Free The Minders by Max Boroumand

a virus around the globe, forming into two stands, Shiite and Sunni extremism. He would visit and revisit the sad start to it all every time he saw or heard of religious atrocities founded in Islam.
    *  *  *
    It all began with three neighboring countries: Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan. Each was their own version of a guard dog protecting the yard, Saddam in Iraq, The Shah in Iran, and the Khans in Afghanistan. Each dog kept the others at bay. Each kept their extremists in jail or dead. Yes, all were dictators, but with a vision of westernization and general civility. One day Iran’s Shah decided to break the British and U.S. grip over his country. He decided to start dealing with communist Russia. The first endeavor was to build a gas pipeline from Russia, through Iran, to the Persian Gulf, followed by the purchases of military armaments. More business was surely to follow. The U.S. wanted none of that, so it supported and promoted a revolution. Since Iranians had as many opinions as there were citizens, an intellectual revolution would be impossible. The only common denominator was Islam. Therefore, they dug up an old cleric named Khomeini, and that was that. The Russians, having lost Iran, decided to invade Afghanistan, expecting Pakistan to fall from fear. Their intentions were to build a pipeline down that path. In the meantime, Saddam, seeing Iran’s perceived weakness, attacked Iran to get some oil fields back. On both sides of Iran, the U.S. was supporting, arming and building the fighting forces of those countries. On one side, the group became the Taliban and Al Qaeda. On the other side, you had the Baathists and the U.S. working together, with no long-term progressive possibilities in mind. Iraq was a powder keg waiting to blow.
    Yes, that was a simple and unfussy explanation. However, it was a very quick and truthful explanation, which goes down with just one sip of your favorite liquor. The U.S. miscalculated every step, resulting in the shit storm with which we were dealing. It was all of our making.
    “In the future, let sleeping dogs, and dictators, lie,” Jason would say, concluding his history lessons. Of course, there was more to it, but with Americans, a short story went a lot further than a long detailed one.
    *  *  *
    All work related flights for Jason were long ones, with that particular birthday flight taking him from Denver to Germany, for debriefing, and then to Kuwait. His trip from Germany would be via a DHL cargo plane to Kuwait City. From there, it would be an overland trip across the border to the Shiite region of southern Iraq, to recruit a new asset. The new asset was a Mullah , a cleric on whom they had been working for several months. Now, it was time for a face-to-face visit. Jason had an innate ability to read people, understand their untold wants and needs, and endear himself in a way that became deeply trusting.
    “ He could steal steak right off of the devil’s plate and be thanked for it, by no less than the devil himself, ” his dad would say.
    That trip was not too dangerous. But, Jason was sad to be missing Bobby’s birthday. He loved his godson like his own son. Having only one child himself, he loved that his son and Bobby were like brothers. He had a picture of them in his wallet, with the two sitting next to each other smiling, holding their fake wooden swords. He was studying them intently when the inspection call came in from the loud speaker in the cargo section of the DHL plane. The flight was about to land, and the group leader was collecting all personal belongings, and running through a checklist of paperwork, ID cards, money belts, SAT phones, and all else that might be needed.
    “O.K. Jason, hand over the wallet and stop staring. And, give me your wedding band!”
    “Wait a second!” One more stare. “O.K., here you go.”
    “What about your wedding band?”
    “I don’t wear one in the summer time. It leaves a tan mark.”
    Jason started to inventory his