King Of War: Starting with Arms Dealer Chapter 1719: 1404: Preserving Simple Happiness

Chapter 1719: Chapter 1404: Preserving Simple Happiness

The Kandahar Base is extrely large, but the soldiers’ dormitories are incredibly decrepit.

NATO soldiers’ barracks are a bit more humane, while the governnt soldiers’ barracks are simply just dozens of arched large tents.

The space inside the tents is quite large, essentially, each tent houses a company of about 100-120 people.

When Joe Ga walked into the first barrack, he almost stumbled from the sll inside.

There was no air conditioning, only two high-powered fans. The small windows soldiers cut on the tent couldn’t dissipate the heat, so one could imagine the scent on a hot day.

As Joe Ga stepped back, he saw over a dozen injured soldiers lying inside the barrack. They were receiving IVs, but in such conditions, Boss Joe really doubted they could hold on.

“Where have all the soldiers gone? What’s the situation with these people?”

Joe Ga asked, turning to the leading officer, “I don’t even know your na yet…”

The captain straightened his back with effort and said, “Sir, my na is Saleh, I am with the Afghan governnt army…”

Saleh found it hard to continue, lowering his gaze to his worn-out shoes. After muttering a few words, he looked up again at Boss Joe and said, “Those inside are all wounded. NATO’s dical team has already withdrawn, and it’s only the accompanying doctors from the Giant Infrastructure company providing them with dical services.”

“Our people went to help on the Giant Infrastructure construction sites after breakfast; they could earn so money there, so even if they flee to Pakistan with their families, there’s a chance to survive.”

Joe Ga sighed slightly upon hearing this, sat on a bench at the tent entrance, and took out the radio saying, “‘Three Yellow Chickens,’ are there any beds left in our dical team?”

After receiving a confird answer, Joe Ga said to Saleh, “Call a few people over, send all the wounded to the P.B. dical team; soone will take care of them.”

Upon hearing this, Saleh seed to have grasped a bit of hope. He shouted a few words to the junior officer team behind him, and soon several lieutenants drove over in Humvees, opened the rear hatches, and called their comrades to get the wounded out…

It was only at this point that Boss Joe realized there were not just a few casualties; almost every tent had them.

Five Humvees, carrying 30 wounded each trip, had to make three trips to transport all the wounded.

It’s beyond just being described as destitute; these people have fought alongside NATO for so many years, and yet they live like abandoned stray dogs.

The officers live in fear day after day, the soldiers desperately seek ways to earn money, ready to flee at any ti, while the wounded soldiers simply await death.

In all fairness, the professional level of these people isn’t too bad…

Even if they’re seen as ‘puppet soldiers’ by many, they were trained ticulously by NATO, and their combat effectiveness isn’t lacking.

But if a soldier’s morale is crushed, they beco useless!

Kandahar is a crucial point in Boss Joe’s plan, where he needs enough manpower—cheap, willing to work hard, and inclined to lean towards P.B. local people…

These over 3,000 Afghan governnt soldiers are worth wooing because they’ve been long fighting against the Taliban, and if they want to stay in Kandahar, they must rely on P.B.

Joe Ga’s condition to the Taliban yesterday about opening a humanitarian corridor from Kandahar to Kabul was not just empty talk.

He needs to establish a secure passage to evacuate grassroots officials and civilians who fear Taliban retribution to the surrounding areas of Kandahar and protect them there.

Only with a Kandahar social structure built on these people can the Western countries be pressured to begrudgingly open an external corridor and provide aid to those who once trusted them.

Joe Ga promised to transfer administrative and tax rights to the Taliban, and he must honor that.

But the security issue in Kandahar must be taken care of by the P.B. team…

Boss Joe isn’t going to let his subordinates act as security for the civilians; these governnt soldiers can act as the main body of the city’s security, thus diating to so extent the impact on civilians caused by the Taliban’s rise to power.

Boss Joe isn’t sure what the Taliban plans for the future, but he feels that introducing governnt military soldiers to create effective competition might force the Taliban to propose conditions that would satisfy the international community to govern Kandahar.

Watching as the atmosphere among the officer group gradually eased with the departure of the wounded, Boss Joe hesitated and said, “Saleh just asked if you have the possibility to continue your previous work…

I told him that depends on your own attitude.

I want to ask you all, do you want to continue?”

With that, Joe Ga looked at the puzzled Saleh and said, “Continue to fulfill the duties of a soldier, protect your own holand, and strive for the hope of opening up for Kandahar City.

The future Kandahar should be a comrcial city…

A place where everyone can have enough to eat, where everyone has the opportunity to receive an education, where won can work on the streets, and where no one has to worry about their safety…”

Hearing this, Saleh excitedly said, “Sir, are you going to continue to help the Afghan governnt?”

