The Triumph of the Demagogue

The President called for quiet. His voice sharp with anger. The telegram boy scanned the room,
visibly shaking. A Navy Yeoman knocked on the door, saluted and handed the President
another telegram.
A cigarette burned away to nothing.
Outside the Ambassador was praying quietly. He was not supposed to do so in public. That
upset people The regime was sensitive about how other saw it.
An aide approached the Ambassador and demanded he follow him. Demanded
This was it then, the horse had left its stall. The farm, the country had been gambled. It was
more than a case of losing their shirt{s. If something went wrong they would hang.
The man he served had escaped a firing squad at least twice. This time there would be no
intercession, no truce, no amnesty.
The Americans made him wait
He could hear their President curse. He saw Marine, and Navy officers enter the office. They
glared at the Ambassador. They towered over him. Young and strong. The Ambassador kept
his peace

Through the thick carpets and heavy oak doors. The diplomat heard their President express
himself.
``They should know their placeTheir leader was a demagogue. A man who should have been
hanged. A bandit that had taken power with a revolver in his pocket. A bigot. A fool who
ranted and raged about lost territories. He had even given himself a stupid title..Warleader or
something
Quite frankly the time was to kick him square in the pants. The President was reading the
reports, from the British. The British were screaming about false uniforms, cover of darkness.
A betrayal
The Ambassador looked at his watch. Now was the moment
``Turn the son of a bitch on
In accented English, the minister for information spoke. His parents had sacrificed much for
his Jesuit education, now it must not fail him. The British were by no means vanquished.
Now waited for the photo finish, which would decide their fates. The rent was in the bookies
hands
The minister spoke to the American people. He asked them for understanding he begged them
for patience.
They had not wanted war. They had only acted, to protect themselves. They wanted the
Americans to intervene to help them. To help them defend the common Christian civilisation,
of Europe, of the British commonwealth of America. They had acted to save lives. Surely the
Americans did not want war between two great nations. Not when the real enemy the godless
monster lay unchecked to the East
``Turn that off.. the President barked
Send him in
The Naval officers spoke first, crowding him. Shouting threatening, pounding fists. Talking of
ships and guns. An Army officer from the Air corps made horrible allusions about bombs and
gas

The American president spoke.. he spoke of his anger, and his contempt..how he wished the
British had finished them off in the last war

``If you ever pull something like this againanother stupid operation like this one and I
swear

The Ambassador from Eire breathed inthe gamble had worked. They would be allowed to
keep their gains, in return for entering the war