King Of War: Starting with Arms Dealer

Joe Ga had no idea what had happened with Steven, nor did he care about that so-called Minister of Energy.

Those who saw the benefits of the P·B contract and wanted a win-win situation couldn't be driven away even if you beat them!

Those who couldn't see the benefits but would cooperate if paid, there was no need to be courteous to them!

As for those who couldn't see the benefits and still wouldn't cooperate, well, dead people can't oppose the pursuit of happiness!

Joe arrived here with the mindset of a third party and a convener, because compared to the various parties dragged into this, he earned very little.

If Iraq is already in such a mess, don't expect Joe to give you a compensatory smile.

Taking advantage of others is human nature, and Joe Ga first needed to establish his image and stance firmly, making everyone understand the position of P·B, before he could carry on with the next steps.

Smiles sometimes don't solve any problems, but fists can take care of the immediate issues.

The Kurdish were one of the fists Joe had found, which is why he was exceptionally enthusiastic.

Joe didn't first seek out the Kurdish Militia that had already completed preparation; instead, he mingled among the women and children.

In all honesty, Joe Ga felt that the Kurdish attitude towards women was better than that of other MSLs, at least they didn't have to have their faces covered all the time...

Antar was very familiar with a few of the women who were clearly leaders among them; after they embraced, Antar introduced Nis, the "major financier," to them.

Then, they gathered together and talked about something. A group of women saw Joe holding a dirty child helplessly and burst into laughter...

These Kurdish were living on the border between Iraq and Syria, suffering from war, and then they sent videos to Princess Amina asking for help.

Initially, they were just a few villages with only Kurdish female soldiers left, several dozen Kurdish women taking on the role of protecting their homeland in place of men...

They fought against ISIS, against the government forces, and against the anti-government forces; it seemed like the whole world was their enemy.

When Princess Amina's humanitarian corridor plan was approved by Joe Ga, Nis had the 'Professor' use cargo planes to airdrop a large amount of supplies and arms to them.

Then, surprisingly, these women expanded their protective circle, more Kurds from the surrounding areas started to gather around them, eventually forming a settlement of nearly 5000 people.

This situation couldn't be tolerated in the ISIS-controlled areas, so they began an endless war, and they were soon overwhelmed due to the sheer number of people they needed to protect.

Two months ago, Joe Ga, through Princess Amina and Antar, had passed the message to them not to hold out by force and to come straight to Baghdad instead.

And he promised to lead them back to their homes and to establish a safety zone there, which would serve as the endpoint for Princess Amina's humanitarian corridor.

So, these Kurds came, bringing their families, belongings, and hopes...

Joe wasn't initially planning to use these Kurds; in the humanitarian corridor plan, these Kurds were also 'consumers.'

Joe Ga had sympathy for those among the Kurds who suffered from war, but he had no sympathy for those who were repeatedly used as pawns and who gambled with the lives of a generation every decade.

The 'Kurdistan' envisioned by these people spanning across Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Turkey appeared to Joe as nothing more than a pipe dream.

Since the end of World War II, the Soviet Union and America took turns using their 'ideals' to manipulate them, to counterbalance Turkey and to cause chaos in the Middle East.

This had increasingly worsened the image of the Kurdish people in the Middle East, and yet, it seemed to give those people the illusion that they could succeed!

The Kurds were actually in disarray internally, with Syrian Kurds, Turkish Kurds, and Iraqi Kurds all capable of fighting amongst themselves.

It was only when America couldn't stand ISIS's arrogance and posturing anymore, and they were deadlocked in their struggle for control over the Syrian regime with Russia, that they once again chose the Kurdish people, giving them money and guns to help fight ISIS.

The current situation in Syria and Iraq is really a mess, with Iraq being slightly better off; at least they could stop a large-scale civil war once ISIS is dealt with.

The soldiers who arrived were not the idealistic Kurdish armies but real Militia, or more accurately, farmers and herders who were forced to take up arms.

They underwent some training and then honed their combat skills through prolonged real combat; they just wanted to protect their homesteads, and issues like nation-building and international politics had nothing to do with them...

Joe Ga felt he wasn't in a position to judge whether a nation's quest for statehood was right or wrong...

If they succeeded, it would be a grand undertaking achieved through generations of bloodshed and sacrifice; if they failed, the Kurds would become a tumor despised by countries across the Middle East.

It's just a matter of winning kings or losing bandits, and Joe Ga didn't think he had the right to judge them or to meddle in their grand ideals.

Joe now only wanted to uphold Princess Amina's beacon of humanitarianism, to extend the humanitarian corridor from the Persian Gulf to the border between Iraq and Syria.

'Helping those in distress' is always right!

