it?'
Curtis nodded. 'At night.a passive infrared missile attack-sure.
But it's unlikely. Those RC-135s can monitor hundreds of communications frequencies, especially Soviet Command frequencies. If the crew intercepted any air-to ground or ground-to-air radio transmissions ordering a fighter to attack, they would have flushed their data, turned tail and run. No Soviet fighter makes a move like that unless it receives an order from the Kremlin itself-unless, of course, the intruder plane actually makes an attack. The Korean Air Lines attack was preceded by two hours of communications, all of which were monitored as far away as Japan. No. Our guys never knew what killed them.'
Both men were silent for a long time-Brent searching for an explanation, Curtis simply hopping mad.
'So what can we do about it?' Brent asked.
'There ain't shit we can do about it,' Curtis said, sighing.
'Unless the Russians try to do something stupid, something really flagrant. If they have a new toy over there, they've had their little fun with it. But if they play with it some more, our young President may go over and kick their little butts for them.
'Something flagrant,' Brent said, thinking to himself.
'That's what I like about our boy President,' Curtis said, his voice growing suddenly exuberant. 'He's a politician and a half, but you can rile him. Just like his ol' football quarterback days-he's all finesse, pretty moves, bobbing and weavin', until he's behind by a touchdown and a field goal. Then he starts throwin' the bomb, going' for the score.'
Brent looked at Curtis and shook his head. 'God help us,' he said, 'if he goes all the way'
THE UNITED NATIONS. NEW YORK
'This emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council is hereby called to order,' Ian McCaan, the United Nations Secretary-General and ambassador from Ireland, announced. It was almost eleven Pm.in New York. Most of the fifteen delegates and their aides and secretaries held steaming cups of coffee or tea. A few wore angry, tired faces. A few looked anxiously at, it was certain, the two principals for which this meeting was called-Gregory Adams, the ambassador from the United States, and Dmitri Karmarov, the Soviet ambassador.
'Let the record show,' McCaan continued, his Irish brogue thick despite two decades spent in the United Sates, 'that this meeting was urgently requested by the government of the United States of America under Provision Nine, unprovoked and excessive use of military force against an unarmed vessel or aircraft near territorial boundaries. The charge of violation of Provision Nine is hereby submitted. The United States delegation has asked that this meeting be closed to all but Security council members, although confidential audio transcripts of this emergency meeting will be made available to all member nations. Ambassador Adams, please proceed with specifications of the charge.'
Gregory Adams adjusted his microphone and looked around the table at the other fourteen delegates. This was not a receptive audience. The Russian ambassador looked completely bored. The other delegates looked equally uninterested, and now Adams began to question the wisdom of calling an emergency meeting under these circumstances. Adjusting the dark horn-rimmed glasses that he wore to make himself look older, he cleared his throat and began: 'Thank you, Mr. Secretary-General. On the night of November thirteenth, two nights ago, an unarmed American RC- 1 35 reconnaissance aircraft was making a routine patrol of the eastern shore of the Kamchatka peninsula of the Soviet Union. The aircraft had been on a peaceful training mission 'I'm sorry, Mr. Adams,' Dmitri Kartnarov interrupted, holding his translator earpiece closer to his left ear. He smiled and said in English, 'The interpreter has told me that the RC135 was on a training mission. I wish to be clear on this point-is that the same as a spy mission, sir?'
'American aircraft of all types fly near shores all over the world for a variety of reasons, Ambassador,' Adams replied.
'This particular RC-135 was on a training and routine survey mission, collecting signal coverage data for satellite navigation units for civil and military use.'
'Navigation information!' Karmarov's sixty-one-year-old face fairly cracked with suppressed laughter. He made an exaggerated point of hiding his face and choking down a chuckle. 'Navigation information very well, Mr. Adams. I apologize for the interruption. 'Another stifled laugh. The rest of the delegates, although not suppressing any laughter, clearly did not believe for one moment Adams' excuse for the RC-135's mission. Its capabilities were well known.
'That aircraft,' Adams said, much louder this time,' was destroyed.
Suddenly, without warning and without provocation. 'Adams looked at the faces of the other delegates, but found nothing in their blank expressions. 'This poses a threat to air traffic for all of us, gentlemen. It was not over Soviet airspace-' 'Incorrect, Ambassador Adams,' Karmarov asked. 'I have a report from our air defense radar tracking station at Kommandorskiy Island and Ossora Airbase on Ust-Kamchatka. They i; report the RC- 135 aircraft came within thirty-three miles of our shore 'Thirty-three miles,' Adams retorted, 'is hardly over Soviet airspace.
'Not according to the International Civil Aeronautics Organization,' Karmarov asked. 'Article Seventeen, Chapter one-thirty-one, establishes a one-hundred-and-twenty-mile-wide Air Defense Identification Zone around countries that have borders on open ocean. Flight is prohibited in the Zone without permission from the country controlling that Zone.
I believe I can safely assume that your RC- 135 did not have permission to enter that area 'Flight is not prohibited in an Air Defense Zone,' Adams said. He referred to a folder his aide passed to him.
'According to paragraph one-thirty-seven of the ICAO regulations, Ambassador, aircraft entering an ADIZ without permission or proper identification risk engagement of a country's sea or air defense forces for the express purpose of positive aircraft identification and precise position, altitude, airspeed, and heading verification only. They can proceed through the area as long as they do not pose a threat to air traffic or national security. They are certainly not to be fired on.'
'An American military jet the size of the one that intruded into our airspace is most definitely a threat to our security, sir, Karmarov asked. 'The Article specifies that, if the intruding aircraft is military and has the capability of carrying long-range air-to-air or air-to-ground weapons, it may be turned away from land, challenged, forced to land, or fired on. 'Karmarov pointed a finger directly at Adams. 'It was you who risked disaster, not us.'
'The RC-135 has no capability of carrying weapons.'
'Positive identification of the aircraft was never made until your government contacted us, sir,' Karmarov asked. 'It followed an unusual flight path for a spy plane-not the usual course. Considering the sensitive nature of our activities in that area, I believe the Soviet government acted with considerable restraint.'
'Restraint!' Adams said. He contorted his face to display the maximum in indignation.
'You destroyed that aircraft. You fired on it without warning, without any consideration of any of the lives on board. You murdered twelve innocent men and women. An unarmed aircraft carrying out a peaceful mission!'
'I caution you to keep your wild accusations in check, Mr. Adams,' Karmarov said, louder this time. 'We deny any involvement with the missing aircraft except to warn that aircraft out of Soviet airspace.
We did not know the exact identity of the aircraft until your Department of Defense notified us of the disaster. We immediately initiated an air and sea search for the aircraft. We do not know what happened to your spy plane. Do not put the blame for your unfortunate disaster on the hands of the innocent Soviet people.'
'The RC-135 aircraft reported unusual radar emissions tracking it, just before it was attacked,' Adams asked. 'The crew believed it was target-tracking radar signals from a ffound radar installation preparing to attack.'
'Show us the data, then,' Karmarov asked. 'You say it was a hostile radar. We say we had nothing but surveillance radars on the aircraft.
Show us the data that you say exist, Ambassador Adams. Confront the accused with the evidence-if you can.'
'Mr. Adams?' McCaan said, peering over his podium to the American delegate's seat. 'Can you at this time provide the Council with this information?'
'The crucial information is being collected for presentation, Mr. Secretary-General.'
