Time Travel 04: I Fight the US in the Middle East

Under the date palm tree, a bonfire roared, and a barbecue grill was set up on top, where a whole roasted lamb sizzled and dripped with oil.

It wasn't quite time yet, and everyone was idle, so Ali-Hazem stood up, spitting as he spoke, to everyone about the battle that had just ended.

"The Azam leader easily used several captured US military drones to slit open the fuel tanks of the US military base's fuel depot, causing a raging fire. Afterwards, the US military called the fire station for help, and we drove off in modified fire trucks, wreaking havoc in the process..."

"So how did you get out?" Sheikh asked curiously.

"After we destroy the helicopters, we'll go for the ammunition depot. When the American troops realize we're targeting the bomb depot, they all flee. Taking advantage of this opportunity, we'll plant time bombs and drive out in American military vehicles..."

This is a battle of wits and courage!

Even Ahmed Kassen Hamed had to admit that Azam was truly a divinely ordained leader for his tribe! Intelligent, resourceful, brave, and impeccable…

Wait a minute, if he's the leader, then what about me?

Facing the admiring gazes of the crowd, Azam felt he had laid the groundwork and began to speak.

"We brought 500 men with us, and we need to use this place as a base for military training. To facilitate training and combat, I've decided to reorganize us into a battalion."

Ali-Hazim quickly sat back down, his eyes sparkling with excitement. Azam's next reorganization was crucial!

"We need to be divided into four teams, three of which will each have 120 people, namely the first, second and third companies. The remaining 140 people will be organized into an reinforced company, directly under the battalion headquarters."

Five hundred men is just enough for a battalion. Azam was already fed up with the haphazard organization of the Mahdi Army and wanted to take this opportunity to make the army more standardized!

Beside him, Sheikh's lips moved. The chief had said he would send two hundred men, which would make the force around seven hundred, enough for a reinforced battalion! But... why didn't the chief mention that anymore?

At this moment, Ahmed Kassen Hamed cautiously asked, "Azam, how will this person be assigned? How will the commander be chosen?"

"Personnel allocation...by drawing lots! Commander...by merit!"

Okay, that's all for me. Those two hundred men who come in will only be ordinary soldiers and won't get any battle merits!

Ali-Hazem was the first to chime in: "Support Leader Azzam's plan!"

"That's right, you can't go wrong by listening to Leader Azam!" Khalil Maliki said from the side.

"What do you know! All you do is flatter!" Ali-Hazem glanced at him.

The biggest advantage of assigning people by lottery is that it completely breaks up the previous small groups, and there's no question about these people!

People from the same tribe, from the same village... will all be scattered by lot. From then on, they can only associate with people from other villages and tribes. These people can fight side by side, but they cannot form cliques together...

If another person like Abid comes along, he can only fool one person at most before being arrested and beaten to death by the others!

Leader Azzam's move was brilliant!

Next... it all depends on who the commander is chosen!

"The lower-level commanders... need to be selected by each company based on their own combat achievements. For the time being, I will appoint the person with the most combat achievements to serve as the battalion commander and company commander."

Azam looked at everyone present: "First Company Commander Khalil Maliki, Second Company Commander Ali Hazim, Third Company Commander Shehid, and Battalion-level reinforced company commander Khalifa, what do you all think? We believe in democracy. If you feel that someone is not suitable, you can suggest your own candidates."

What democracy... Who dares to disobey Azam?

"We firmly support Leader Azzam's arrangements!" Khalil Maliki said.

"Yes, we obey the leader!" Ali-Hazem said.

The 500-strong Mehdi Army only selected two company commanders, while the 18 warriors of Death Juba selected two company commanders, one of whom was a reinforced company. Is that fair?

Of course it's fair, we'll compare battle achievements!

The achievements of the eighteen warriors were no less than those of the five hundred!

The remaining dozen or so will join other companies and become candidates for deputy company commanders, platoon leaders, and so on. These people will fill the grassroots level of other companies, and the troops will still belong to Azam!

Amr-Erwan Ibrahim cautiously asked, "And what about me?"

He was the first in the Mahdi army to support Azzam! What will become of him?

"You? Of course you'll be my deputy. I'll be the battalion commander, and you'll be the deputy battalion commander. How about that?"

Amr-Erwan Ibrahim nodded: "Okay!"

Second only to one person, above five hundred others!

Ahmed-Kassen-Hamed was filled with disappointment. If he had sent two hundred men in, they would have listened to Azam within a month! This Amr was so proud of being a deputy battalion commander, but he actually had no power at all. He would have been better off as a company commander!

Should we try again?

"Azam, the supplies for these five hundred people... our tribe can provide some, but... the tribe's capabilities are limited and cannot meet the needs of so many people, unless..."

"The supply tribes will contribute as much as they can, and we'll take care of the rest ourselves. We have plenty of weapons and ammunition, and lots of materials for roadside bombs! Our troops will take turns going out to raid American supply convoys. Whatever the Americans eat, we'll eat too..." Azam said.

Guerrilla forces, of course, can sustain themselves through warfare, and they also possess a considerable fortune!

There's no need to worry about supplies for the time being!

It would be best if the tribe provided support, but if they wanted to use support as a condition... forget it!

"That's right, last time we robbed the US military supply convoy, we got quite a lot of supplies!" Khalil Maliki said.

This... Ahmed Carson Hamed's hopes have all been dashed!

"Leader Azam, what is the name of our unit?" Ali-Hazim suddenly asked, as if remembering something.

The Mahdi Army's legitimate leadership is still in the holy city! Most of their troops are still there!

Our side has pledged allegiance to Leader Azzam, but they haven't!

If we change our name, it means we're establishing our own independent faction, unrelated to the Mahdi Army in the Holy City. But if we keep calling ourselves the Mahdi Army... then there might be future disputes...

Azam chuckled: "Of course it's still called the Mahdi Army. The best snipers in the army are all called Death Juba! We can't forget our roots! Even that guy who's in jail, we still have to go and rescue him!"

Mahdi's army still has a solid base! He plans to continue using Muqtada al-Sadr's name to his advantage, gathering more men and building an army of tens of thousands to gain the ability to confront the US military head-on…

"The lamb is ready, let's eat!" Ahmed Kassen Hamed called to everyone.

Just then, a local man named Taleb Niyema Hamtshi rushed over: "Chief, people have come from the east, saying they want to see Brother Azam..."