"I……?"

After coming to the cabin, Lieutenant Colonel Phelps was stunned for the first time, and then began to think, understanding that the general was asking him what he thought about the current situation in the Middle East War Zone.

As a naval pilot, Phelps didn't think much about this kind of thing. He felt that what he should do was prepare carefully and attack in the air. Naturally, the generals of the command center would complete other things. However, even so, he has been completely stunned by the Russian offensive in recent days. Sean Phelps would naturally have his own opinions. Anyway, it is not a formal meeting now, and he is facing the old general who has always had a weird temper. He said it without thinking:

“The situation is not very good now, uh, it is naturally very unfavorable for us.

My personal opinion... General, I don't think we need to fight to the death with the Russians in the Middle East; fighting like now does not exert the real capabilities of the navy at all, and it is a serious waste of personnel and equipment."

"Oh,——is it?"

Facing the young naval pilot sitting upright on the sofa, he looked different from his usual unstable behavior and crazy appearance. John Ford, a veteran of Navy who has worked for decades, is now very reserved and has no more words. He slowly found a shiny metal cigarette box from the table drawer and held it in his hand and played with it for a while.

From the flagship CVN-69 "Eisenhower", the mobile officer's office on the aircraft carrier is now requisitioned. Lieutenant General Ford's eyelids came out for a while, and then he spoke again:

"Do you know. Sean; I haven't smoked any more since my wife Caroline passed away."

“…”

Sean Phelps kept silent wisely, and he felt that the general's words did not need to be followed by himself.

"At that time, at the funeral, I kept thinking that if she had listened to my advice before, don't always inject insulin by herself casually, would she be able to leave me a few years later? But... I thought again that if I was advised, I was also stubbornly addicted to smoking. I couldn't listen to it no matter how others said it.

So, since then, I have never smoked again.”

"Your Excellency General, I... understand your mood."

It felt embarrassing to sit and not speak, Phelps finally found the opportunity to interject.

Hearing the lieutenant colonel's comforting words, the gray-haired lieutenant general showed a faint smile. He slowly straightened his back and sat at the desk, and his tone became a little relaxed:

"Ah, young man, that happened many years ago after all.

People always die, right?

If Caroline was still alive, she would have just seen me, an old and infirm officer, who spent her rest of her life in a naval sanatorium full of geniuses and madmen. This kind of scene would make people feel completely unhappy when they see it. In fact, it is not a tragedy of another life.

I said, Sean Enfield,"

While speaking, the general leaned forward, grabbed the water cup and poured a few sips of warm coffee, "I met you by chance today, which is great. Don't think I'm already confused. I still remember a young man like you, in the football friendly match of Annapolis Naval Academy, you are the unyielding boy, right?"

When Shaun Phelps heard the elderly lieutenant general mention a football game, he thought for a moment before remembering that he did go to Annapolis as a military academy student a few years ago and participated in a naval and air force exchange event, including a rugby competition full of gunpowder. Although Phelps, who appeared on the Air Force side in this game, failed to bring victory to the team, but almost fought with the naval players on the court, it was also during this event that he had a more understanding and understanding of the naval atmosphere in Annapolis that he later went to Pensacra and became an elite naval pilot.

I felt something when I saw the young man in front of me. I probably recalled the scene back then. Lieutenant General Ford's vicissitudes of life appeared on his face, but this smile did not last long, and the elderly man fell into his emotions again.

"So, Sean Enfield,"

Although I recognized the young man, I kept getting his name wrong. The general's tone became deeper, "Today's conversation is just a common communication between colleagues.

To be honest, young man, I am sitting here today talking nonsense, saying something that no one cares except myself, and there is no reason for those fools in the Pentagon, probably thought I was in my 80s, so my mind became unsightly, but in fact the opposite was true.

Yes, when I think about my own life experience, some things cannot be changed by someone's persuasion; I remember you just said that you were confused about the United States' combat operations in the Caucasus, right? Haha, yes; actually I think so too. - Not only that, my principle of doing things is to act immediately and never delay. I have traveled to many places and talked to many people for this, but unfortunately, the President and Congress still regard these as they always.

As for the military, huh, I don’t know who gave them a soup, but they actually came to this ghost place in the Middle East to fight against the Russians. It’s really ridiculous!

Yes, young man, I know that in the past few days, everyone has not had a good time, is it because of this damn war or the counterattack of the Russians - but you are always very clear in your heart, right? If an army chooses the wrong direction of progress and the wrong timing of action, then no matter how many tactical victory is achieved, it is destined to be worthless.

What's more, Sean:

I think the United States' complete failure in the Middle East is already in sight."

“…”

The so-called "failure is right in front of you" was said from the mouth of a senior naval general, which naturally surprised Phelps.

As a commander and commander of the huge aircraft carrier battle group, General Ford should not say such words, but to be fair, the Lieutenant Colonel had to admit that the general's statement was actually very close to his ignorant premonition.

In the past few days, although we are on the aircraft carrier drifting on the sea, we will not be directly threatened by the Warsaw Pact for the time being, the analysis of the war situation announced every day can be seen by everyone; in the Middle East, where the Warsaw Pact’s doorstep, the torrent of steel from the Russians is raging everywhere, and the flag of the free world is shaking in a storm. This situation, even if it is not seen with your own eyes on the front line of the war, can’t you imagine it?

But no matter what, since this is already the situation, then...

"Haha, young man; what are you frustrated?"

"Uh... General, I..."

Unlike Sean Phelps, who was deeply frowning with a frown, when he saw the pilot in front of him was in a low mood, John Ford threw the metal cigarette box back into the drawer indifferently. He stood up and walked closer to the sofa two steps, looking straight at the young man's raised face, and nodded to Phelps with his lips tightly pursed:

"You will definitely keep your mouth shut in today's conversation, right?

That's so good. I think there is no need to be so sluggish for a young man with a promising future. - Let's take a look, Sean Enfield: Even if the United States will leave the Middle East in a very undecent way tomorrow, it's actually no big deal. Even if we make many stupid mistakes here, we still have strong potential for war and can fully afford such a price.

Here, I might as well tell you that the pattern of the Western world will change soon; the war will continue, and we, and our allies, will continue to fight as always. As for those Russians, hum... they will sooner or later understand that this life-and-death battle between the two poles is actually far from over."

After saying a few words in a slight tone, the tone of the last voice turned a little depressed. John Ford seemed to breathe a sigh of relief in his chest, but his eyes lost their spirits. When he thought of the southern crisis facing the United States, the general was a little excited. He waved his hand to the young man on the sofa:

"But no matter what, we must admit that the defeat in the Middle East War Zone is already doomed."

"For, why...?"

Just now, when he heard the general's swearing, Sean Phelps asked half-doubtedly, half-willedly, "But we have not reached this point yet, General! If you fight back firmly now,—"

“Haha, I say Sean, Lieutenant Colonel Sean Enfield!

It is certain to fight back. I have no intention of allowing the Russians to seize precious land controlled by the free world without a single shot. As for the Pentagon, it is impossible to tolerate us doing this. But young people, you better learn to accept reality as soon as possible; I am not less than you young people who are inexperienced, but now..."

While speaking, he slowly walked to the large map on the wall. Lieutenant General John Ford, who was gray-haired but still in a state of strength, stood upright behind his back with his hands on his back, facing the map on the wall like a statue. His eyes stared at him for a long time and fell into a long silence.

After a while, the general took a breath slowly. He waved his old hand slightly to Sean Phelps, ending his dull conversation with the lieutenant colonel:
Chapter completed!