Chapter 150

Right out of the gate, Tuesday morning started off with a bang. The Boxer and the JBG ships had seized four fishing scows in the Indian Ocean near the Yemen Oman border. They were flying Pakistan flags while dragging fishing nets.

They were acting suspiciously and maneuvering too erratically to be fishing and also had no dingy in the water tending the nets.

All four were stopped after requiring shots to be fired over the bow. An inspection revealed that the holds were filled with Iranian weapons destined for Kismaayo Somalia. They were loaded at the Pakistani port at Karachi.

The captain and crews had been stopped before for transporting contraband and turned over to the Pakistani authorities. Apparently as soon as the smoke cleared the boats and crews were released, accomplishing nothing but wasting time and effort.

Thousands of rounds of ammo were destined for the ocean floor. There were new AK47s by the thousands and various machine guns, rocket propelled grenades by the hundreds and cases of IEDs of the same manufacture as those used in Iraq and Afghanistan against American soldiers. There were shoulder fired antiaircraft missiles by the hundreds. This was a major weapons bust.

The Boxer had called the Chief of Naval Operations for guidance. The Chief of Naval Operations forwarded the call to the joint chiefs.

General Ingram was standing in front of my desk wanting guidance. This was no man’s land; damn if you do and a damn if you don’t. I couldn’t order the Navy to do what needed to be done. Sending them back to Pakistan was useless.

I waved the General to close the door and take a seat next to me. I opened my JBG computer and loaded the three thumb drives and then opened a VCATS with Andy.

‘‘Somehow I knew I would be getting a call from you today. I guess you have been updated on the four Pakistan fishing boats,’’ he said.

‘‘Yes, unfortunately this is the second time for the boats and more for the crews carrying contraband. Pakistan is apparently using a version of the New York catch and release program. We need to do it differently this time,’’ I said.

‘‘I assume you have some men there that can follow orders no matter how distasteful they are?’’ I asked.

‘‘Absolutely,’’ Andy replied.

‘‘I don’t trust this open channel from here. I’m going to send you encrypted orders. Stay on the line, I want to verify that you have received and understand them,’’ I said.

‘‘Send your men to the four fishing boats. When they arrive the Boxer and the JBG boats assigned to the Boxer are going to get orders to leave the area at flank speed. Tie the crews of the fishing party securely to the boats. I do not want any bodies floating. Use explosive charges to sink the boats. A speedy operation is a must.’’

I looked at the General, ‘‘Any objections?’’ I asked.

‘‘None what so ever,’’ he replied. I clicked the encrypt key and send key. We then watched him open the orders.

‘‘Orders are understood. They will be carried out immediately. I will also order executive protocol number one including the helmet cams, along with the Shultz and Clinton directives,’’ Andy replied.

‘‘Excellent idea,’’ I said and closed the screen.

‘‘May I ask what executive protocol number one is and about those other two?’’ the General asked.

‘‘Executive protocol number one; no cameras, no cell phone pictures, the go pro cameras are to be removed and placed in the ammo box.’’

‘‘The Shultz directive is a quote from Sergeant Shultz of the Hogan Hero’s fame, ‘I see nothing, I saw nothing, I know nothing’.’’

‘‘The Clinton directive - I don’t remember. I don’t recall that, I can’t remember. It’s from her testimony before Congress,’’ I said.

‘‘Are there more?’’ General Ingram asked.

‘‘It is a small book with only a few pages,’’ I said.

‘‘How do I get one?’’ he asked.

‘‘When you retire and go to work for JBG,’’ I said.

‘‘I don’t think I could take the pay cut,’’ he said.

‘‘I doubt you would be taking a pay cut,’’ I replied.

‘‘Starting pay for your experience and world knowledge would be ten thousand a week,’’ I said. I knew his pay was fifteen thousand a month. Trouble was, as a lobbyist for one of the military industrial complex companies they would pay ten times that amount just to get his inside connections.

My cell pinged, ‘‘Orders have been sent ships departing in minutes,’’ Andy’s text said.

‘‘I will personally call to the Commander of the Boxer to issue the orders to make sure they are understood,’’ the General said.

I was leaving in a couple hours for another fund raiser - this one in South Dakota. Adam had sent the speech earlier and after a run through and changes, I was satisfied. There was still snow on the ground; the boys would have liked it. But oh well, it was going to be extremely late when I got back.

As my staff were packing up the things I needed to take with me tonight, General Ingram came in and handed me a note.