was Leland’s boy, appointed only to appease the senator, who demanded a presence in the administration in return for political peace. “The National Intelligence Officer for Warning has declared a WATCHCON I for the Persian Gulf,” Serick said. “The president is on her way and should be here any moment.” They waited in silence, each drawn into his or her own personal world of doubts, fears, and concerns about what the next few days would bring.
The president entered. “Thank you for all responding so quickly,” she said. She took her seat opposite the big computer monitor. The DCI stood as the screen scrolled to a map of the Arabian Peninsula. He pointed to the Iraqi-Saudi border 135 miles west of Kuwait. “The combined UIF ground-force strength has reached corps levels in this area. The necessary logistics infrastructure is in place and fully functional. These forces could move in a southerly direction at any time with no warning.”
“It looks like a good place to hold an exercise,” Vice President Kennett said. “And it is a fair distance from the oil fields.”
Merritt coughed. “There’s nothing between them and Riyadh except some sand dunes.” Silence.
General Wilding finally spoke. “King Khalid Military City is in their way, which we have been quietly reinforcing.”
“What’s the latest satellite coverage?” the president asked.
The DCI spoke into his intercom, and a heavy cloud cover appeared on the screen. He listened for a moment before speaking. “We are experiencing a most unusual weather pattern for this time of year.”
“Coincidence?” Butler said in a low voice.
“And what happened with that new Keyhole satellite with the wide-aperture synthetic radar?” Serick asked. “Can’t it penetrate the cloud deck?”
“Indeed it can,” the DCI replied. “But it’s currently positioned to monitor China’s nuclear tests. Unfortunately, it’s low on fuel, which the National Reconnaissance Office is reluctant to use until the shuttle resupplies it later this month.”
“Coincidence?” Butler repeated, a shade louder.
“It would be nice to know what is going on under those clouds,” Turner said.
“Madam President,” General Wilding said, “we’ll know more in a few hours without repositioning the satellite.” Every head turned toward the four-star general. “The Air Force has been developing an F-117 Stealth fighter as a reconnaissance platform. It carries a very sensitive high-resolution infrared imaging suite and is on its way to Saudi Arabia as we speak. It has the sensing capability to get up close and very personal. But we’ll have to wait for darkness.” He checked his watch. “It’s 0830 hours in Saudi. We should know something in another eighteen hours.”
“Why haven’t we deployed it sooner?” Kennett asked.
“Because,” Wilding said, “the Saudis have not given us permission to ramp up our capability until now.”
“It does make you wonder whose side they’re on,” Kennett muttered.
“The Saudis,” Butler said, “have been walking a political tightrope for years, buying off and appeasing their fundamentalists. But even they know when they’re about to get their ass kicked by their brother Muslims.”
“And they know who can help them,” Kennett added.
The door to the control room burst open, and the duty officer rushed in. “Madam President…” He pointed at the screen.
TANKS SUPPORTED BY APCS
MOVING IN FORCE ACROSS
IRAQI/SAUDI BORDER.
FORWARD OBSERVATION POSTS OVERRUN.
Serick came to his feet and leaned across the table. “The bastards!” Butler only stared at the screen, his worst fearsconfirmed. Kennett and Wilding looked at each other. The DCI contemplated mayhem. It was the worst intelligence failure since the CIA had missed the attack on the World Trade Center, and heads were going to roll. Mazie concentrated on Turner, who was staring at the screen, her face a frozen mask.
The secretary of defense seemed
The president entered. “Thank you for all responding so quickly,” she said. She took her seat opposite the big computer monitor. The DCI stood as the screen scrolled to a map of the Arabian Peninsula. He pointed to the Iraqi-Saudi border 135 miles west of Kuwait. “The combined UIF ground-force strength has reached corps levels in this area. The necessary logistics infrastructure is in place and fully functional. These forces could move in a southerly direction at any time with no warning.”
“It looks like a good place to hold an exercise,” Vice President Kennett said. “And it is a fair distance from the oil fields.”
Merritt coughed. “There’s nothing between them and Riyadh except some sand dunes.” Silence.
General Wilding finally spoke. “King Khalid Military City is in their way, which we have been quietly reinforcing.”
“What’s the latest satellite coverage?” the president asked.
The DCI spoke into his intercom, and a heavy cloud cover appeared on the screen. He listened for a moment before speaking. “We are experiencing a most unusual weather pattern for this time of year.”
“Coincidence?” Butler said in a low voice.
“And what happened with that new Keyhole satellite with the wide-aperture synthetic radar?” Serick asked. “Can’t it penetrate the cloud deck?”
“Indeed it can,” the DCI replied. “But it’s currently positioned to monitor China’s nuclear tests. Unfortunately, it’s low on fuel, which the National Reconnaissance Office is reluctant to use until the shuttle resupplies it later this month.”
“Coincidence?” Butler repeated, a shade louder.
“It would be nice to know what is going on under those clouds,” Turner said.
“Madam President,” General Wilding said, “we’ll know more in a few hours without repositioning the satellite.” Every head turned toward the four-star general. “The Air Force has been developing an F-117 Stealth fighter as a reconnaissance platform. It carries a very sensitive high-resolution infrared imaging suite and is on its way to Saudi Arabia as we speak. It has the sensing capability to get up close and very personal. But we’ll have to wait for darkness.” He checked his watch. “It’s 0830 hours in Saudi. We should know something in another eighteen hours.”
“Why haven’t we deployed it sooner?” Kennett asked.
“Because,” Wilding said, “the Saudis have not given us permission to ramp up our capability until now.”
“It does make you wonder whose side they’re on,” Kennett muttered.
“The Saudis,” Butler said, “have been walking a political tightrope for years, buying off and appeasing their fundamentalists. But even they know when they’re about to get their ass kicked by their brother Muslims.”
“And they know who can help them,” Kennett added.
The door to the control room burst open, and the duty officer rushed in. “Madam President…” He pointed at the screen.
TANKS SUPPORTED BY APCS
MOVING IN FORCE ACROSS
IRAQI/SAUDI BORDER.
FORWARD OBSERVATION POSTS OVERRUN.
Serick came to his feet and leaned across the table. “The bastards!” Butler only stared at the screen, his worst fearsconfirmed. Kennett and Wilding looked at each other. The DCI contemplated mayhem. It was the worst intelligence failure since the CIA had missed the attack on the World Trade Center, and heads were going to roll. Mazie concentrated on Turner, who was staring at the screen, her face a frozen mask.
The secretary of defense seemed
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