War Machine Page #9

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hopefully draw enough wiggle room

for the marines tomorrow.

- Good.

- The forecast says tonight's the night.

If we don't go in tonight,

likely have to wait maybe another week.

I want Karzai to sign off on this.

Cory, can you get him on the phone?

Copy.

And why these spots?

ISR is telling us these locations

are where there still appears to be

a concentration of movement.

Obviously, we're proceeding

under the assumption

that anyone who isn't a bad guy

has moved on or at least hunkered down.

We've made it clear

to the whole city that's the thing to do.

If I could just ask

a question, General.

Shoot!

I know this is Marjah,

but I'm still not quite clear

as to why you're sending boys

to Nawzad and Musa Qala.

I mean, there's nothing out there.

I'm just not quite clear what it is

you're trying to control there.

Apart from nothing.

You see this map, Frank?

This one, hmm?

This here is the mess

I'm having to clean up.

Now, we've been kind enough

to plan this operation in such a way

as to not make it look like the Americans

are here to get done what you couldn't.

But that is what's happening.

Hmm? So, Frank, uh...

while your input is greatly appreciated...

It is.

I wouldn't want you to think

that it isn't. It is.

I'd also appreciate if you would take

one nice, big step back

and let me get this sh*t done.

Yeah. Hmm? Yeah?

- What?

- I can't get him.

They're telling me

he's in bed with a cold.

Well, did you tell 'em what it's about?

I didn't tell 'em exactly

what it was about.

- I said it was very important.

- Jesus H. Christ.

- Just dial the number again. I'll talk.

- Right. Copy.

Thanks, Bernie.

Let's assume this is happening.

I'll give you the green light

soon as I get it.

- Yes, sir.

- I have General McMahon on the line.

Hello, who am I speaking with?

This is General McMahon.

I need to speak

to President Karzai urgently.

I understand he's not feeling well,

but I need to speak with him.

Is he awake?

Good. Put him on. Put the call through.

What do you mean, he doesn't have one?

What world leader

doesn't have a phone in his bedroom?

Does he have a cell phone in there?

- Did you try his cell phone?

- Straight to voice mail.

What?

Well, tell him to turn it back on.

Please! Please!

This is... I can't...

Oh, f*** it! I'm coming over there.

This is me doing that right now.

I'm making the appointment right now.

Oh!

Yes?

- Oh, General, please come in.

- Mr. President.

Please sit here.

Please, please sit. Sit.

- How are you?

- I'm fine, sir.

I've been trying to contact you.

Oh, yes, I'm sorry. I'm not feeling well.

I understand, sir.

But did they not tell you this is urgent?

Oh, you know how everything is

at the top of the mountain, General.

Everybody's urgent

about everything all the time.

Everything is important.

Nothing ever really is.

There's nothing

that cannot wait until morning.

This is important, sir.

We hope to launch

Operation Moshtarak tonight,

and I need your official consent

before doing so.

- Really?

- Yes, sir.

- Why?

- Because it's your mission.

- It is?

- Yes, sir.

Ah.

No one has ever asked me

to approve a mission before.

Well, that needs to change.

This mission needs your consent.

If we're to win the trust

of Helmand province,

it demands that this mission

be seen to be of your design.

I...

I don't mean to be rude, Mr. President,

but it is imperative that you begin

to take a leadership role here.

We cannot win this thing alone.

Without your active involvement,

our presence here will never be anything

more than a foreign occupation.

This is your war.

For your country. Your people.

Again, I'm sorry, sir...

but you need to behave like a leader.

But I am behaving like a leader.

I'm unavailable.

I am as unavailable to you

as is your own president.

Hmm?

You have my approval, General.

We both know it was never really

mine to give. But...

I thank you for inviting me

to participate in the theater of it all.

And good luck.

I wish you much success.

Good luck tonight, Glen.

Who told you about tonight?

I just mean...

whatever you happen to find yourself

doing tonight,

good luck with it.

Go f*** yourself, Pat.

Glen? Glen.

What?

Look, I just want to apologize.

You know how the other day

I said there wasn't a parade

at the end of all this?

I was wrong. It was glib.

I just thought it was a pithy way

to end the conversation,

but I was wrong.

There's gonna be thousands of parades.

Thousands of 'em all over America.

Only none of them will be for you.

Now that was pithy, too, but it was true.

F*** you!

Roger that.

What was that about, buddy?

Nothing. Let's get to Kandahar.

We got some f***ing winning to do.

Okay, listen up.

This is going to be tough.

I'm not gonna mince words about that.

This will be tough.

This will probably be the toughest mission

that any of you all will experience.

This is the real deal.

Marjah is Taliban ground zero.

This is gonna be IEDs everywhere.

This is gonna be their best guys.

And they are gonna be prepared.

They know we're coming, gentlemen.

They've known we're coming for weeks.

So don't be under any illusion.

This will get ugly.

We're gonna lose guys.

I am not gonna lie to you about that.

There will be casualties.

But if you keep your wits about you,

if you have faith in your ability,

if you have faith in the ability

of the men next to you,

you will come out the tail end of this!

I have faith in you!

I know who you are!

You are proud members

of the toughest f***ing fighting force

this world has ever known.

Carry that knowledge with you!

Carry it with pride!

Do you understand me?

Oorah!

- Do you understand me?

- Oorah!

That's right.

Any of you so inclined, I'm gonna ask

this chaplain to say a prayer for us.

Thank you, Captain.

Let us pray!

Almighty God,

as these marines prepare for battle,

we pray that your Holy Spirit

shall guide them.

As you brought down the walls of Jericho,

as you dealt out your wrath

upon the Philistines,

as you crushed the Hittites

and brought retribution upon

all the enemies of the righteous,

may your mighty hand be upon these men

and assure their victories.

Be with them, mighty God...

Let's move.

What are you thinking about, buddy?

Well, let's just see

how this plays out.

The uncrackable nut.

If anyone's gonna crack this,

it's gonna be you.

You're gonna smash this

like a monkey on a rock.

Yeah.

- You're a killing machine, Glen.

- Hmm.

You are the terrorist hunter.

Remember?

You're Big Glen.

You're the Glenimal.

Thank you, General.

I'm hungry.

I wanna eat that motherf***er.

Jesus Christ, man.

Farrenberg.

Move.

Contact front!

Move! Move! Up against the wall!

- Farrenberg.

- Not too close.

Get off the walls. Now!

- F***!

- Over there, twelve o'clock!

Cole! Cole!

I need to see a weapon.

He isn't a combatant until I see a weapon.

F***, man!

You think this nigga on his morning jog?

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