The Messiah is a Weapon

Chapter 1: I Have a Message

"I have a message for your government. The Israeli agent took a deep drag on his cigarette. We have incontrovertible proof that Iran will have a nuclear bomb within the next few months."

And why will that be important to my government? asked the Jordanian agent.

Because Iran is not just a threat to Israel.

The Jordanian countered. Your country has had an atomic bomb for decades. It has never concerned us.

Whether or not Israel has an atomic bomb has never been a concern for any other country. Every country knows that if Israel had, he emphasized the word, atomic weapons, it would be for defensive purposes. We do not preach the destruction of any other sovereign state. Atomic weapons in Israeli hands would be a deterrent to rogue states and terrorists groups that seek its destruction. You must admit, there are a few of those around. But, if Iran, on the other hand, had an atomic bomb, that deterrent would be gone.

Iran’s nuclear program is peaceful, contended the Jordanian.

Of course it is. And when they have fully developed their technology, they will share it with the world so no one needs to buy oil anymore. They are such upstanding members of the world community that Israel finally has a role model to emulate.

I get your point. No need for the sarcasm, protested the Jordanian.

The Israeli agent continued. I don’t know whether you have looked at a map lately. Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Syria lie between Iran and Israel. Even if Iran would not use atomic weapons against an Arab or Islamic state, and anyone that believes that is insane, you would be caught in the middle. Also, you know that Iran would use nuclear weapons to menace every country it wishes to manipulate. Letting them have that kind of power is tantamount to surrendering control of the Middle East to the Iranians. Do you want to be an Iranian province, or worse, an Iranian colony?

My government has good relations with the Iranians.

What your government is doing is flirting with the devil. Any friendship between you and Iran is temporary. Your King is playing along hoping someone else will solve the Iranian problem. If he can keep the Iranians on friendly terms and at arms distance, he may be able to hold on long enough until someone else takes them out of the picture. But he also knows if it does not happen soon, Iran will bully itself into Amman just like they did to Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria, and are in the process of doing to Iraq, and the U.A.E.

The Jordanian sighed. She knew it was true. An atomic bomb in Iranian hands would destabilize the entire region. Iran, or at least the Iranian President, had aspirations of again building a Persian Empire. Those plans included the destruction of Israel and the control or annexation of every country in southwest Asia, including Jordan. An atomic bomb would virtually assure them they could meet that objective. As soon as Iran had an atomic bomb, every country in the Middle East would be subject to their wishes.

So what do you expect us to do? We are in no position to confront Iran.

We know. That is why we believe the best thing for your government to do is to step aside and do absolutely nothing.

The Jordanian responded. So let me get this straight. The message you want me to take to my government is that Iran is about to acquire an atomic bomb and we should do absolutely nothing about it.

That is right.

You realize, the Jordanian replied after a brief pause, we will have to show outrage and issue condemnations against your government.

If you must. We would prefer you simply remained silent. To me it does not matter. That is up to the politicians. My job is to pass along the message from my government.

Communications between countries, even ones with official diplomatic relations, were tricky, at best. Through diplomatic channels, they discussed and passed along only official information dealing with formal relationships and policies. Low level government officials discussed and negotiated the items necessary to implement the things handed down by the higher levels. The exchange of information that really mattered and which had a direct impact on safety and security occurred in the shadows of espionage; usually saying nothing directly as most things were implied.

Avi, you know that in the Middle East, silence is the equivalent of support. We cannot support or condone an act of aggression by Israel against an Arab state.

Iran is not an Arab state. They may have become the biggest supporters of the Palestinians but it is simply because it suits their agenda. Once there is a two-state solution to the Palestinian issue, Palestine, like Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq, will simply continue as an Iranian puppet. For Israel, it is bad enough we have Iran on our northern and southwestern borders. We don’t need them on our eastern border as well. Besides, when are you guys going to stop making belief you are one big happy family? Do you truly believe that Iran, Libya, or Syria have the best interests of Jordan in mind?

