Chapter 163
Chapter 163
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Middle East Tour (2)
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Central Intelligence Agency Director Lee Kyung-ho met secretly with Israeli officials on orders from His Excellency.
From the Israeli side, Director Isser Harel—who headed both Mossad and Shin Bet—along with the head of military intelligence Aman, Colonel Binyamin Gibli, were in attendance.
Israel expressed strong dissatisfaction over Korea's ongoing Arab tour, questioning whether Pyongyang's attitude had shifted.
“We trusted you and cooperated. Is this how you repay us—by cozying up to our enemy states? We'd like an explanation on that point.”
“Daehan has simply acted in its national interest. With such a vast market in sight, passing it up would only mean our national leaders were reckless.”
“No, even so, there's such a thing as loyalty and consideration toward allies. We want Pyongyang to show respect for Tel Aviv.”
“If we weren't considering Tel Aviv, I wouldn't even be here.”
In truth, the Jews knew it too.
The Korea-Israel relationship wasn't all that solid.
Setting aside nukes, all Tel Aviv and the Jewish diaspora could offer Korea was money.
That alone wasn't enough to sway a nation like Korea.
“Let's get down to business. If Korea gets closer to the Arabs, what happens to the joint projects we're pushing forward right now?”
More than anything, Israel desperately needed nuclear weapons.
If they got those, they were prepared to overlook Korea's recklessness.
“No need to worry about that. Korea keeps its promises.”
More precisely, it kept them only with those worth keeping them for.
Korea showed no mercy to those deemed unworthy.
In that regard, the Jews were absolutely the type Korea had to honor its word with.
Tel Aviv might be one thing, but the Jewish diaspora backing Israel wasn't pushovers Korea could double-cross.
With their biggest concern resolved, the Israeli intelligence officials breathed a sigh of relief.
“Military cooperation on other fronts will continue, right? We want defense ties to keep going.”
“Can't guarantee that. If the cabinet rejects continuing the cooperation, we can't push ahead either.”
Considering the Jewish diaspora's feelings, Lee Kyung-ho didn't lie.
If Korea switched its allegiance to the Arabs down the line, cutting military ties with the Jewish side was a given.
The Jews had a vague sense of it too.
“We understand Korea's position fully. Since you're here, how about watching an Israel Defense Forces parade before you go?”
Tel Aviv knew Koreans were starting to lean toward the Arabs, but they still wanted to give them options.
And the way to do that was a show of Israel Defense Forces might.
“Fine by us. We want to see our ally's strength for ourselves.”
“You won't be disappointed.”
The Israelis prepared the parade right away.
Tanks and self-propelled guns marched by, while fighter jets roared overhead in acrobatic displays.
It was hard to believe this was a newborn nation's army—the scale and precision were unreal.
The Israel Defense Forces truly had the Middle East's strongest military.
But they were alone.
The Jews had no friends in the Middle East to fight alongside.
Seated in the VIP stands, Lee Kyung-ho watched the parade and fell deep in thought.
*Impressive, but that's about it. Not nearly enough to overwhelm the Arab Federation.*
Once the Arabs modernized and closed the quality gap, Israel would be swamped numerically.
Lee Kyung-ho could almost see Israel's doom.
Of course, they weren't the type to just fold under sheer numbers.
Before long, nukes would be in their hands.
But there was no guarantee nukes would save Israel.
As proven in the Italian War, nukes weren't decisive against armies.
In reality, their political impact outweighed the military one.
Could a small nation like Israel—even with the Jewish diaspora—handle the fallout from using them?
Lee Kyung-ho doubted it.
*As long as the shit doesn't splash on us, it's not our problem.*
Lee Kyung-ho stayed in Israel one more day before departing.
Until then, the CIA director offered no hopeful words on the future of bilateral ties.
*So in Korea's eyes, the Arab Federation looks better than us, the Middle East's top dog.*
Of course, the Jews themselves knew the Arab Federation held the long-term advantage.
