"William W Johnstone - Ashes 32 - Destiny in the Ashes (txt)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Johnstone William W)

"Who are we talking about?" Ben asked.

"Abdullah El Farrar," Mike said. "He's the son of one of the richest oil
families over there ... at least they .were rich before the United
Nations took over the oil fields in that part of the country after the
big war."

"You've lost me," Harley Reno said.

Mike glanced at him. "After the big war, when the United Nations started
to try and put the pieces of the old world economy back together, there
was a shortage of oil-that is, gasoline, etc.-just about everywhere.
With the agreements of most of the Middle Eastern countries, which were
devas-

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tated by the destruction of the war, the United Nations took over all of
the oil fields, refineries, and most of the shipping facilities so that
oil and gasoline could be transported around the world to the Third
World countries that needed it."

Ben interjected, "Of course, this ruined many of the ruling families in
those areas who'd grown immensely rich on the backs of the common people
of the region."

"Not to mention what it did to the governments of those countries
involved, including Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Jordan,"
Mike added. "Most of them became little more than figureheads, with the
real power in the countries being the United Nations."

"And that pissed this El Farrar off?" Harley asked, grinning.

"Yes," Mike said. "He was pulled from his expensive schools in Europe
and sent home, just another poor rag-head who used to be rich and powerful."

Ben leaned back in his chair. "So, what is he up to now?"

"He's become almost a folk hero to his countrymen. He calls himself the
Desert Fox now, and has gone up into the hills of Iraq and has been
recruiting an army of fanatical followers dedicated to taking back what
they consider was stolen from them."

"You mean he's trying to retake the oil fields?" Coop asked.

"Not only that, but he has declared himself the rightful heir to the
throne of Iraq, as well as the other countries in the Middle East."

"Sounds like just another egomaniac on the loose," Ben said.