I know. You are right, of course. But you also understand the politics of the Middle East. Believe me, many Middle Eastern countries, including Iran, were relieved when you destroyed the Iraqi and Syrian reactors. But every one of us condemned you for your actions.

It’s funny. Iran attacked the same Iraqi reactor a few months before we did and no one condemned them.

They were at war with Iraq. That was different.

What was different is that no Arab country is willing to criticize Iran. Israel, on the other hand, is always condemned even when her actions benefit the region. Avi paused to take a drag of his cigarette. Well, we expect to be condemned yet again. But your support is much more important today than it has ever been. Iran is far more dangerous than Iraq ever was. Saddam might have had a similar agenda but he was far from adept at military strategy. He also had too many internal problems to present a real threat to the world outside of his borders. Iran is a different story.

The Jordanian interrupted. Avi, my government will have to see the proof. After the Americans invaded Iraq on the false premise that they had weapons of mass destruction, no one can be trusted. And with the events in Egypt, Libya, and Syria, Jordan has become very skeptical about anyone's intelligence except out own.

Avi raised his eyebrow. Auri, the Israelis are not the Americans. Besides, you don't have the resources to verify any information on your own.

I know, Avi. It’s a different world today. Everyone is on edge. My government is no different.

Okay. Please deliver the message. Let me know what we need to do to ensure your cooperation.

The Jordanian operative shook her head. Avi, when will I see you again?

It will have to be soon. As the Americans say, ‘Time is of the essence.’

And it’s about time we did more to improve Jordanian-Israeli relations.

Give me thirty minutes. I will text you a location.

Aurika was a twenty-seven year old Jordanian beauty. Everyone called her Auri. She stood five-feet-six-inches tall and weighed one-hundred-and-twenty-five pounds. With her long flowing brown hair; huge brown eyes; olive skin; full, luscious lips; and a killer smile; she was unbelievably gorgeous; not to mention her fabulous figure. She gave a look that made everyone immediately fall under her spell. It made it very easy for her to infiltrate almost any situation. In spite of her looks and her size, she was capable of killing a man twice as big in less than fifteen seconds. She had been Avi’s contact for three years.

The first year, the contact was through coded messages. Then it graduated to brief telephone conversations. The conversations too were in code. Like Avi, she spoke multiple languages including Arabic, Hebrew, English, and Farsi, among others. Which language was used was part of the code, with every conversation taking place in a different language. When she needed to convey insecurity or signal that someone might be eavesdropping, she spoke in her native Arabic. Likewise, Avi switched to his native Hebrew when he wanted to express concern.

Of course, Avi already knew everything there was to know about her but he had never seen her in person. The moment he first heard her voice, he immediately felt a connection between them he knew would surpass their work. The issue was academic until the third year. Before then, whenever they spoke, they were always in different countries. There was never a chance they would ever see each other.

Then it happened. One day she started the conversation in Hebrew. It meant she knew what city he was in and she too was in the same city. It also meant she needed to see him in person. Later that day, he was sitting in a pub in Trafalgar Square, in London. She sat next to him and said in perfect American English, I don’t see how you Brits can drink that warm beer. The reply, Well, at least it’s not piss water like you Americans drink, signaled the start of a new phase in their relationship.

The first time Auri saw Avi, she knew she was ready to cross a line she had never crossed before. He was six-feet tall, with a trim, muscular figure. There was something about the way he looked at her. He had gray eyes, jet black hair, and light brown skin. She could only imagine the combination of genes that had led to such a creation. His charisma and humor made Hollywood movie stars look clumsy. He was a gentleman; perfect in every way.

From then on, every third or fourth contact was in person. Finally, after the third meeting, Avi said, There must be more we can do to improve Jordanian-Israeli relations. She replied, As the Americans say, ‘Time is of the essence.’ That immediately became the exchange that signaled a desire for intimacy.

They needed to be extremely careful. Both their governments frowned upon intimate relations with the operatives of other countries. After all, under the bed sheets there are seldom any secrets. People let their guard down and sometimes said things they should not say. Besides, in their line of work, on occasion, friends became enemies and they had to make sacrifices. Those sacrifices included doing some very unpleasant things. It was never easy to terminate someone to whom you had just made love.

