“The only thing I understand is that you want General McNab to resign.”
“Correct.”
“Presumably in connection with this party in the Mayflower?”
“McNab will understand when General Naylor shows him these pictures, and, aware that I am repeating myself, tells him he can end this whole thing by immediately retiring, and that will be the end of it.”
“The end of what whole thing, sir?”
“If you give it some thought as you’re traveling to CENTCOM to see General Naylor, I’m sure it will come to you, Mr. Secretary. Call me the minute Naylor has McNab’s request for retirement in hand.”
Clemens McCarthy bent over the table, slid the photographs together, stacked them neatly together, and handed them to Mulligan, who returned them to the envelope and then handed the envelope to Secretary Beiderman.
President Clendennen didn’t seem to notice when Beiderman left the room.
FOUR
Office of the Commander in Chief United States Central Command MacDill Air Force Base Tampa, Florida 1245 17 April 2007
Colonel J. D. Brewer pushed open the door and formally announced, “General Naylor, the secretary of Defense.”
Naylor was out of his chair and on the way to the door before Beiderman was halfway through it.
Beiderman offered his hand.
“Mr. Secretary, I’m a little uncomfortable not having been at the field. .”
“Don’t be silly,” Beiderman said. “I told Colonel Brewer I would prefer that you not meet me. The less fuss about this, the better.”
“Yes, sir. Won’t you please sit down?”
“Thank you,” Beiderman said, and looked askance at Colonel Brewer.
Naylor caught that, and said, “That will be all, Colonel. Thank you.”
Brewer left and closed the door behind him. The implication was that SECDEF and C-in-C CENTCOM were now alone. The truth-which really made Naylor uncomfortable-was that he had ordered his senior aide-de-camp to go into the sergeant major’s office and listen to and record whatever was going to happen in his office.
“Can I offer coffee, sir? Or something to eat? Or ask you to join me in my mess for lunch?”
“Thank you, no. I had a sandwich on the plane. General, let me get right to it.”
“Yes, sir.”
Beiderman opened his attache case and took out a large manila envelope.
“Have a look, General,” he said as he handed Naylor the envelope. “The President gave me those just before he ordered me to come down here.”
Naylor took the sheaf of color photographs from the envelope and looked at each before raising his eyes to Beiderman.
“The President desires, General,” Beiderman said, “that you personally show those photographs to General McNab, tell him the President knows what he’s up to, and that if he immediately applies for retirement, that will be the end of it.”
Naylor didn’t reply.
“I suggest the best way to accomplish the President’s desires is for us to immediately fly to Fort Bragg, in separate aircraft. Once you have done what the President desires and have General McNab’s request for retirement in hand, I will take it to the President and you can come back here, and that will be the end of it.”
Again Naylor didn’t reply.
“I will entertain your recommendations as to a replacement for General McNab at SPECOPSCOM,” Beiderman said, “but I suspect the President has someone in mind for the post.”
And once more Naylor didn’t reply.
“Did you understand what I just told you, General Naylor?”
“No, Mr. Secretary, I’m afraid I didn’t.”
“What didn’t you understand, General?”
“For one thing, Mr. Secretary, the photographs. Who are they of, and what are they supposed to show?”
“They were taken by FBI agents the day before yesterday in the Mayflower Hotel in D.C. They show a number of members of Delta Force and Gray Fox. They were taken after these individuals walked out on the President’s remarks at Arlington. They were at a party given by retired Lieutenant Colonel Castillo.”
“And what is the connection with General McNab, sir?”
“My God, Naylor! General McNab commands Gray Fox and Delta Force; he’s responsible for them.”
“Mr. Secretary, I have already discussed the presence of these soldiers at Mr. Salazar’s interment with General McNab. He denies having anything to do with their being there. He also tells me that he has not been in touch with Colonel Castillo since before Mr. Salazar was murdered and Colonel Ferris kidnapped.”
“And you believe him?”
“Yes, sir. I believe him.”
“Nevertheless, the President desires that General McNab retire. Is that clear to you?”
“Mr. Secretary, may I speak freely?”
“Of course.”
“Mr. Secretary, correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t there an implied threat in what you said before? You said that if McNab asks for immediate retirement, that ‘will be the end of it.’ The end of what, Mr. Secretary? If General McNab declines to ask to be retired, then what?”
Beiderman didn’t reply for a long moment. Then he said, “General, it is our duty to work together to get through this awkward situation.”
“That doesn’t answer my question, Mr. Secretary.”
“Then I suppose the President will fire him.”
“Mr. Secretary, did you see the photographs of Mr. Roscoe Danton in that stack?”
Beiderman nodded.
“And of the President’s former press secretary, Mr. Parker?” Beiderman nodded again.
“Mr. Secretary, do you think POTUS has considered the very real possibility that if what he desires actually occurs, then it will be a front-page story in
When Beiderman didn’t reply, Naylor went on: “Wolf News-the press generally-will have a field day with that, Mr. Secretary. ‘President Clendennen Fires Top Green Beret because Green Berets Walk Out on His Remarks at Arlington Funeral.’ ”
Beiderman looked stricken.
“Mr. Secretary, I suggest that you and I have a duty to protect the President from something like that. Both President Clendennen personally and the office of POTUS. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Are you open to suggestion, Mr. Secretary?”
Beiderman nodded.
“If you and I fly to Fort Bragg right now, Mr. Secretary, and comply with the President’s order to show McNab these photographs, and then offer him the opportunity to immediately resign-”
“The President didn’t order
“I beg your pardon, sir.”
“You realize, Naylor, that if a story like that comes out, and since Roscoe Danton was at that goddamn party, it’s a given that it will come out, then you know who the President is going to blame.”
