"William W. Johnstone - Ashes 01 - Out of the Ashes" - читать интересную книгу автора (Johnstone William W)

He doubted it. Both sides still had missiles tucked away, hidden, ready, and aimed. Each side knew the
other too well. Only the doves in America truly believed in all the terms of SALT 5. Ben wondered if
those missiles aimed at Russia and America were nuclear or bacteriological types. He thought probably
the latter, for SALT didn't cover germ-type warheads ... that came under a different agreement.

тАЬCome on, Ben,тАЭ he muttered. тАЬWhy are you thinking like this tonight?тАЭ

He tried to think about the new novel he was planning, but his thoughts would not jell. Then he suddenly
recalled the words one of his long-dead buddies had spoken to him, so many years before, during one of
those long bull sessions.

тАЬHow would you change our system of government, Ben? I mean, we all agree the system isn't working.
But how would you correct it? If you could?тАЭ

And that had sparked hours of debate and sometimes heated arguments that turned into fist fights. The
debates had lasted for days.

He recalled the legendary Col. Bull Dean listening to his men argue and debate. The Bull had smiled.
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Then, when they were alone, Bull had said to Ben, тАЬKeep your dreams, son. You have good thoughts for
one so young. Keep them alive in your mind, for someday, probably sooner than you might think, you
just might have a chance to see them spring to life. Hell, son! You might write a book!тАЭ

Ben had grinned, thinking the Bull was kidding.

On this soft night in Louisiana, Ben remembered Bull's words as they had waited to lift off from Rocket
City, heading into North Vietnam, to HALO in: high altitude, low opening. They would jump at twenty
thousand feet, their chutes opening automatically when they got under radar.

тАЬWe're losinтАЩ this war, son,тАЭ Bull had said. тАЬAnd there is nothing that guys like you and me can do about
itтАФwe can only prolong it. Back home, now, it's gonna get worseтАФmuch worse. Patriotism is gonna
take a nose dive, sinking to new depths of dishonor. There is no discipline in schools; the courts have
seen to that. America is going to take a pasting for a decade, maybe longer, losing ground, losing face,
losing faith. That's when the military will be forced to step in and take over. And God help us all when
they do that.тАЭ

тАЬWhy do you say that, sir?тАЭ

тАЬRemember that line about absolute power?тАЭ

тАЬYes, sir.тАЭ

тАЬThe military leadersтАФthose with enough sense to pour piss out of a boot, that is, and we do have a few
of them in uniformтАФrealize the truth in that line. They won't want to take over the countryтАФbut they
might be forced into doing it. For a time. It will be a bad time for you all.тАЭ