The rise of a great power: starting with military industry

Three days later, Liu Tao returned to the capital.

This time he returned to Beijing to attend the "Arab League +1" meeting.

This is the first "Arab League + 1" meeting. The "1" here represents China. It is a meeting between China and the countries of the Arab League to discuss cooperation and development in the fields of politics, economy, culture, religion, science and technology, and military.

According to the agreement reached by the two sides last year, the two sides will hold the 'Arab League + 1' once a year, this year in Beijing, and next year in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, with the meetings held alternately.

The Arab League now includes 22 Arab countries including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, UAE, Oman, Kuwait, etc.

There are currently only 22 Arab countries in the world, which means that every Arab country is a member of the Arab League.

Among these 22 Arab countries, 7 are monarchies and 15 are presidential republics.

This also means that the total area of ​​the Arab League has reached more than 1300 million square kilometers and the total population exceeds 3 million!
When people mention Arab countries, they will think of the rich people in white robes. In fact, except for those Arab countries rich in oil, most other Arab countries are extremely poor, are developing countries, and have slow industrialization.

But no matter what, Arab countries are still a huge market.

The Arab League is moving towards integration. In this regard, there are both advantages and disadvantages. However, China has always emphasized seeking common ground while reserving differences and common development. It seeks common interests for both sides to cooperate and slowly discusses and resolves controversial issues.

As someone with many friends in Arab countries, Liu Tao naturally had to participate in this meeting.

At this 'Arab League + 1' meeting, the two sides held dialogues in different areas.

For example, in the field of culture, scholars from both sides engage in academic exchanges.

For example, in the economic field, exchanges will be conducted between the economic departments and entrepreneurs of both sides.

The entire meeting will last seven days.

A large number of media from all over the world came, including almost all the well-known media.

Because when it comes to the Arab League, the issue of the "Iraq War" cannot be avoided.

It has been more than a year since the outbreak of the Iraq War. Member states of the Arab League have condemned the United States and its allies for launching the Iraq War without the permission of the United Nations. This is a violation of Iraq's national sovereignty. The large-scale air strikes by the United States have caused a major humanitarian disaster in Iraq. A large number of schools, hospitals, nursing homes, orphanages, etc. in Iraq have been destroyed. This is a violation of human rights.

Although the Arab League did not declare war on the joint forces led by the US military, it also expressed its support for Iraq through practical actions.

For example, the major oil-producing countries of the Arab League launched an oil embargo against Europe and the United States in OPEC, using oil and natural gas as weapons to punish Europe and the United States for launching a war against Iraq.

OPEC's oil embargo on Europe and the United States has caused oil and natural gas prices to remain high, causing great suffering to European and American countries, and the inflation rate has hit new highs.

For example, the Arab coalition has stationed a large number of troops on the Israeli-Palestinian border and the Syrian-Turkish border, which makes it more difficult for the joint forces. Patrols have been strengthened along the coast of the Persian Gulf, and any joint naval warships and aircraft that enter within 12 nautical miles will be shot down. So far, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Oman have sunk two Kongo-class destroyers, five frigates, and eight carrier-based aircraft of the joint naval forces.

For example, the Arab League's support for Iraq's weapons is no secret, but the coalition forces have not acknowledged it, because once they acknowledge it, they will have to launch military operations against these countries that support Iraq's weapons. Al, who represented Iraq at the 'Arab League + 1' meeting, showed the world that the coalition forces led by the US military had committed many crimes in Iraq.

"They say that we in Iraq have weapons of mass destruction, but since the invasion of Iraq by the U.S. military and its lackeys, our army has not used weapons of mass destruction. Could it be that we in Iraq are kind-hearted? The fact is that we in Iraq do not have weapons of mass destruction!" Al once again exposed the hypocrisy of the United States. "Everyone knows that the bottle of white powder of so-called weapons of mass destruction that Powell showed at the United Nations, which was obtained at great cost by the CIA, is actually laundry detergent!"

"Hegemonism is the main enemy of world peace and development today. The Americans have destroyed peace and development in the Gulf region. They are the common enemy of mankind." Al's wording was very sharp, without giving the Americans any face.

Other Arab countries have also condemned the United States and its allies for undermining regional stability and security and bringing war to the Gulf region and the Arab world.

In the evening, Liu Tao personally entertained Al and others.

Although the 22 Arab countries are all friends, there are also differences in closeness and distance.

He and Al have been friends for 25 years. Back then, Al was a middle-aged man. 25 years later, Al is already an old man, but he is still fighting for the fate of the Iraqi nation.

In this 'Arab League + 1' meeting, Al was the one with the lowest position and power, but Liu Tao showed his old friend the highest courtesy.

"Liu, my friend, we need more weapons!" Al said directly.

The reason why the Americans dared to use a large number of strategic transport aircraft to carry out paratrooper and weapons airdrops and land at simple airports in Iraq was that Iraq's air defense weapons were exhausted.

If Iraq’s air defense weapons had not been exhausted, would the United States dare to do this?
Those strategic transport aircraft will all be sitting ducks!
It is much easier to attack those strategic transport aircraft than to intercept missiles and fighter jets.

Although strategic transport aircraft are much larger than missiles and fighter jets, if a missile hits them, the entire strategic transport aircraft will be scrapped, and the soldiers, weapons, equipment and supplies transported by the strategic transport aircraft will also be scrapped.

"Al, the speed at which the materials are transported to your place is far less than the speed at which you consume them!" Liu Tao said helplessly.

The weapons shipped from Saudi Arabia and Persia to Iraq are mainly transported by trucks.

But how much can a transport truck carry?

They will also encounter air strikes from the Americans!
There are large quantities of weapons and equipment in Saudi Arabia and Persia, but what’s the use if they cannot be transported to Iraq in time?

Al couldn't help but look sad. How could he not understand this truth?

He naturally knew where the problem lay!
The real problem is not that there are no weapons, but that the weapons cannot be delivered to Iraq in time because there is a problem with the transportation!

And this problem cannot be blamed on Liu Tao.

After all, Liu Tao has tried his best! (End of this chapter)