Phoenix Rising: by William W. Johnstone Page B

army,” Chris said.
    â€œDon’t look at it like that,” Jake said. “Look at the few thousand as a cadre around which we will build our military. Once we get things underway, I think we can use them as a magnet to attract others. I believe we will be able to develop a pretty sizeable military force rather quickly.”
    â€œYes,” Bob said. “And one of the advantages we have, over anything that the AIRE has . . . is that we actually have most of the military equipment. When the US totally collapsed, the military left behind the very latest in helicopters, Humvees, armored personnel carriers, trucks, jet fighters, bombers, even UAVs. We don’t have a significant sea power yet, but we do have a navy base at Pensacola, we have a sheltered port at Mobile, and we have a ship building company in Pascagoula.”
    â€œYeah,” Tom said. “When you look it like that, I think we can hold our own if anything happens.”
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    After dinner they watched a newscast from CMN, the Columbia Muslim Network. The program began with a full screen shot of the new national flag. The words CMN, America Enlightened Truth Television were keyed onto the screen, replaced by the words Obey Ohmshidi , then a reverent voice over intoned the opening lines.
    â€œAll praise be to Allah, the merciful. Whomsoever Allah guides there is none to misguide, and whomsoever Allah misguides there is none to guide. You must live your life in accordance with the Moqaddas Sirata, the Holy Path.Those who do will be blessed. Those who do not will be damned.
    â€œYou are watching CMN. And now, our National Anthem.”
    As the music played, the national flag of the AIRE fluttered in the background, but, superimposed over the letter O, was Ohmshidi’s face. It remained prominent as the music began to play, the words sung by an all male chorus.

    American Islamic Republic of Enlightenment
Our people loyal and true
To Ohmshidi our Leader
We give all honor to you.
Glory to our great leader
May he remain right and strong
The party of the faithful
Ohmshidi to lead us on!
In Moqaddas Sirata
We see the future of our dear land
And to the Ohmshidi banner,
In obedience shall we stand!
Glory to our great leader
May he remain right and strong
The party of the faithful
Ohmshidi to lead us on.

    When the anthem ended, the scene returned to the studio where a young woman was sitting behind a news desk. She was wearing a burqa and her face was covered so that only her eyes could be seen.

    â€œObey Ohmshidi.
    â€œIn Dallas today, two cowardly infidels murdered Grand Ayatollah Amar Shihad. Imam Shihad was on his way to the airport, to take a flight to Muslimabad where he was to have received the Ohmshidi Award of the Holy Path for his application of the Ultimate Resolution to the Christians and Jews of the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex.
    â€œIn Dothan, Alabama, today, a brave martyr sacrificed himself for Allah and the glory of our beloved Glorious Leader, President for Life, Mehdi Ohmshidi, may he be blessed by Allah. The martyr, who is now in paradise, drove a truck filled with explosives into a schoolyard.
    â€œSeveral schoolchildren were killed, but it must be noted here that if the children had been in the Youth Confinement and Enlightenment Center as they should have been, none would have been killed. The fault therefore lies with those apostates and infidels who, in violation of what has been decreed by Glorious Leader, President for Life Ohmshidi, may he be blessed by Allah, have taken their children from an environment that would guide them along the path of Moqaddas Sirata, and exposed them to the heathen world.”

    The picture on the screen was replaced by a stylized portrait of Ohmshidi in a pensive pose, looking slightly up and to his left. The rendering was in red, beige, and blue, with the words Obey Ohmshidi underneath. The letter O in both words duplicated the new symbol.

    â€œIn