Sheik and US Forces. The two boy’s parents knew each other well and socialized quite often.
The class bell rang for the second time and the two got up and started walking at an increased pace to the lab.
“Late again D-J. Mr. Long is going to have a cow.” Said Abdul.
“I’ll tell him you were showing me how to chart the chemical comp of nitrogen before we came in and we forgot the time. You do know how to chart the composition of Nitro don’t you—just in case he asks? Asked D-J smiling as they went thru the lab door.

Fast forward to
Monday June 6, 1996
Jabail, Saudi Arabia
Base Housing Quarters for Brigadier General Jacobs
“Mom, I can’t open the letter.. I know what it is this time. After all the tests, physical quals and essays I can’t take it if they tell me to apply again next year” Said D_J
“Is that any way for a future general of the United States Army, perhaps a chief of staff to talk? Bravery is a requirement Dennis Wesley Jacobs. Something they will not be able to teach you at West Point, you have to possess it and unfortunately, you can not inherit it from your father. He earned that distinction on the battlefields of Korea and Viet Nam. Open the letter son.”
D-J opened the manila envelope slowly as if it was a precious document directed to him from the President of the United States. It was.
WE ARE PLEASED TO INFORM DENNIS WESLEY JACOBS OF HIS ACCEPTANCE TO THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY, WEST POINT, NEW YORK.
The letter went into detail about the required physical and educational examinations that were scheduled to follow. It explained that the letter of acceptance was only a formal announcement and that his final acceptance and induction into the academy would be based on his qualifications as a result of the aforementioned exams and physical. The letter ended by stating that a framed letter and certificate was to follow.
Brigadier General Tomas Jacobs had just finished his Monday morning briefing when his cell rang.
“Dad-its D-J—I got the letter from the point this morning.”
“Well son, tell me, and are you going to be mowing lawns on base this summer or will you be learning to sleep standing up?”
“Dad—it says I’m ACCEPTED!”
“Wonderful son. I’m really proud of you. You know the really hard part is yet to come. We’ll probably have to get you set up with your Aunt Mary and Uncle Clyde so you can go back to the States and start the program before your Mom and I get transferred. We should be following within a few months. Did the acceptance letter give a report date?
“No. It said a certificate and details will follow. I guess that’ll tell my schedule for the summer-right?”
“We’ll see. Right now you need to relax for the next twenty four hours and come down off the cloud because from the day of your next letter, your ass belongs to the U.S. Army and you can forget about extra activities.”
The General spoke briefly to D-J’s Mom and then replaced the cell back in his cami jacket pocket and smiled as he shook his head and hit the desktop.
“Som bitch.” It was a release of excitement the General seldom displayed.
“Something I should know General?” Asked Capt. Tom More, the Generals XO, not knowing if the news would be good or bad.
“D-J got his acceptance letter to the academy this morning.”
“Bravo Zulu!” The Capt. Replied with a hi fiver and now also smiling.
“It’s good to see the review board at the point are reading all the lines and in between the lines on applications General. What a catch for the Point. Here is a young man, physically 4.0 with a grade point average of….what???
“3.90” Injected the beaming General.
“3.90” Continued the Captain.
…Speaks not only fluent Arabic but Urdu as well. I’ll bet there are some pretty anxious instructors waiting to talk to him. Congratulations Sir. You did a great job raising D-J.” It was not platitude. The Captain had known the Generals family since they were both stationed in Pakistan.
“Thank you Captain. Now back to work. Any thing in those pages of Intel that came in this morning that I should read?”
“I have some concerns about the recruitment activity we have seen around the northern part of Iraq. Tikrit in particular. It would appear that Al- Qaeda has established a pretty solid transportation corridor from the northern part of Iraq to Iran and then on to Afghanistan for recruits. We are checking on how and why these guys are so focused on getting recruits to Afghanistan.”
“Any particular recruit profile they seem to be looking for?
“Good English is evidently a prime requirement.”
“Any other?”
“Younger than most they have approached before.”
“What kind of numbers are we talking about that we know have been recruited?”
“So far about a dozen have been signed up so to speak. However, they have not moved out of the area yet. We have a set of eyes in the group but can’t communicate often because we do not want to blow his cover before they actually leave the area.”
“I don’t like the English and young requirements in this scenario at all Captain. It looks like they are setting up a special Madrasa Khasa to do something nasty in the western world. Let’s keep a close eye on them. Any way we can get photos of these kids that have joined or are entertaining the thought?”
“As you know General, most Islamic kids are camera shy except for American TV reporters and their crews. Not a good idea to let Gomer know we are photographing his Mujahideen boot camp candidates.”
“Stay heads-up on this group Captain. Code name the folder and the group Saih. We’ll consider them tourists until they leave the country or do something. Ok?”
“Roger, General.
That evening, D-J, his Dad and Mom enjoyed a quiet dinner at the officer’s club where their table continually received a stream of well-wishers for D-J and his new military career.

