Chapter 1966 - 1433: Key Person_3

Song Heping nodded.

This background basically matched what he had heard from Yusuf.

"This is key here..." Jiang Feng continued, "The current Defense Minister Rashim, who is Safar's uncle, was able to take the ministerial position in 2013 with great help from Jamal. At that time, there were three candidates, each with support from the US, Shiite factions, and domestic tribal forces. Jamal leveraged decades of family military connections to secure at least seven key commanding votes for Rashim. So in a sense, Rashim owes his brother an immense favor."

"And what about Safar himself?"

"A typical second-generation military offspring, but not a playboy," Jiang Feng said. "He graduated third from the Baghdad Military Academy and was then sent to Jordan's Special Warfare School for training. After returning home, he actively requested a front-line assignment and commanded a company in the Mosul campaign of that year, personally leading an assault team to clear the 1515 sniper stronghold in the Old Town. The battle report stated he killed eleven enemies in that operation and took a bullet in his left shoulder."

"With merits and lineage, did he become a battalion commander at such a young age?" Song Heping smiled, "Interesting."

"Not entirely," Jiang Feng paused. "The 'Desert Eagle' Special Operations Battalion he commands is actually a special formation, considered one of Illiguo's top Special Forces. The problem is... this unit has always been in a state of equipment scarcity."

The corners of Song Heping's mouth slightly turned upwards. This was the part he most wanted to hear.

"Explain the equipment situation in detail."

"According to Henry's intelligence, the 'Desert Eagle' battalion should theoretically be equipped with a full set of American equipment, a special treatment Rashim initially fought for his nephew. But in reality, they received only a third. Out of twenty Hummer vehicles, only eight have armor modifications, the gap in night vision devices reaches sixty percent, the individual communication equipment is the outdated Motorola walkie-talkie, and high-tech equipment like thermal imaging devices and drones haven't been issued at all."

"Why is this?"

"Three reasons," Jiang Feng had clearly done his homework. "First, the Ministry of Defense budget is skimmed at various levels, leaving little money for actual equipment procurement. Second, the equipment that the US Army could sell externally is largely controlled by contractors like AAFES Company, who prefer selling good equipment to the Kurd people or private military companies because the Kurd people are wealthier, and the supervisors of these contractors can get cash kickbacks from those transactions. Third..."

He hesitated for a moment.

"Speak."

"Internal resistance. There are those within the Ministry of Defense who do not want Rashim's nephew to command an overly powerful unit. The more merits Safar earns, the more secure his uncle's position, while some... would prefer that position to change hands."

Politics.

It's always about politics.

Song Heping closed his eyes, his mind beginning to integrate this information.

Safar is a capable young officer, ambitious, with lineage, but is hindered by internal struggles and resource shortages.

His desire for American equipment is not only to enhance combat power but also to prove himself, to show he is worthy of his family's reputation, deserving of the "Desert Eagle" title.

And all of this could become a bargaining chip.

A few hours later.

As the sun began climbing overhead, the vehicles started to slow down.

Song Heping opened his eyes to see a concrete checkpoint ahead, with several soldiers standing behind sandbag fortifications, their camo sleeve patches bearing a diving falcon emblem.

The East Suburb of Mosul, the Desert Eagle camp.

We've arrived.