targets in Japan to raise their stock in Japan. It all seems very indirect to me.'
'That's because you're thinking like a direct gung-ho American,' said Martin. 'And you're forgetting that it is a small world these days. Think instead of something like three-dimensional pool. Cause and effect can be kind of complicated if you don't know how to play, but it's all connected. You bounce a ball off one side to hit another, and maybe the effect ripples on. Let me put it another way. When we invaded Grenada, we weren't just invading Grenada. When we hit Panama, that was not just about Panama. We were making a point, we were sending a message, and above all, we were showing that we were deadly serious. And only incidentally, Grenada and Panama got taken out and our people got practice for bigger and better things.'
There was silence in the room. Government and politics was mostly about firefighting, about reacting. Thinking long term – ‘the vision thing,’ as President George Bush had put it – was not high on the list of priorities. It was disconcerting to think that terrorists might have a ‘vision thing’ of their own.
'Director Martin is making good sense, Mr. President,' said the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, 'and I have a feeling for the Japanese agenda. But other groups seem to be involved in this. Certainly, we have identified Moslem fundamentalists.'
'Lee Cochrane,' said Martin, 'makes the point that these kind of indirect objectives can be layered. Each individual group pursues its own objectives, but by working together another objective or, indeed, several can also be attained. As to what that is in this case, I really don't know. But if you accept Cochrane's premise, then what has happened makes a great deal more sense. Certainly, we know that multiple elements are involved.'
The president was impressed by what Martin had to say, but it was not addressing the immediate issue. American citizens had been killed and a response was called for.
'If different nationalities are involved,' said the President, 'then they have got to get together somewhere to organize and train. These operations have been slick. They aren't just spontaneous outbursts. These have been planned and rehearsed. So where are they coming from? Libya? Cuba? Syria? Iraq? Iran? Lebanon?'
'We have found safe houses,' said the FBI Director, 'but there it ends. The people we have arrested are cutouts. So far, everything we have experienced could have been planned here in the U.S. or, indeed, anywhere. There is no definite link to any one base or any one organization. There may not be any central command. We just don't know. What we are experiencing is unprecedented.' He paused and took a deep breath. 'I'm deeply sorry, Mr. President. We are doing the best we can.'
'I understand there was a kidnapping which may be connected to the Bastogne Inn business?' said the President.
'An Irish citizen, not an American,' said the National Security Advisor.
'My mother was Irish,' said the President. 'I would not like to have seen her kidnapped while a guest in this great country of ours – and I would remind you, sir, that one-sixth of our entire population is of Irish decent. Well over forty-two million. There is a certain electoral majesty in that, is there not, Mr. Advisor.'
Vernon V. Slade had absolutely no idea how to deal with the President when he was in this mood. It was as if the ghost of every past U.S. president was at his shoulder. A man who had risen to his high office by seeking to please everybody, he was becoming increasingly decisive. It was disconcerting.
'It is a difficult case, Mr. President,' said the FBI Director. 'We've accounted for every legitimate helicopter flight at that time and cross-checked flight control records. Nothing. Then we checked with the military. There was an exercise on at the time with the aircraft flying out of Pope. They were testing the integration of AWACS and JSTARS.'
'And what is the bottom line, Mr. Director,' said the President.
'We have an unapproved flight going out to a tanker in international waters, Mr. President. The tanker is Liberian-registered but is actually on charter to Tecuno Gas and Oil. Its next stop was Mexico, Mr. President. We asked Governor Quintana's people, and they said they would have the vessel examined when it docked.'
'And?' said the President.
'Nothing,' said the FBI Director. A question hovered unspoken.
PresidentGeorgieFalls had campaigned long and hard for the North American Free Trade Agreement. It was one issue that he and Security Advisor Vernon agreed on spontaneously. Mexico might not be an American-style democracy, but it was a fast-evolving nation of 87 million people and it was not in the United States' interest to treat them as some kind of banana republic.
The sovereignty and dignity of Mexico had to be respected. It was in that spirit that he had issued National Security Executive Order FA/128 after that disastrous special-operations mission against the so-called Gulf Drug Cartel. U.S. forces were explicitly forbidden to mount any operation – covert or otherwise – that had not been pre- agreed with the Mexican government. Fundamentally, the Mexicans would have to put their own house in order. It was, after all, their house.
Nonetheless.
'Mr. President,' said Slade. 'The American people are exceedingly disturbed by our apparent inability to deal satisfactorily with these terrorists. We have to do something.'
The President nodded gloomily. He did not need to be reminded of the decrease in his popularity. When he had been a TV anchor he had lived and died by his rating. He read the latest polls before he listened to his CIA- prepared daily intelligence briefing. They were not good.
'What exactly do you propose, Vernon?'
'Perhaps we don't know the terrorist's base, Mr. President,' said Slade, 'but we don know where some of them trained. Accordingly, I recommend military action against known fundamentalist targets. It will send a clear message and it will release much of this voter frustration. It will also demonstrate the decisiveness of this administration. Questions are being asked at present about our apparent lack of resolve.'
Several of the group looked uncomfortable, while others concealed their feelings. Either way, there was a general air of embarrassment in the room. The headline above the morning's Washington Post editorial was fresh in their minds. 'Falling Down on the Job Again' was the precursor of a piece that had not been kind.
The presidency of GeorgieFalls was in deep trouble. The National Security Advisor was right. Some kind of offensive against these people was essential.
'We know where many of these people train,' said the Deputy Director of the CIA. 'We know the countries and we know the locations of the individual camps. We have all the intelligence we need to strike tomorrow, from satellite photographs to agents-in-place. But there are always other political considerations which cancel out these advantages. Iran, Libya, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, for instance. All of these places actively support terrorists and actions specifically directed against the United States. And there are more countries I could name, starting with Sudan. It's a long list.'
'We can't hit Iran,' said the Secretary of State, 'because we want to the moderates to succeed and we do not want public opinion to be polarized against this country. We have already hit Libya, and it may well have cost us Pan Am 103. We're trying to bring Syria into the Middle East peace process, and progress is encouraging. As to Iraq, here we have a problem with international world opinion, and we need even them as a counterbalance to Iran.'
'Which leaves Lebanon,' said Vernon V. Slade. 'They have got fundamentalist training camps. No one gives a fuck about Lebanon.'
'It is within both Israel's and Syria's sphere of influence,' said the Secretary of State, 'and France, the ex- colonial power, still regards itself as a player. In contrast, Israel would be all too happy if we attacked the camps, but they will expect to be informed first. Further, the U.N. are in South Lebanon in some strength and they have forces near potential targets. There are Irish and Scandinavian troops there, among others. It is not that simple.'
Whoever had thought of invading Grenada had been a positive genius, reflected PresidentGeorgieFalls. All that flexing of military muscle against an enemy who practically did not exist and a country that no one had heard of.
The debate continued acrimoniously for another forty-five minutes. Finally, the voices petered out and all heads turned toward the President.
'It is your call, Mr. President,' said Vernon V. Slade.
'Give us a clear mission,' Mr. President,' said the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 'and I promise you that the United States Armed Forces can do the job.'
We are the most powerful nation on earth, thought the Deputy Director of the CIA, but we have rendered
