As President Walsh and the Normandy commander-in-chief speculated, the attack on the Rumaila oil field was indeed carried out by Kurdish forces in order to continue to hijack public opinion around the world and interfere with the actions of the US military. It's just that although the plan is such a plan, when the news of the Rumaila oil explosion reached Bardina, it still made Acting President Majid sad.

In the morning, Majid and Zhou Ming dined together in the dining room of the presidential palace, and Majid kept saying to Zhou Ming: "This Rumaila is not only the wealth of the Hussein family, but also the largest oil field in Iraq, with proven reserves of more than 3 billion tons, ranking sixth in the world, and it is a pity that it has been blown up like this!"

"I said, Mr. Acting President, since you have given the order to attack the Rumaila field, don't dwell on how much the Rumaila field is, because it doesn't make any sense. ”

Zhou Ming said to Majid, in fact, Zhou Ming didn't intend to say these words, after all, before he persuaded him to give the order to attack the Rumaila oil field, Zhou Ming had already explained all the stakes to him clearly, and now it was just that Majid's broken thoughts were too annoying, and Zhou Ming couldn't stop explaining to him for the sake of his ears.

This made Zhou Ming feel very helpless, and at the same time understood that Majid's vision was obviously more accurate than Salm, but why for more than ten years, Iraq has always been Salm's master, and Majid can only be the second-in-command no matter how good he is, it lies in this determination.

Salm may not be as visionary as Majid, and he will be intimidated by the bombing by the American army, but at least he will not hesitate to make a decision, and he will not regret it if he has made it.

And no matter how good Majid's vision is, his indecisive style has always been the biggest problem that he can't become a big climate, just like now, he has clearly ordered the Kurds to disguise the US military to attack the Rumaila oil field, but he still keeps thinking about it, and he is reluctant to give up the mining equipment, and the oil that has not been extracted underground, which seems too petty.

"Of course, I also know that the Rumaila oil field has always been the fate of the Hussein family, because whether it is a coup d'état or a war, you rely on the Rumaila oil field to provide you with a steady stream of funds. ”

Zhou Ming said and suddenly changed his words and continued: "But Mr. Acting President, please understand, there is a saying in our business world, that is, no matter how valuable things are, only what can be sold is the commodity is valuable, and if it can't be sold, then it will be worthless." ”

Zhou Ming's words made Majid bow his head, with Majid's wisdom, of course he could understand what Zhou Ming meant, due to the US oil embargo, no matter how big the Lumaila oil field can produce, it cannot be shipped out and exchanged for dollars, in this case, even if Rumaila is the world's largest oil field, it is useless to produce a billion tons of oil every day, because it cannot be sold.

"I understand the reason, but I'm still a little reluctant. "In the past, there was the Rumaila oil field, and no matter what happened to the Hussein family, at least the last fortune would be kept, and we never thought that one day we would destroy it with our own hands." ”

"That can only be said that the times are changing so fast that your brain can't keep up. Zhou Ming spread his hands and said, "But it doesn't matter, at least now that the no-fly zone in Badina has been lifted, isn't it? ”

Majid nodded and said, "I have been in contact with the shipping company in charge of transportation, and their ship will enter the bay tomorrow and will go straight to Basra after being inspected by the US Navy." It's just that I can understand that oil is exchanged for food, but I always feel that it is a very bad decision to exchange a huge oil field like Rumaila for food, after all, I can only exchange oil for food from the Rumaila oil field, right?"

"That's true, but Iraq doesn't just have an oil field in Rumaila, and only your Hussein family can do it in exchange for food. Zhou Ming told Majid.

Seeing that Majid was still a little incomprehensible, Zhou Ming then said to him: "I know that you look down on agriculture and think that oil is more valuable than corn and wheat, and I admit that it is true, but it is in an open market with plenty of commodities, that is to say, when you walk into a market with corn and wheat, and there is also oil, then oil will definitely be more expensive than corn and wheat." ”

Speaking of this, Zhou Ming deliberately paused for a moment before asking: "Then what about the other way around? What when there is only oil in a market, and there is no corn or wheat?"

"You must know that corn and wheat are rigid needs that people have to eat every day, and no matter how great the industrial value of oil is, it is only an elastic demand, that is, there is the best, but there is no and will not make people unbearable. ”

Zhou Ming continued: "This is the case in Iraq now, more than 20 million people are starving or facing the danger of starvation, so at this time it is clear who is more important, food or oil, after all, oil cannot be eaten, but without food, all oil workers or guard soldiers will die." ”

"The United States is powerful, but most people only see the strong military and financial power of the United States, and few people care that the United States is now the world's largest agricultural exporter and the world's largest industrial power. ”

Zhou Ming said: "Needless to say, industry is the foundation of everything, and any product is based on the premise of being full, if this advantage is lost, then no matter how strong the financial strength of the United States is, it will become a meat urinal for other countries, just like a certain island country in East Asia." As long as there is a little situation in the United States, it can come and reap the fruits of your economy at any time, and you cannot resist. ”

Majid thought for a while and said: "I think it may be a little difficult for a person like me to eat lamb chops at every lunch, but I am still willing to believe your words, Mr. Zhou Ming, but what I am worried about is a Rumaila oil field, can it really reverse the movement of the US military?"

