Chapter 510 Prisoner Handover
Two days later, when all members of the Dongfeng Corps arrived and began adaptive training with Suhail's cooperation, the prisoner handover plan was officially launched.
According to the results of the negotiations between the Syrian government and the Free Army, or more accurately, with NATO, they will release all designated personnel at once, including the 24 STS members, MI6 agents, and the recently captured Morris.
This is obviously a rather "loose" trading condition, and in a sense, it is even a bit too loose.
If Chen Chen's suggestion is followed, the Syrian government should at least divide the prisoners into three batches, and seek some benefits from NATO for each batch exchanged. At the same time, it can continue to delay and extend its own preparation time.
However, since the Syrian government has made its own choice, it is impossible for him to intervene blindly.
Because in fact, even though he has been deeply involved in the Syrian war, his control of the overall situation is still inferior to that of the Syrian official.
Perhaps, some seemingly stupid decisions actually have their reasons.
Sitting in the temporary combat command room, Suhail pointed at the combat map while introducing the situation at the prisoner handover site.
"According to the agreement reached by both parties, we will complete the handover in an uninhabited area 6 kilometers northwest of Tal Rifat."
"Before the handover officially begins, we will deploy artillery in advance to target the scheduled handover area and conduct a round of test firing."
"After the handover begins, our personnel will evacuate in the direction of Tal Rifat after releasing the prisoners, while the other party must wait within the limits we have limited in the handover area."
"If the other party has any intention to evacuate early across the restricted area, we will use intensive artillery fire to cover the handover area and kill all prisoners and the other party's handover personnel."
"Only after our personnel successfully evacuate to Tal Rifaat and send the command signal, they can leave."
"This can ensure our safety to the greatest extent. It is also a necessary measure to ensure that the transaction conditions between the two parties are successfully reached."
After the words fell, everyone in the combat command room nodded, but Chen Chen, who was sitting in the corner, couldn't help but be a little confused.
Safety is safe, but if this plan is followed, the interests of Syrian officials will not be protected at all!
The prisoners are handed over, and our own people are withdrawn, and then what?
They got what they wanted, but what about what you want?
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but ask:
"This handover plan does not have any binding force on the Free Army. They can completely tear up the agreement reached in the early stage after obtaining the prisoners. If you don't understand the Free Army, don't you understand the Americans?"
"There is no possibility that the ceasefire agreement you want will be implemented. What is the difference between doing this and directly releasing the prisoners?"
"There is a difference."
Suhail shook his head and explained:
"We will broadcast the entire handover process live."
"Are you kidding?! How could the United States let you live broadcast in public?"
"In fact, they have released details of the 24 STS mission in Syria - just yesterday."
"Are they crazy?"
Chen Chen was shocked. He had been busy training for the past two days and really didn't care about the so-called "changes in the international situation."
It has only been a few days, but my opponent has already made such a major decision?
Admitting that 24 STS entered Syria and admitting that 24 STS was captured is not just as simple as "admitting that the special forces failed in combat."
In a sense, this can even be seen as the second major strategic failure of the United States in the Middle East after Andrea's death.
Theoretically, they should block the news at all costs - isn't this part of their purpose of actively promoting the official release of prisoners in Syria?
Seeing Chen Chen's confused expression, Suhaier nodded solemnly and then said:
"They have indeed released details of the 24 STS operation."
"However, they are not targeting us."
"According to their statement, 24 STS was only performing a routine counter-terrorism operation. They just happened to be involved in the conflict between government forces and rebels due to changes in the situation in Syria."
"To put it bluntly, this is an internal fight between USAGM and the US military."
"They chose the former between ideological subversion and increased military support."
"Or to be more specific, they are maintaining the so-called 'justice' of the rebels at any cost."
"Understood"
Chen Chen sighed and did not continue to ask.
Political things are sometimes more complicated than straightforward battles.
Whether or not to disclose the details of the 24 STS operation, although it seems to be a very simple choice on the surface, there are still too many and too deep things hidden behind it.
