Executive orders - Tom Clancy [268]
Overall picture? Ryan asked.
Could just be routine, but we wish their timing was a little better. They're not overtly pushing anything.
And until they do, we don't push back. Okay, we take no official notice of this exercise. Let's keep our deployments quiet. No press releases, no briefings to the media. If we get any questions, it's no big deal.
Goodley nodded. That's the plan, Mr. President.
Next, Iraq, again, we have little in the way of direct information. Local TV is on a religious kick. It's all Shi'a. The Iranian clergymen we've been seeing are getting a lot of air time. The TV news coverage is almost entirely religion-based. The anchors are getting rhapsodic. The executions are done. We don't have a full body count, but it's over one hundred. That appears to be over. The Ba'ath leadership is gone for good. The littler fish are in the can. There was some stuff about how merciful the provisional government was to the 'lesser criminals'-that's a quote. The 'mercy' is religiously justified, and it seems that some of the 'lesser criminals' have come back to Jesus-excuse me, back to Allah-in one big hurry. There's TV pictures of them sitting with an imam and discussing their misdeeds.
Next indicator, we're seeing more organized activity within the Iranian military. Troops are training. We're getting intercepts of tactical radio traffic. It's routine, but there's a lot of it. They had an all-nighter at Foggy Bottom to go over all this stuff. The Under Secretary for Political Affairs, Rutledge, set it up. He evidently ran the I and R division pretty ragged. The State Department's Office of Intelligence and Research was the smaller and much poorer cousin to the intelligence community, but in it were a handful of very astute analysts whose diplomatic perspective occasionally gave insights the intelligence community missed.
Conclusions? Jack asked. From the all-nighter, I mean.
None. Of course, Goodley could have added, but didn't. I'll be talking to them in an hour or so.
Pay attention to what I and R says. Pay particular attention to-
Bert Vasco. Yes, Goodley agreed. He's all right, but I'll bet the seventh floor is giving him a pain in the ass. I talked to him twenty minutes ago. He says, are you ready, forty-eight hours. Nobody agrees with that. Nobody, CARDSHARP emphasized.
But ? Ryan rocked back in his chair.
But I won't bet against him, boss. I have nothing to support his assessment. Our desk people at CIA don't agree. State won't back him up-they didn't even give it to me; I got it from Vasco directly, okay? But, you know, I am not going to say he's wrong. Goodley paused, realizing that he was not sounding like every other NIO. We have to consider this one, boss. Vasco has good instincts, and he's got balls, too.
We'll know quickly enough. Right or wrong, I agree that he's the best guy over there. Make sure Adler talks to him, and tell Scott I don't want him stomped, regardless of how it turns out.
Ben nodded emphatically as he made a note. Vasco gets high-level protection. I like that, sir. It might even encourage other people to make a gut call once in a while.
The Saudis?
Nothing from them. Almost like they're catatonic. I think they're afraid to ask for any help until there's a reason for it.
Call Ali within the hour, the President ordered. I want his opinion.
Yes, sir.
And if he wants to talk to me, at any time, night or day, tell him he's my friend, and I always have time for him.
And that's the morning news, sir. He rose and stopped. Who ever decided on CARDSHARP, by the way?
We did, Price said from the far end of the room. Her left hand went up to her earpiece. It's in your file. You evidently played a good game of poker in your frat house.
I won't ask you what my girlfriends said about me, the acting National Security Advisor said, on his way out the door.
I didn't know that, Andrea.
He's even won some money at Atlantic City. Everybody underestimates him 'cause of his age. TRADER just pulled in.
Ryan checked his agenda.