Auri had other issues to deal with as well. In her country, a woman could still be put to death for sleeping with a man who was not her husband. Although not done anymore, it was technically still a possibility. And then, of course, there was the ethnic issue. No matter how liberal an Arab thought he or she was, sleeping with someone who was not Arab, especially sleeping with a Jew, was still taboo.

Avi and Auri had managed to put those issues aside. They both knew their first allegiance was to their government. They also knew there was always a chance they would not live through the day. They never knew when they might see each other again. So it had become customary; if either one of them could escape, they would use their key phrase to try to set up a private meeting.

They were in Milan. Nestled in the foothills of the Italian Alps, blessed by near perfect weather and beautiful European architecture, Avi thought it was one of the most romantic places on Earth. An hour later, Avi was waiting in a hotel room. The candles were lit. The wine was chilled. The music was playing softly in the background. There was a special knock on the door. He answered, took one look at Auri, and forgot all about the pending doom facing the Middle East. They spent the next four hours exploring each other, getting to know each other, working up a sweat that led to exhaustion. Then they fell asleep; naked in each other’s' arms. Whoever woke up first would quietly get dressed, sneak out the door, and leave the other behind. If they were lucky, perhaps they would soon get to repeat the experience.

Chapter 2: Schizophrenic, Paranoid, Frightened

Schizophrenia is confusing. You don’t really know who you are. One personality may be patient, methodical, cautious, and rational. The other personality may be intolerant, disorganized, impulsive, and insane. You may not even realize which personality is in control at any given time. You may not know how many different personalities exist within you. You may not know what triggers each personality change. You become paranoid.

Paranoia is terrifying. Filled with delusions and conflicts, you are suspicious of everyone and everything. In your mind, almost everyone else is hostile. You are always on the defensive; interpreting every act, no matter how innocent or innocuous, as a threat. You are always asking, What did he really mean by that? What is he plotting? What is he hiding? What do I need to do to protect myself; to be ready? You trust no one. You are irrational. There is danger everywhere. You are always concerned for your safety; full of anxiety. You are afraid.

Fear is paralyzing. You often don’t know how to react to a situation. If you don’t have a plan on how to handle a threat when one is presented, whether real or imagined, you lash out like a cornered animal ready to fight to the death. The only way you can handle the fear is by putting blind trust in God.

Blind trust in God is a charade. Belief in God gives you a sense of purpose. It reminds you there is a higher power that will hold you accountable for your actions. But when you believe everyone else who does not see God as you do is evil; when you believe there is only one path to God and it is the path you have chosen; when you believe it is your calling to convert the rest of humanity to your belief in God; then the belief in God blinds you. You are ready to die for your God and, perhaps worse, you are ready to kill for your God. God becomes your excuse for doing all of the things which are contrary to God. You begin to trust that God will always protect you from anything and anyone. After all, you are God’s personal messenger. You start to feel invulnerable. Invulnerability leads to arrogance.

Arrogance is dangerous. You become conceited and self-important. You think you are better and greater than everyone else is. You look at others as inferior; in need of your guidance, your leadership, and your judgment. People become pawns; things you use at your discretion to achieve your goals. You begin to believe it is your destiny to be what you are.

A sense of destiny is a sham. You claim your lot is predetermined and inevitable. You take no responsibility for your actions because they are, in fact, fate. Things must happen this way. Now, you have no worries. It becomes acceptable to live for the moment.

Living for the moment is frivolous. Tomorrow has no meaning. You will deal with tomorrow when you get there. Life comes without guarantees. There is no guarantee you will see tomorrow, therefore, there is no reason to plan or prepare for it. If you get to tomorrow, you simply build on yesterday and the yesterdays before that. Glory comes only from what you accomplish today without any concern for what you may be able to do tomorrow.

