The shameful retreatet

An except of my 23rd book and thriller.

The shameful retreatet

A Pincer Movemetn

An excerpt

In front of the joint command

headquarters at Hammam al-Alil at sunrise, the Ninveh operation commander Major General al-Jubouri and his staff were overwhelmed on seeing through binoculars the huge wave of dust at the horizon getting nearer and nearer rather fast, which the joint command forces caused by their retreat towards their temporary base at the village Hammam al-Alil; which serves as the temporary joint command headquarters.

‘What’s in Allah’s name is going on?’ The alarmed General muttered under his breath, and ordered the communication officer to try to cut off the communication silence, which was supposed to be kept up to the fighting commencement.

‘I’m terribly sorry sir there’s no answer.’ The communication officer updated the joint command forces, while the retreating forces were getting nearer with every passing second.

Never mind,’ the General muttered scolding himself under his breath. Why have I ordered him at all? He thought amazed by his own unreasonable order. They’ll be here in the next moment or two at the most… he went on thinking realizing how near the retreating forces already are.

The General lowered the binoculars and let it drop and hang his chest, there was no need to use it; as the retreating forces’ armored vehicles were just some one hundred fifty yards away, and they were getting nearer very fast.

At about some fifty yards away the entire force stopped and the cloud of dust started to lower down and disappear slowly.

Two aremored vehicles left the disordered force columns, and headed slowly towards the General and his staff; both the armored vehicles stopped some five yards in front of the group of senior Iraqi army officers, which is headed by the General in chief and his staff.

Two small groups of officers got off of both armored vehicles and approached slowly the General and his staff. Some reporters and TV crews that had to keep a fair distance from the General entourage, took advantage of the dramatic and exciting moment, in which the General’s entourage were overwhelmed with; when they saw the two small groups of officers walking towards them.

General Jubouri whishpered to his deputy a few words, who turned to one of the colonels, and the press and the TV creews were ordered to retreat some fifty yards backwards.

‘There’ll be a press conference in about thirty minutes from now.’ The Iraqi joint command spoksman Colonel promised the eager international media representatives. Right after the media was pushed back out of eat shot, the four Iraqi officers that were supposed to lead the attack on Mosul airport reported before the Ninveh operation commander and his staff. The group of instructors that included two Americans and a Britsh and a French officers, which got off the second armored vehicle, stopped at the side of the Iraqi army officers and the eight of them slaluted General Jubouri.

‘Follow us to the headquarters tent.’ The General ordered in Arabic the eight fugitives. and repeated his order in English , before the joint group commanding officer was able to address the General.

Inside the headquarters tent, the four Iraqi senior officers that were in command of the attack on Mosul airport, stood before the seated Ninveh operation commander and his staff; and reported the battle events, which took place just about s short while earlier.

‘I see,’ General Jubouri said clearing his throat with embarrassment. ‘You’re free now to reorgnize the forces, and I expect you to be ready for a second assault in no more than two days time.’

As soon as the four officers saluted and left, the General turned in English to the four coalition members led by the American Lieutenant Colonel Sandhurst.

‘What went wrong there Colonel?’

‘While we were still at the gathering area at dawn, we suffered a sudden attack of five enemy car bombs… There were many casualties, and those that were not hit turned around and retreated sir.’

‘Couldn’t you stop them and reorgnize our special forces into battle position? You’ve trained our special forces to any sort of battle circumstances.’

‘No chance sir, the horrendous explosions caused panic, and the reteat was in complete disorder.’ Lieutenant Coloner Sandhurst replied briskly, with no intention to give a detailed report on the shameful and uncontrolable panicky retreat.

‘Thank you Colonel you and your crew are free now, but keep away from the media for the time being, it’s an order.’

Copyright © Haim Kadman 2014. All rights reserved.