Zhou Ming said with a smile: "Don't worry, the strange logic and influence of those Holy Mothers in Western countries are definitely beyond your imagination, for them, for a person they don't know abroad, they can spray their country to a complete body, and finally let the government can't help but make compromises." ”

"Of course, the most important thing is the huge profits in the oil-for-food program, so even if there is no public opinion, the various consortiums that want to profit from this program will help us prepare this public opinion. ”

Zhou Ming told Majid that his words were not unfounded, because Zhou Ming vaguely remembered that in his previous life, he had heard that the son of a certain United Nations secretary general and the prime minister of a certain Western country were all involved in the bribery scandal of the oil-for-food program, and they were all accused of using their power to win the participation of the bribing company.

Obviously, the profits of dragging both the UN Secretary-General and a country's prime minister into the water are absolutely unimaginable.

Just like a metaphor in later generations, for Western countries, oil is gold, and food is just a stone that can be seen everywhere; but in Iraq, on the contrary, oil is a stone that can be seen everywhere, but food is precious gold; then taking the stone in our eyes and exchanging it for the equivalent of Iraq's gold, this transaction is simply the same as making a sum of gold for nothing! This kind of huge profit is enough to make anyone crazy!

Majid finally sighed heavily and said: "I understand, anyway, there is a military blockade by the US military now, and the oil produced in the Rumaila oil field cannot be shipped out, so it will be good to do it again when it is needed in the future." ”

"The idea is very positive, and if the war ends later, I hope I can get the first contract for the revival of the Rumaila field. Zhou Ming said to Majid.

"I hope to see that day soon. Majid said.

At this time, the life secretary of the presidential palace suddenly walked into the restaurant and reported to Zhou Ming and Majid that the Chinese ambassador Lin Hong had asked to enter the presidential palace and had important matters to discuss with Zhou Ming.

This request made Zhou Ming feel a little helpless, because he had always lived in the presidential palace, and he had forgotten that he was just a businessman who came to change history, it seems that power is indeed easy to get lost!

Zhou Ming secretly sighed in his heart, and at the same time secretly warned himself, this is Iraq, even if Majid is not determined enough, he has been the second-in-command for so long, if he really crosses the bottom line one day, even if he is willing to let himself go, the Hussein family will not.

Then Zhou Ming finished breakfast and saw Lin Hong in the reception room, Lin Hong came up and said to Zhou Ming with a smile: "Sure enough, Comrade Zhou Ming came over alone." ”

When Zhou Ming heard this, he frowned: "Ambassador Lin, doesn't he have something to say?"

Lin Hong nodded: "It's news from China, Elder Yang asked me to tell you that tomorrow morning, when the New Conway arrives in Basra, there is an important person who wants to meet you there." ”

Zhou Ming was very surprised by this news, he knew that the new Conway was the first freighter to deliver food to Iraq in the oil-for-food program, so who would follow that freighter to Basra? Could it be Lin Muqing and Tang Ran? Because they were too worried about their safety here, they secretly came with the freighter of the oil-for-food program?

If it was Tang Ran, Zhou Ming believed very much that she would be able to do this kind of thing, but with the mature and steady Lin Muqing, it would be impossible.

At this time, Lin Hong said to Zhou Ming again: "Comrade Zhou Ming, I think you should not guess, because it is a person you can't guess, and now here, it is inconvenient for me to tell you." ”

Zhou Ming knew that although he and Lin Hong communicated in Chinese, and there was basically no one in the presidential palace who understood Chinese, it was always right to be careful, and it was definitely not simple to let Lin Hong come to the door and directly instruct him, so he nodded very simply: "Okay, I understand, so when will we leave for Basra? Now or tomorrow?"

"The Solsin Conway will arrive at Basra early tomorrow morning, and we will be leaving this evening. Lin Hong said.

Zhou Ming did not have any opinion on Lin Hong's decision, so after informing Majid, Zhou Ming and Lin Hong set off.

In fact, if in the past, Zhou Ming would not have informed Majid, but now that Zhou Ming realizes that he is a guest after all, then there must be a minimum of respect for Majid, the current master of Iraq, otherwise without Majid's support, many of his things will not be able to be carried out.

At noon, Zhou Ming and Lin Hong set off after lunch, they took the embassy's car, and in the car, Zhou Ming asked Lin Hong: "Ambassador, can you tell me now?"

"Originally, I thought you wouldn't ask, but I'll know when I get to Basra tomorrow. Lin Hong said.

Zhou Ming shrugged his shoulders: "Knowing in advance is always a little bottom in my heart, isn't it? Many times a surprise that is too sudden can easily turn into a fright." ”

Lin Hong smiled and then told Zhou Ming: "The person who wants to see you is US President Walsh, and Yang Lao told me personally on the phone." ”

Zhou Ming said: "No matter who said it, I don't believe it." ”

(I have something to do at night, so I can only do this today.) ）