*Chapter 1

Tikrit, Iraq Morning June 6,1996

Haydar had his mind made up. He would join Bishar and his cousin Awwab in their journey to the Madrasa Khasa in Pakistan. His mother would have a very dim view of his travel away from his home and birthplace but the thought that he would be in the company of Bishar and Awwab would certainly not be good. He would explain that he has been offered an education that was not available to him in Tikrit. He could become an engineer as his father wanted him to be. He would study engineering and return to Tikrit and become a very notable and distinguished professional designing a new infrastructure for his city. The Americans and NATO were bringing into the country contractors from all over the world to rebuild the country after the recent war. He would be able to take advantage of that opportunity if he had a degree which he certainly could not obtain here with the limited funds of his family. His grades were good enough to obtain a scholarship but he would have to be schooled in another country. It sounded good to Haydar and he hoped it would sound as good to his mother. He had never lied to his mother and felt bad about what he must do but as Bishar had explained to him, sometimes the older people are fearful of change and hold back and therefore lose the chance to advance. Some things are necessary Bishar assured him, to make progress for the family. Sometimes even a slight “embellishment” on the true nature of the trip to Pakistan. He would write often and send details of his progress in the school and would assure his mother that he would say his prayers three times a day no matter where he was. He would tell her that He absolutely knew that his late father would want him to take this opportunity and he would, in a manner, be honoring him by returning to his city of Tikrit as a engineer .Haydar had it all in his head just how he would present this planned odyssey to her at the right time. He would have to hurry. Bishar said that they would be leaving day after tomorrow.
Bishar trusted this man known only as “Mannar—the strong one” simply because his cousin had written in his letter that the man would bring the group together when they left their homeland. Today however he was beginning to fear Mannar. It was understandable that the man would be somewhat nervous and anxious to get the group of young recruits together and leave for their new training location. It was not so much the way Mannar barked commands at the group—that was to be expected of a military leader, it was the look that this man had in his eyes. His eyes were not bright and clear like those of his teachers and cleric. This man had evil eyes and was dark set. They looked even more fearful when he looked at you from beneath his head cover.
“Bishar you have the responsibility of getting all these recruits assembled tomorrow by the warehouse and it must be done without anyone noticing that we are leaving the village as a group. Before the light of the sun comes over the east side of the Mosque we must be underway on our journey.” Mannar was pointing at the chest of Bishar as he spoke.
“There will be no problems my captain. These are all my friends and will obey my requests.” Promised Bishar.
“Good.”
“Are we all going to be in one vehicle or will we leave in small groups?
“Why do you ask youngster?
“I would like to travel with my friend Haydar if we are going to split up.” Replied Bishar.
“I do not often give advice to one so young as you Bishar, I command and you follow. Because you are the cousin of my combat brother Awwab, I will give you this one last bit of advice and after this you will not ask for favors or advice. Is that understood young man?”
“Yes my Captain. I will not bother you again, I promise.”
“Good. Remember this and keep what I am about to tell you as our secret and confidential understanding.”
“I promise.”
“Good. You must never ask where your next journey is going or when. You will never ask your leaders to explain why they ask you to do something. Doing so will indicate to these people that you have doubt and are not secure in your belief. This could bring you great problems within the organization because secrecy is one of the most important elements of strategy and logistics. Should one of our leader’s suspects that you are becoming inquisitive in respect to where we are moving to or when, your life could be in danger. Never