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answered, “I’m thinking now of addressing them in the next couple of days to summarize what has happened and what they can expect. It’s important that we quickly take off the table any expectation that oil rationing will be relaxed. Paradoxically, our oil supply situation during the embargo was probably better than we can expect it to be in the future because we had a strategic petroleum reserve to call on then that we don’t have now. It was also easier to get their support for rationing in wartime than it will be now that we are at peace. I’ll be working with China on a joint proposal at the UN calling for a continuation of the global oil rationing system we used during the embargo.”

Clayton listened to the heated discussion that followed and thought, This is going to be a hard sell to the American people. He next turned to Anthony Mullen for his CIA report. “Tony, what’s the latest from the CIA?”

“Mr. President,” Mullen responded, “There’s a new twist developing in the Middle East. Our intelligence has confirmed that the Iranians have been reinforcing the island of Abu Musa, near the entrance of the Strait of Hormuz, with surface-to-air and surface-to-ship missiles. Abu Musa, if you’ll recall, has been bitterly contested by Iran and the United Arab Emirates for years, and the UAE sees this as a threat to their security as well as to the oil lifeline through the strait. Before the Saudi embargo, over 20 percent of the world’s oil was flowing through the strait every day.”

“Thanks, Tony. It seems like we no sooner finish this war and we’re back at it again with our friends the Iranians. I’d like you to work out a scenario analysis for our NSC meeting tomorrow. In the meantime, I think we ought to have a squadron of F-22 Raptors make a few low passes over Abu Musa to remind the Iranians we know what they’re doing. This might also be a good issue on which to reestablish our relationship with the UAE, given their paranoid fear of Iran. I’m sure they’re also grateful we were able to prevent any dirty bomb-tipped cruise missiles from hitting their oil fields.”

As the clamor of varying opinions began again, Clayton thought, It doesn’t take long for the euphoria of victory to be overshadowed by the complexities of peace.

Walking back to the Oval Office with his brother after the meeting, Jack sighed and said, “It’s never over, is it, Clayton?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I mean just what I said, it’s never over. We no sooner finish one war than the seeds for the next one are sown. The Saudi War has been over for only hours, and we’re already back at it again with the Iranians. Like I said, Clayton, it’s never over.”

67

Camp David, Maryland

12 May 2018

The luscious signs of spring were everywhere as Lin Cheng and Clayton McCarty walked along one of the many rustic pathways at Camp David. It had been a long week for the two most powerful leaders in the world; their upcoming joint energy and climate-change presentation to the United Nations was the keynote topic of this informal Sino-American summit.

Camp David was an oasis in a turbulent world, and they welcomed the opportunity to recharge their batteries while working out last-minute details. “You’re getting to be quite the pro at addressing the American Congress, Cheng. Your speech to them on Wednesday was as powerful as the one you gave shortly after President Burkmeister’s funeral. What’s your secret? I need a little help myself.”

Laughing, Lin Cheng replied, “You’re no slouch yourself, Clayton. The speeches you gave my Politburo last November and your follow-up address to the nation were the talk of China long after you left.”

“How tough was it for you to stay a couple of steps ahead of your Politburo during the long embargo with the Saudis?”

“Let’s just say I had to exert maximum effort to keep them on board. I had a faction that wanted to cut a deal with Iran and let the United States and others fend for themselves. Some also felt we should use Israel as a lever to work a deal with Mustafa’s regime.”

“How’d you manage to keep them on board, if you