Marine Corps Stories: The Psychological Aspect

Generals and admirals from the other branches of the United States Armed Forces convened. The space remained ornate with a vaulted roof and sculptures of past war heroes of American history. A One-way bullet and bomb-proof window about the size of a car's rear window completed the space. Marine General Misha Wainwright sat among the other heads of the military. One person who was not in the room was the president of the United States.

“We must be resolute,” Admiral Tobias Danford said. “If we are going to strike Qadir Zeeshan, we must do it with the full knowledge that we can not only take him out but to institute a new regime within the region.”

Misha grinned. “Yes, that’s right. But you’re missing one thing, Tobias.”

“What’s that, Mish’?”

“We’re dealing with a people that are engaged in a revolution. Once the head is severed from the body, we must take into account the opposers as well as the advocates to that action. Most of the people who respect America in that region reject the primitive nature that Iran exhibits. What we need to do is ensure that those who rose up to defend the supreme leader are quashed as well.”

Army Lieutenant General Cardigan Koch spoke up next. “We should be able to puncture through the Ayatollah’s weapons defense system. He is hardly a soft target, though. I mean there are ways to go about this. Yes, they have stone age weaponry, but don’t count them out.”

Misha spread her hands on the oak table. “I see your point, but we should be able to extinguish the fire that may flare up in the wake of Zeeshan’s death. The strategy ought to be to get as many opponents of the current regime on our side, clear them out of the way, and hit him hard before he even gets a chance to blink.”

Koch said, “Yes, but another drone strike? That last one that hit killed four civilians.”

“And the blood is on Zeeshan’s hands. Not ours. Iran initiated the fight against America. We’re ending it with his death,” Misha said.

The room fell silent. Heat clung in the air as if fire had somehow swirled through the space. Each of the top military leaders looked about each other with solemn faces. All of them took a sip from water almost on each others’ command.

“What we can do,” Admiral Tobias Danford said, “is to use a special forces team, be they SEALs, MARSOC, Rangers. Let them go in and dispatch this bastard.”

Misha let this wash around in her thoughts like she just taste tested a fine wine. “That may be our best bet. If we can even put a sniper from one of those forces into Tehran and eliminate this threat, then the spirit of the Iranian dictatorial cause would cease.” Misha tried to keep her composure. She wanted to scream like a Drill Instructor who just found a sock on the deck during inspection. But she remained an officer and a lady. She held back from an outburst and let the other top leaders confer about what she just said. As they talked between each other, Misha turned and looked out of the window. Great cumulus clouds and a cerulean sky calmed her for the moment. She let Danford speak.

“I agree, Misha. We can take the fight to them through the air, on the ground with troops, or with one swift round aimed at the forehead of Zeeshan. A helicopter drop would be most feasible. All that we have to do is keep in mind that there are people who wish to see that this dictator burn in hell for all of his viciousness,” Koch said.

“I don’t know about burning in hell. But I do know that if the psychological aspect of Iran not having a supreme leader and not a democracy but a constitutional republic by which we construct, there might be an opportunity for advancement on all of the other basketcase countries that wish to do America harm. We ought to take into account the minimization of our casualties and inflict as much pain and suffering on the figures behind the entire structure of modern day Iran.”

Danford and Koch and the other leaders looked at each other. There remained a tacit understanding of General Wainwright’s words. Though they spoke no further, they all knew what needed to be done.