The Sum of All Fears.pdf - Delta Force

guns belonging to the Syrian army. Ghosn noted his guest's interest, and started
explaining things.
'These are here to keep the Israelis out,' he said, casting his explanation in
accordance with his own beliefs. 'Your country arms the Israelis, and the
Russians arm us.' He didn't add that this was becoming increasingly tenuous.
'Ibrahim, have you been attacked?'
'Many times, Marvin. They send their aircraft. They send commando teams. They
have killed thousands of my people. They drove us from our land, you see. We are
forced to live in camps that – '
'Yeah, man. They're called reservations where I come from.' That was something
Ghosn didn't know about. 'They came to our land, the land of our ancestors,
killed off the buffalo, sent in their army, and massacred us. Mainly they
attacked camps of women and children. We tried to fight back. We killed a whole
regiment under General Custer at a place called the Little Big Horn – that's the
name of a river – under a leader named Crazy Horse. But they didn't stop coming.
Just too many of them, too many soldiers, too many guns, and they took the best
of our land, and left us shit, man. They make us live like beggars. No, that's
not right. Like animals, like we're not people, even, 'cause we were in a place
they wanted to have, and they just moved us out, like sweepin' away the
garbage.'
'I didn't know about that,' Ghosn said, amazed that his were not the only people
to be treated that way by the Americans and their Israeli vassals. 'When did it
happen?'
'Hundred years ago. Actually started around 1865. We fought, man, we did the
best we could, but we didn't have much of a chance. We didn't have friends, see?
Didn't have friends like you got. Nobody gave us guns and tanks. So they killed
off the bravest. Mainly they trapped the leaders and murdered them – Crazy Horse
and Sitting Bull died like that. Then they squeezed us and starved us until we
had to surrender. Left us dusty, shitty places to live, sent us enough food to
keep us alive, but not enough to be strong. When some of us try to fight back,
try to be men – well, I told you what they did to my brother. Shot him from
ambush like he was an animal. Did it on television, even, so's people would know
what happened when an Indian got too big for his britches.'
The man was a comrade, Ghosn realized. This was no infiltrator, and his story
was no different from the story of a Palestinian. Amazing.
'So, why did you come here, Marvin?'
'I had to leave before they got me, man. I ain't proud of it, but what else
could I do – you want me to wait till they could ambush me?' Russell shrugged.
'I figured I'd come someplace, find people like me, maybe learn a few things,
learn how I could go back, maybe, teach my people how to fight back some.'
Russell shook his head. 'Hell, maybe it's all hopeless, but I ain't gonna give
in – you understand that?'
'Yes, my friend, I understand. It has been so with my people since before I was
born. But you, too, must understand: it is not hopeless. So long as you stand up
and fight back, there is always hope. That is why they hunt you – because they
fear you!'
'Hope you're right, man.' Russell stared out the open window, and the dust stung