Joe Ga waved his hand and said, “A governnt that can only exist with external assistance is not only unqualified; it might even cause more harm than good.

I only care about people!

I don’t care about the internal differences within Afghanistan; I only hope that in Kandahar, everyone can live in peace, working together to find a glimr of hope to escape the plight.

The things I just ntioned might be a bit difficult to achieve, but they are still within my capability.

However, it’s not enough to achieve these things temporarily; for these affairs to be sustained in the long term, soone has to be willing to defend them at all costs!

That’s the question I asked you before…

If we set aside the victory or defeat of the Kabul governnt and the Taliban, and stand from the perspective of an Aqionghan person or a Kandahar person, are you willing to continue your work?”

Saying this, Joe Ga gestured for Saleh to calm down and said in a deep voice: “What I’m talking about is not simply patrolling with guns, but needing a batch of soldiers who have a sense of honor and belief, who are willing to make sacrifices for those simple and beautiful things…

Of course, such soldiers need a treatnt that matches what they have given.

So, I will negotiate with the Taliban to allocate part of Kandahar’s city inco to provide these soldiers with a ‘simple and beautiful’ treatnt for their families.”

“What? Taliban?”

Joe Ga looked at Saleh’s shocked expression and nodded slightly: “I don’t want to deceive you. I had a negotiation with the Taliban yesterday.

The specific results haven’t co out yet, but I can tell you in advance that I will hand over the administrative and tax managent rights of Kandahar to the Taliban.

Of course, this doesn’t co without a price. If the Taliban takes these powers, they must fully assist in achieving the ‘simple and beautiful’ I ntioned earlier in Kandahar.

In the future, a part of P·B will be stationed in Kandahar, and I will have the Taliban promise not to carry out any form of liquidation or persecution against you.

If they break the agreent, I will definitely make them pay the price!”

Saleh listened, his voice trembling slightly, and said: “Sir, you want us to recognize the Taliban and still require us to join them?

This is impossible!

You may not understand them. They won’t spare those of us who have fought against them.”

Joe Ga waved his hand and said: “You’ve got it wrong. Handing over Kandahar’s administrative managent to the Taliban, and even your salary being drawn from Kandahar’s inco does not an you have to join them.

I need Kandahar to have a political structure that the outside world can recognize and accept.

Recognizing the Taliban’s authority is to end Aqionghan’s civil war.

The Taliban are not allowed to deploy troops around Kandahar, only a small number of security teams will receive P·B’s training and then go on duty.

They nominally govern Kandahar, but we all know that if they can’t convince the majority of civilians to believe in them, they can’t fully control Kandahar.

I need a resolute and incorruptible ard force to serve as the Kandahar city defense force, to make the outside world believe that even if the Taliban have taken over, those worried about being purged are still safe.

You should look beyond the limitations of the past to see the problem…

In the past, you served the Kabul governnt and were enemies with the Taliban, but now you can serve the city of Kandahar. Those in the Taliban, like you, are also serving this city.

Buddy, the Taliban’s victory is only a matter of ti, but to gain recognition from the international community, they need to make a lot of political compromises.

We can’t change this fact, but we can use Kandahar’s special status and the Taliban’s political needs to preserve the ‘simple and beautiful’ I just ntioned.”

Saleh listened and remained silent for a long ti. He looked back at his colleagues, then turned to Joe and said: “Sir, why can’t you…”

Joe Ga didn’t wait for him to finish and waved his hand, saying: “I can’t directly engage in Aqionghan’s internal politics because I am a military contractor trusted by the United Nations. I am here to combat drug trafficking and prevent humanitarian disasters.

Moreover, what would you locals think about a foreigner managing an Aqionghan city?”

Saying this, Joe Ga shook his head helplessly and said: “With NATO’s withdrawal and external aid halting, Aqionghan’s economic collapse is on a countdown.

Once there is no external supply of goods, starvation will beco an imminent issue.

Many people trust , that’s why I ca!

But the only thing I can do is to maintain Kandahar, the most crucial comrcial route, using my reputation to ensure Aqionghan doesn’t face the worst-case scenario.

Actually, I don’t trust the Taliban because it may take a very long ti, if ever, for them to fully integrate Aqionghan’s tribes.

However, I believe the Aqionghan people won’t give up their holand…

Protect Kandahar, preserve the simple beauty, use it as a window to let the outside world believe that Aqionghan is still salvageable, and maintain this lifeline…

I don’t know if you are willing to make sacrifices for this, but I believe there are soldiers with enough belief and honor who are willing to give everything for their holand, Kandahar, and Aqionghan…

Those so-called political parties may take turns coming to power, but such soldiers will be rembered by the people and history of Aqionghan.

Every country or nation needs people like that…

Defend the ho, defend the country, uphold dignity, preserve the simple beauty!”