The subtle attitude from Central Intelligence Agency Director Lee Kyung-ho's visit to Israel, and Prime Minister Lee Sung-jun's tour of Arab states.
All signs pointed to one thing.
Once nuclear sharing wrapped up, Korea would drop its close ties with Israel.
“No need to curse the Koreans for lacking loyalty. If they truly see value in us, the great powers will reach out again. What we must do now is work to gain the upper hand over the Arab Federation.”
David Ben-Gurion, the Jewish diaspora's patriarch, advised the government thus.
The officials agreed he was right.
But how were they supposed to surpass the Arab Federation's national power?
If it were that easy, they never would've even considered a preemptive war.
Tel Aviv's top brass agonized over the issue for days.
“In the end, only fellow Jews are reliable to the last. Let's stick to an even stronger pro-U.S. line.”
“Round and round, back to the Anglo-Americans?”
Israel envied Korea, which played middleman and squeezed benefits from both camps.
Israel wanted to do the same—if conditions allowed.
But Israel's size and circumstances made that strategy impossible.
“No choice in the matter.”
“Nothing for it. Time to cozy up to our friends in Washington. Get in touch with AIPAC.”
Israel shifted to an ultra-U.S.-dependent foreign policy and leaned hard on lobbying from American Jews.
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the top pro-Israel lobby group, transformed into a legitimate lobbying organization to back Israel.
What happened three years later in the original timeline was pulled forward.
AIPAC wasted no time wielding massive influence once legalized.
Behind them stood the Jewish diaspora with their vast wealth.
Once again, they threw their influence and money into saving Israel.
“Israel will be a key to America's Middle East strategy. Haven't past wars proven the might of the region's number one power?”
AIPAC's voice echoed loudly through U.S. politics.
“Pushing Israel is fine, but if we overdo it, our Arab friends might cut us off.”
“Congressman, this is what the Jewish community wants. You skipping the next election?”
It was an exaggeration to say Jews owned America, but no one ignored their clout.
Then McCarthy jumped in.
“Those Arabs? Dig a little, and they're all straight-up reds. Plenty of 'em openly nationalizing resources—who else but commies would do that?”
With McCarthy's side support, the Jews framed Arabs as reds.
“Should we back the Middle East's one free nation, Israel—or the Arabs mired in dictatorship and communism?”
That's why framing was so terrifying.
Once McCarthy started his witch hunt, defending Arabs meant getting branded a red yourself and buried.
U.S. politicians knew how to crunch numbers, but they all shut up against McCarthy's mad barking and the Jews' quiet pressure.
The Truman administration, already headache-deep in the Italian War, had no bandwidth for Middle East drama.
“Just hear out what those AIPAC guys want, enough to get by.”
They didn't give AIPAC everything, though.
The Truman administration settled for providing Tel Aviv with moderate arms, funds, and a military advisory team.
Even that was plenty to rile up the Arab states.
“See? The Americans pretend to be fair, then show their true colors.”
“Knew it. A Jewish state run by Jews—what'd you expect?”
Protests erupted in the Arab Federation and hostile Arab states: Stars and Stripes burned, U.S. goods torched.
Even Saudi Arabia, the pro-U.S. poster child, saw anti-American cries.
“Yankees go home!”
The U.S. government, blindsided by the backlash, panicked.
“Why not give similar support to the Arab states?”
“Then Israel flips out.”
“McCarthy won't stay quiet either.”
Washington bought Jewish support at the cost of Arab fury.
If it had been an outsider like Korea or the Soviets, no big ripples.
But America was knee-deep in the Middle East mess.
“For now, toss the Arab pals some candy so they don't blow up too bad.”
Economic aid, whatever.
Unable to resist the Jewish lobby, America paid dearly for wading into the thorny Middle East quagmire.
And this was nothing compared to what loomed ahead.
*Israel's nukes.*
*The Arab Federation's hatred for Israel.*
Nightmare variables awaited America.
America had no idea what swamp it had stepped into.