A Glowing Carnage

The engineers had written “Ally” in Arabic on one of the nuclear warheads, and “Friend” on the other, but in Persian. The irony was rich that night, as the stars on the shoulders and collars sparkled like Tiffany jewels. The men and women of the United States Armed Forces, the generals and admirals, and the civilian secretary of defense, all linked up in a tight room. A small table with glowing screens, and a few places for the top brass to sit added to the tension.

President LaTasia Plainfield looked calm and poised. A flatscreen showcased the launch pad where the two nuclear missiles stood poised to launch. She peered at her watch, and looked at the senior leadership in the room. The arrangement of black, blue, green, and white uniforms looked like flowers with lethal intentions. She sighed.

“This is going to happen. We have targeted the wrong states for decades. Now, we will send down a rain of fire upon the states of Iran and Saudi Arabia. We must do this for the protection of American citizens only. We realize the Saudis seemed like friends, but now we know better. They whispered it, but Iran shouted: “Death to America!” Both nations, and the civilians will feel the wrath of the full force of the United States military. No more will we be a paper tiger, toothless, and aloof. We will show how we deal with jihadists. If they want to die, let them die for their countries, and leave us out of it.”

Army General Marcus McVernon stood.

“Yes, Marc’,” LaTasia said.

“What about Russia and China?”

“What about them?”

“‘Ma’am, they have diplomatic ties to Saudi Arabia, and Iran as well. This launch may be premature, or uncalled for altogether.”

“Do I have to remind you of a severe clear day in September all those years ago? Or a bombing in Yemen? Or the United States Embassy bombing? Or on the site of a single tower? Or the Marines barracks? Or the 444 day acts of war?”

General McVernon sat down again. LaTasia had grown a bit miffed at naming just a few of the attacks against American interests that occurred domestically and abroad.

Navy Admiral Clement Rose offered his take.

“I think we have a chance to show them our strength, but not like this. We ought to use ground troops, or at least pepper the areas with weapons and vehicles from the sky.”

“Is that right, Clem’? We should be mired in unwinnable wars for decades, and risk the lives of more of our men and women in uniform, when we can annihilate these pestholes right here, right now?”

“I was just—”

“Have a seat Admiral.”

Air Force General Mina Dallas spoke next.

“Ma’am, we should not go forward with this.”

“And why not?”

“We will have the blood of the civilians who will be incinerated, and the injured from cancer and other ailments will be our fault.”

“Did you not hear what I just said? These states sponsored jihadist actions. The blood will be on their hands only. And these ‘terrorist’ actions were just tactics. Our role ought to be to destroy the Islamic ideals both of these barbaric places promote. It’s either their civilians, or ours. Is that clear, General?”

“Yes, ma’am,” she sat again. Her flesh colored lipstick disappeared for a moment and she flicked her short cropped hair.

A Coast Guard Admiral named Rami Chin cleared his throat.

“Ma’am, we could launch this nautically, since we are sending this from a domestic position. We should wait until we equip a vessel with nuclear armament.”

“I’m glad you’re on board with the launch, but this must be from the ground. A nautical launch may prove to be ineffectual.”

A Space Force General stood. He looked like a tree at the height of 6’9”. General Ginardi Leigh intoned, “I’ve wrestled in my mind the space capabilities and this launch from the ground. I wanted to know which would produce the desired effect: the destruction of as much property both civilian and militaristic. Is there a way we can drop the payload from above?”

LaTasia’s eyes widened. “I sense more positivity. We’re launching from the ground this time, to avoid an air catastrophe. If we put a rocket in the air, that could alert them. But I like your thinking,” LaTasia said gravely.

United States Marine General, Alice Freemont weighed what everyone had said. She considered her commander in chief’s resonant words as she opened her mouth.

“Why don’t we do this right now?”

LaTasia's eyes widened even more.

“Let’s.”

The launch sequence enabled the two rockets to shoot into the night sky from the Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. They traveled with expediency and purpose. Once they found their targets, the cities of Riyadh and Tehran witnessed a glowing carnage. The brightness illuminated throughout the cities, obliterating hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children. The fires burned with an intensity that struck fear in the minds of the remaining populace, including imams. Their decimated mosques lay in radioactive wreckage. Madrassas and homes burned and smoldered with colors of red and yellow. But black shadows captured the fleeing people, much like the bombs dropped decades before on Japan.

The destruction captured the mind of the head of each state. A call came over the screen. President Plainfield picked up the phone by tapping the screen.

“Yes?”

“You have won,” the Iranian president stated. “I, Kasir Nouri, capitulate to America and its allies. My regime will bow down to you.” He hung up from a home in Tabriz.

Another rang from Masshad. “Hello, this is the King of Saudi Arabia Abdullah bin Nouf. I am at the mercy of the United States. I will do your will. That is all.”

The room erupted in cheering and President Plainfield lifted up the corner of her mouth. She turned to Defense Secretary Melissa Moss.

“We’ll draft a constitution for both nations in the coming days,” the president declared.

“Yes, Ma’am,” Melissa said.