The President of Iran was a schizophrenic, paranoid, frightened, arrogant individual; with a blind belief in God, and a sense of destiny, living for the moment. He frequently rewrote history to suit his agenda; actually believing that his version of history was true. He was willing to sacrifice anyone or anything, except himself or his position, to achieve his goals. To him, people were expendable; his to use as he pleased. He was ruthless, unforgiving, and quick to pass judgment; believing himself to be the final authority on right and wrong. He expected unquestioned loyalty and obedience; dealing immediate and harsh punishment to those who did not comply. He believed the Persians were an enlightened people destined to rule the world. He took it as his personal destiny, decried by God, to ensure that Iran took its rightful place on the world stage.

The Iranian people were not like that. But the Iranian people did not run the Iranian government. One of the many problems with Iran was that its government was so out of touch with reality and so far removed from its people, it did not represent the true makeup of the country. But because it was a cruel and unforgiving regime, its people did not stand up in protest. They would not survive the experience. While an overthrow of the government was an absolute necessity, it was also not likely to happen.

For many years there had been prophecies suggesting Armageddon would be triggered by a mad man in the Middle East. There was a long list of candidates. Many had believed that man was Saddam Hussein of Iraq or Muammar al-Gaddafi of Libya. But they were no longer a threat. Both had been silenced by shame and by death. Now, a much more dangerous man had appeared center stage in the Middle East. He was the President of Iran; the Hitler of the twenty-first century.

The rest of the world looked at what went on in Iran and saw it as an internal problem. They thought of the Iranian government as an inept bunch of old mullahs in long beards with no sense of the twenty-first century world around them. That was fine with the Iranian government. While the sophisticated evil west went about their business as if Iran did not matter, Iran was methodically taking over the Middle East. By the time the west woke up, it would be too late. Iran would have an empire larger and more powerful than the Great Satan to the west.

The world had seen internal problems of this type many times before. When such governments felt they had their own people under control, they began to look at what else they could dominate. Hitler set his sights on Europe, with perhaps the rest of the world to follow. Twenty million lives were lost before he was stopped.

Saddam Hussein was the same. First he took on Iran and after eight years of conflict and a million lives lost between the two sides, he accomplished nothing. Then he invaded Kuwait, expecting to expand from there. He considered himself to be a great military strategist and a good judge of international character. Fortunately, he was wrong on both counts. Further, because of his arrogance, he truly believed his forces were ready to conquer the world. But his regime was incompetent and unprepared to deal with the outside world. While hiding in any of his many palaces, he spoke great words of bravery. It was all rhetoric. When, to his surprise, the world responded with force to his aggression, he turned, ran, and, again, made his people pay for his mistakes.

In many ways, Iran was different. They learned from other people’s mistakes. They preferred to export their form of cruelty to other areas, letting others do the dirty work. They understood it did not matter who got the credit, what was important were the results. So they controlled groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and Islamic Jihad. They ruled by proxy. They now had proxy governments in Lebanon, Gaza, and Syria. They were installing their proxy government in Iraq. They had their sights set on Afghanistan, and Libya, and with luck, maybe even Egypt. By the time the rest of the world recognized what was happening, Iranian proxies would surround the more moderate Arab states like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, and Oman. Then, Iran would announce to the world they had an atomic bomb and all of the Middle East would become the next Persian Empire.

One of the ironies of Iran was that it was not an Arab country. It was not a member of the Arab League of Nations. Yet, it exerted its influence in many Arab countries. It was maneuvering its way into become the most influential country in the Middle East. Once it controlled the Middle East, it would have an area and population under its control larger than the United States; with one major difference. It would have at least twenty-three votes in the United Nations General Assembly and, perhaps, easily gain a seat on the U.N. Security Council; maybe even a permanent seat with veto power. Iran was well on its way to world domination and on one had yet noticed.

The Middle East was just the beginning. Iran was hoping to become the center of Islam; the dominant voice in Muslim religious affairs. Countries it could not dominate through political authority, it could dominate through religious influence. With more than fifty Islamic countries in the world, Iran could easily become the largest empire ever in the history of mankind, stretching all the way across