Assisting in setting up a safety zone, giving those affected by war, but with nowhere else to go, a place to call home, is equally beyond reproach.

Princess Amina, with a string of accolades and her concrete efforts in Liberia, had become a guest of honor at the United Nations and had been invited to give a speech. On top of that, she showcased the plight of the Kurdish villages on the Syria-Iraq border to the media.

She had now roughly secured several major sponsors, and as long as the United Nations gave the green light and then pressured both Syria and Iraq, P·B could enter the scene and establish a 'Safety Zone'.

Joe Ga's boss envisioned this 'Safety Zone' as a 'trade zone', essentially the final distribution center for goods and supplies transported from the Persian Gulf.

Joe Ga's identity was simply not suitable for political involvement in the Middle East.

Because once you get involved, you inevitably have to cozy up to one power and offend another, or even several others.

This did not align with Joe Ga's consistent stance on win-win situations!

Here, 'win-win' of course meant the big shots won first, then the little brothers might win a bit, depending on the situation. Joe Ga only made sure to taste each dish himself after he had cooked it.

But once you choose sides in the Middle East, that identity as a Chef is gone...

I just fight terrorists and by the way, do some humanitarian work. I only provide 'safety' for the refugees, I guarantee to treat every customer fairly.

If possible, Joe Ga even wanted to declare it a permanently neutral 'Safety Zone'.

It wouldn't just be a refuge for the Kurdish, but for anyone left homeless by the war.

The key was, those living there wouldn't even need to vote!

I wouldn't even go for Kurdish self-governance. I'd have Princess Amina hugging the United Nations Secretary-General's leg, begging them to take over management.

This had precedents in the world, which meant it was feasible and had room for operation.

Joe Ga, holding the dirty and stinky child, took the towel from Tony's shoulder with disgust and wiped the child's face.

Surprisingly, as he cleaned the child's face, a beautiful little face revealed itself from under the dirt and grime. Joe Ga laughed heartily and called out to Tony to make a steamed bun version of a meat sandwich for the little friend, then got him a bowl of hot soup...

Leading the child, who was probably only two years old, to the side, he found a small stool to sit on. Watching a group of curious Kurdish children flocking around him, Joe Ga magically pulled out a large bag of candy from his pocket and piled it on the small dining table...

Seeing a group of kids' eyes glowing at the sight of the candy, Joe Ga glanced around and gestured to a Kurdish girl about twelve or thirteen in a downsized military uniform, beckoning her...

"What's your name?"

"Mia, sir, my name is Mia."

"OK, Mia, you are now in charge of these candies. One for each person, if there's extra, start with the youngest. Can you handle that?"

The girl was stunned for a moment, then, to Joe Ga's surprise, saluted in the American military style and said loudly, "Yes sir!"

Joe Ga paused, shook his head, wrapped the soiled towel around the neck of the child he was just holding, mimicking a face washing motion, then ruffled the hair on his head and moved the glistening-eyed children back to make room.

Leaving the dining area, Joe Ga walked to a slightly farther spot, looking at the roughly 4,000 Kurdish who had arrived at the air force base. He shook his head with some emotion...

This was a bit different from what he had imagined, but the situation was still under control. Even better, with the appearance of these Kurdish, P·B could save a lot of trouble...

Originally, the plan was to recruit local workers in Iraq to help P·B manage the logistics for tens of thousands of troops. Now that was unnecessary, these people would suffice.

Being entrusted with the hopes of thousands of people, to be honest, put a bit of pressure on Joe Ga.

But it was precisely because they placed their hope in him that they were the most reliable.

Watching Nis and Antar walk towards him with a few people, Joe Ga glanced at the women and children eating, along with the armed but somewhat perplexed Kurdish militia...

He pointed to an off-road vehicle not far away and then walked over and climbed onto its roof...

Dorian obsequiously pulled out a megaphone, placed it on the engine hood, and then handed the microphone connected to an extension cord to Joe Ga.

Then P·B's Xiao Hei, as if summoned, began to spontaneously congregate.

Tony handed the precious ladle he was holding to a Kurdish woman, signaling her to help distribute the food. He then carefully folded his white apron, tucked it into his pocket, and called his subordinates to line up, gathering near the boss to form a queue.

The new special forces didn't know what was happening, but when they saw BDE's third team gathering around, they exchanged glances and followed the majority.

Joe Ga, looking at the increasingly uneasy Kurdish militia due to the soldiers queuing up, chuckled and patted the microphone in his hand, saying, "Don't be nervous, guys, we're here to welcome you...

Welcome to our turf, P·B turf—you're safe now!"

Dorian grinned at the Turkish-looking Kurdish villagers, pounding forcefully on the engine of the vehicle and shouted, "Power strike~"

"Hoo-ah~"