But no matter what, this is essentially a "cut".
This cut means that the advantages accumulated by both sides in the field of public opinion have all been wiped out as the Syrian war has progressed to this point.
No poison gas, no White Helmets, no humanitarian crisis.
This is just a misunderstanding caused by the JD actions of JD elements. After the misunderstanding, what should everyone do or continue to do.
Very smart.
At the very least, it maintains the formal compliance and legal compliance of U.S. and NATO operations in Syria.
——
The only one who needs to take the blame is JSOC.
Tsk tsk
JSOC takes the blame, doesn’t it mean the president takes the blame?
It seems that the internal political situation in Laos and the United States has also begun to undergo turmoil.
Thinking of this, Chen Chen coughed and continued to ask:
"So what do we need to do?"
"Surveillance."
Suhail briefly replied:
"I need a special operations team to ambush the handover area in advance and remain lurking until the entire handover process is completed."
"You do not need to participate in combat, you only need to perform observations and provide guidance to the artillery."
"Of course, if the situation changes, you will also need to provide the necessary cover for those involved."
"But I don't think that will happen."
"After all, after reaching this point, everyone needs to take a breather."
"They have no reason or need to break the agreement, right?"
"right."
Chen Chen nodded slowly.
He could feel that there really shouldn't be any problems with the prisoner handover this time.
At least on the American side, there shouldn't be any problems.
This is because Syrian officials have too much black material about the United States. Once all this black material is released, even with their control over the media, it is impossible to completely eliminate the impact.
At this point in 2011, the term of the US President is about to expire, and he will soon face the challenge of Mitt Romney. Any negative news released at this time will be extremely detrimental to him.
——
It seems that the validity period of the "gentleman's agreement" between the two parties can actually last until at least May?
Yes, once bin Laden dies, the importance of these negative news in Syria will naturally decrease.
Understood.
After figuring out this link, Chen Chen instantly felt that the series of negotiations between Syria and NATO during this period had a basis.
So, he no longer bothered with the background of the mission, but relaxed on the chair, nodded and said:
"Then leave it to us."
"Anyway, this should be a simple mission."
One day later, with the full live broadcast of the Syrian official media, the prisoner handover ceremony was officially launched.
All the prisoners were put into prison cars with their heads covered and set off from Aleppo to the handover location.
Twelve hours ago, Chen Chen had led the team to the handover site and completed the lurking 600 meters away from the handover point.
Their bodies were covered with desert-painted camouflage suits, and a layer of tin foil insulation was installed under the camouflage suits to block infrared signals.
Without active exposure, even if the United States possesses Zentraedi-level technology, it is impossible to detect their traces from the air.
This is a fairly simple, but also quite boring job.
The huge temperature difference in the desert made the people lurking here unable to move miserable. Chen Chen's arm that had not yet recovered even began to feel a dull pain.
Fortunately, the handover time was approaching, and through the telescope, Chen Chen had already seen the Free Army personnel who had arrived early.
They arrived before the Syrian government forces as planned and conducted a comprehensive inspection of the handover location.
After confirming that there was no ambush and preparations for evacuation, they contacted the government forces using a specific radio frequency.
And 10 minutes later, the government army's convoy also drove out from the temporary garrison two kilometers away and drove to the target handover location.
Everything went smoothly. Only 5 minutes later, Chen Chen saw the government troop convoy in his sight.
A large number of armed personnel stopped 500 meters away. The helicopter provided by Turkey has arrived. Logically speaking, the US early warning aircraft is also on standby in the sky, completely clearing the airspace and making sufficient preparations for the handover of prisoners.
After confirming their identities, the leaders of both sides disarmed and entered the handover site first. Immediately afterwards, several buses carrying prisoners entered the site. All the prisoners got off the bus, and the leaders of the Free Army began to check their identities one by one.
