Brainstorming our Dilemma
Chapter 13
“My masters at the embassy are feeling the heat from the American business community and want us to speed up our efforts,” Frank casually mentioned as we drove around the city. We were both puffing on our favorite vices with the windows halfway down and the AC running at full blast.
“Maybe they need to get out of the kitchen,” I halfheartedly joked. Then again, maybe it was time I came up with an operational plan and execute it, I thought to myself. And that chore was solely up to me.
“Frank, The Family’s running a classic psychological warfare campaign against us. Fear, intimidation and violence are the tools it’s using. How about we fight fire with fire and turn the tables on them?”
“Okay Dick, what’s in that devious mind of yours? I hope it’s something good since we’re getting low on time and short on ideas. By the way, I like the fighting fire with fire and table turning bits, but I think I’ve heard those lines somewhere before.”
Frank smirked and blew a big ring of smoke in my direction. Okay, wiseass, I thought, you come up with an action plan and better, clichéd prose.
“What I have is a sketchy scheme that would operate in a four pronged attack on The Family, one overt and the others covert.”
“The covert side supposes a clever, concerted disinformation effort using the Haitian media outlets to highlight The Family’s activities and to expose what it’s doing to the embassy and U.S. businesses. We buy air time, we plant stories and we ridicule and demean The Family’s reputation to the point of impotence. We use fronts and cutouts to handle the details and hide the U.S. government’s role. We’ll use the internet to the same ends. Every person has access to it one way or another. Voice of America broadcasts will pick-up on the stories and hammer away at The Family as well.”
“Your agency is very adept at these things, so it’ll take the lead and make them happen.” I took a guess at Frank’s employer, the Christians-in-Action. He didn’t confirm or deny the affiliation. I believed his silence suggested I’d guessed correctly.
“The second covert action involves the Catholic Archdiocese. It can’t stay silent on the subject. Everyone knows what’s going on, especially the church. Ask the church leadership to get its priests to preach the evils of The Family to its congregations. It has no love for voodoo, but it seems to me it’s wary of directly taking on the religion or at least The Family.”
“It doesn’t have to necessarily name The Family for excoriation since the parishioners will still get the message. Of course, politely remind the leaders of the good deeds the Americans have done in Haiti and will continue to do so. But The Family is making that impossible by frightening our employees. I think the church will play ball. OK, pardon the cliché, Frank. This one also falls to your employer to handle.”
“The next thing on the list is a bit problematic and risky for both of us. It’s also illegal, but expedient and necessary. We’re going to apply God’s righteous Bible belt to some zombie behinds. Word will get back to Mama Mambo and she’ll be livid. We’ll leave her alone for the moment. In this case, you and I are going to intimidate some of her militiamen. But we’re also going do it in such a way as to frighten them about saving their immortal souls, voodooist souls or not. I’ll share what I have in mind for them later.”
“For the overt part of the plan, the ambassador must start playing hardball with the Haitian government. Smarmy diplomatic notes won’t work. He needs to suspend a couple of development projects to get their attention and the fact we’re serious. Money will stop flowing, meaning the bribes siphoned off from the projects won’t be going into the pockets of corrupt government officials. Some of them are on Mama Mambo’s payroll and they’ll scream bloody murder.”
“The ambassador should make it clear to the foreign ministry with the lack of Haitian workers, these important projects can’t continue. Also, kindly tell the ambassador to grow a set of balls while you’re at it.”
That last line got a laugh out of Frank. I gave a little tee-hee too. OK, maybe it was a chortle instead.
“Offhand, I can’t poke any holes in your plan. It seems to have legs and it’s the only one on the table. I’ll deliver it to my superiors and see if they’ll buy into it. I don’t think they have one of their own. I like it and hope they do too.”
“Frank tell your buds at the embassy not to worry. The Counts of Monte Cristo are on the job! And mention that it should count for something or another,” I weakly punned. The Dukes of Earl wouldn’t have made any sense.
Frank parked the car and we headed for the bar. It was happy hour and I was feeling good about our prospects. Those were the half price drinks and free Redskins.