The rise of a great power: starting with military industry

The Iraq War continues to this day, and as the place where the war took place, Iraq has been hit hard.

In summer, the ground forces of the Joint Forces do not conduct large-scale military operations because the weather is too hot for the soldiers of the Joint Forces to bear.

But the air force of the joint forces was not idle.

In June, after the ammunition was replenished, the joint forces launched ten or eight cruise missiles every day, and then dispatched aircraft to bomb targets in Iraq every day.

The scale is not as large as before, but the problem is that Iraq's air defense force is almost non-existent, and Iraq's air force is much weaker than before, so the losses are greater than before.

Other Arab countries have anti-aircraft missiles, anti-aircraft guns, anti-aircraft machine guns, and airplanes, but the problem is that other Arab countries cannot provide unlimited support to Iraq. They will also keep some for their own use as a trump card to avoid facing retaliation from the Americans.

As for Russia, Iraq had no money to pay it and wanted to buy it on credit, but Russia did not agree. Russian weapons had not been shipped to Iraq for two months.

It is not that Iraq is really out of money, but Russia is now asking for very high prices. A Su-27 costs 6000 million US dollars, and after being equipped with weapons and ammunition, it becomes 7000 million US dollars. A MiG-29 costs 3500 million US dollars, and when equipped with weapons and ammunition, the price is often 4000 million to 4500 million US dollars. The prices of other weapons have also risen sharply.

This made Iraq feel it was not worth it.

Iraq is very angry about Russia's price-raising behavior, which reminds them of the Soviet Union's withdrawal of military advisory and technical expert groups during the Gulf War.

On the contrary, after the outbreak of the Iraq War, Panshan Group paid for all the procurement contracts signed previously according to the contract prices.

Even after the payment was completed, Panshan Group did not raise the price for the new purchase contract, which can be said to be really honest.

Al actually has a lot to do when he comes to participate in the 'Arab League +1' this time.

On the one hand, Iraq needs weapons, including anti-aircraft weapons, aircraft, tanks and armored vehicles. In the previous tank and armored battle with the joint forces, Iraq lost a large number of tanks and armored vehicles, which have not yet been replenished.

On the one hand, it is about the Athens Olympics. Due to pressure from the Americans and their allies, it has not yet been determined whether the Iraqi delegation can participate in the Olympics. He has to persuade other Arab countries to support Iraq and get more help so that the Iraqi delegation can go to Athens to participate in the Olympics.

On the other hand, some of Iraq's assets in China need to be sold.

The cost of the war was extremely horrific. Iraq's previous foreign exchange reserves were completely consumed, and even the gold previously held by the country was consumed.

Now Iraq only has some support from China, including Chinese government bonds and some previous investments by Iraqi national funds.

The total amount is about 100 billion RMB.

This war directly turned the wealth and construction achievements accumulated by Iraq over the past decade into almost ashes, and Iraq also owes Saudi Arabia and other countries tens of billions of dollars.

This does not include the tens of billions of dollars in aid provided to Iraq by Saudi Arabia and other countries, as well as a large number of volunteers.

Now the entire Iraqi nation hates the United States and its running dogs immensely.

Moreover, Saddam had already made preparations and distributed a large number of pistols, rifles, and bullets to the people. Even if the Iraqi regular army was defeated and the joint forces eventually occupied Iraq, he would plunge the joint forces into the ocean of people's war.

As for Al's plan to dispose of its assets in China, Liu Tao did not take advantage of the situation and took over these assets for 100 billion yuan.

If Iraq were to go to other wealthy Chinese people, they would definitely be forced to lower their prices.

As for the Iraqi delegation, Liu Tao could only try his best. He could not guarantee whether it could be done.

After all, Liu Tao was not sure whether the Americans would make concessions in this regard.

If the Americans had taken an unusually tough stance, the Iraqi delegation would definitely not have been able to participate in the Athens Olympics.

Now the Athens Olympic Committee has not given a reply and is in a state of wavering. That is because the Arab League is also putting pressure on the Athens Olympic Committee. The Athens Olympic Committee does not want other Arab countries to boycott the Olympics. This situation is unacceptable for Athens.

The Athens Olympics cost Athens a lot of money, almost 90 billion euros, or about 116 billion U.S. dollars, making it the most expensive Olympics in history.

The Athens Olympics aims to attract countries around the world to participate in this grand event, and the International Olympic Committee also hopes that the Athens Olympics will be the largest reunion of the Olympic family.

For China, the Athens Olympics is over, and the 2008 Beijing Olympics will be held four years later. For China, this is an extremely important event, and the goal is to make this event a success.

Under such circumstances, reconciling the two sides and allowing the Athens Olympics to be held smoothly is a situation that everyone would like to see.

But in the final analysis, it depends on how tough the Americans are in this regard.

If the Americans are really determined not to allow the Iraqi delegation to participate in the Olympics, then others will have to make concessions.

This is the status and influence of a world power. If it is determined, unless it wants to break off relations, we have to give in and persuade it with kind words.

Of course, there is room for maneuver in this matter. The United States has not been very tough in its attitude so far, otherwise it would have imposed sanctions on Athens long ago.

On the second day, many politicians, scholars and artists from Arab countries visited the ancient streets and quaint courtyards of the capital, which opened their eyes.

Now this ancient street in Beijing has become a golden street, with a passenger flow that is no less than that of Wangfujing, and it has more Chinese characteristics.

The price of a siheyuan in Beijing is now much higher than before. Those who can afford a siheyuan are undoubtedly the first group of people to get rich.

A courtyard house of a relatively large size can cost hundreds of millions; if it has some heritage and covers a relatively large area, the price may be 1 billion.

Even an ordinary courtyard house costs several million or even tens of millions.

Ordinary people simply cannot afford a Siheyuan in Beijing. Only the rich can afford a Siheyuan.

Of course, in addition to buying, you can also rent, but the rent is also not cheap.

Especially the rent of courtyard houses within the Fourth Ring Road is quite high. The closer to the center, the higher the rent.

In recent years, some wealthy people from the Middle East have purchased courtyard houses. For example, a prince from the Middle East spent 15 billion yuan to buy a courtyard house with five entrances, setting a new record for the transaction of courtyard houses.

Allowing Arab countries to visit the ancient Siheyuan Street is not only to promote Chinese culture, but also to advertise to attract more wealthy people to come to Beijing to buy Siheyuan.

At the same time, it also attracts more tourists to Beijing to visit the ancient streets of Siheyuan. (End of this chapter)