This process is quite long, because every time they verify a person, they have to report to the rear through the radio. Only after receiving a confirmed answer can they continue to the next identity verification.
At their average rate of one per three minutes, the identity verification step alone would take more than half an hour.
It was already 11 o'clock in the morning, and the temperature was gradually rising, but fortunately both parties were relatively restrained in their emotions, and there was no pointless argument due to the irritability caused by the high temperature.
Everything went on step by step. The white dog lying next to Chen Chen gently blew the dust from his mouth, and then complained:
"These people are too lazy. What else is there to check at this time? They are all national forces. The prisoner exchange is like a gang transaction. Is it necessary?"
"If you ask me, the Syrian side should just drag the people to Tal Rifat and throw them to the front line."
"Don't they have legs and can't walk? Or is it that the United States is afraid that Syria will temporarily regret it and kill people? This is too nonsense."
Hearing Bai Gou's words, Chen Chen couldn't help but feel a little funny.
In fact, the prisoner exchange process this time was indeed different from the prisoner exchange mechanisms he was familiar with in his previous life, but he could understand the Syrian government's thoughts very well.
They were just putting on a show, and the important thing was not to return the prisoners, but to return them in full view of the public.
Therefore, the bigger the battle is, the more "like it is" and the more "in line with ordinary people's cognition", the more beneficial it is to them.
It has to be said that there must be expert guidance behind the Syrian officials, and they are not much worse than USAGM in terms of manipulating public opinion and building momentum.
Thinking of this, Chen Chen said:
"You don't understand this. The results of many things are important, but the process is equally important."
“And at some point, the process is more important than the outcome.”
"Anyway, we just have to do our own thing well. In one hour at most, this mission will be over."
"Why"
Bai Gou couldn't help but sigh. After a few seconds of silence, he continued to ask:
"Isn't the Syrian side worried that someone will take the opportunity to sabotage the handover? I mean, they live broadcast the entire process publicly. If a third party wants to do something, their loopholes are too big."
"What do you know."
Chen Chen snorted and then explained:
"At this time, if a third party intervenes to disrupt the prisoner handover, he will become a common enemy of the United States and Syria on the spot."
"The Syrian government is just eager for someone to come and cause damage, because that means the pressure on themselves will be greatly reduced."
"But I dare say that even the stupidest and stupidest person will not make himself unhappy at this time."
"Put yourself in my shoes, if it were you, would you be so short-sighted?"
"I won't."
Bai Gou said honestly.
Chen Chen stopped talking to him, and at this time, the prisoner handover was in its final stages.
All the drivers from the Syrian government forces got out of the car, and the EOD personnel from the Free Army conducted a comprehensive inspection of the vehicles. Then, all personnel got on the vehicle and waited, and the government forces began to evacuate the handover location.
Next, as long as the government troops successfully evacuate to Tal Rifat, all this will be over.
Chen Chen slightly watched the government army's convoy go away nervously, then looked back at the Free Army at the handover point.
As the sound of the engine disappeared, only the sound of the wind was left in the entire desert.
——
However, at this moment, Chen Chen suddenly saw an inexplicable flash of light appearing on the sand dunes in the distance.
The muscles all over his body tensed instantly, and then, almost subconsciously, his eyes moved towards the scope and quickly focused on the location of the flash.
But at this glance, his expression changed drastically.
"Gunscope!"
"Turn on the radio! Let the convoy withdraw early!"
As soon as he finished speaking, his finger had already pulled the trigger.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Three consecutive bursts were fired, and the flash in the distance disappeared.
But at this moment, the whistling sound of artillery shells sounded in the air.
Indirect bombardment.
Damn it.
Is it Maozi? !
Are they crazy? !
This thought flashed through Chen Chen's mind, and then, an explosion suddenly sounded in the open space less than a hundred meters away from the handover site.
"boom!"
It's over now.
Chen Chen jumped up and shouted loudly:
"Search for enemy artillery reconnaissance! Cover the evacuation of prisoners!"