“The update on the unit movements we previously discussed is a good one. A brigade from the 3rd Infantry arrived in Saudi Arabia yesterday. It took almost every cargo plane the Air Force has, but with them, they brought a full complement of armored vehicles. That’s over one hundred Abrams tanks and one hundred Bradley Fighting Vehicles. They’re presently headed toward the front lines. Another 3rd Infantry brigade’s loading onto those same transports as we speak. Five thousand French troops have arrived along with half as many British. More are on the way. The last of the 1st Cavalry have loaded onto ships in Galveston. The first elements of the 10th Mountain and 101st Airborne Divisions are scheduled to sail from Bayonne and Norfolk tonight.”
“How long before they’ll reach the Middle East?”
“With the extensive damage to the Suez Canal we’ll have to go around the Cape of Good Hope to reach Saudi Arabia. Even at top speed, it could take ten days.”
“Ten days? No sooner?”
“No, sir, not if you want them in Saudi Arabia. By ship it’ll take at least that long. We could place them in Egypt in seven, maybe less.”
“Are the British firm on their commitment to land two armored divisions in North Africa by this time next week?”
“Yes, sir,” General Greer said.
“Then let’s leave it up to the British to support our forces in Egypt. I’m still worried about Saudi Arabia. We’ve got to get significant help there as quickly as we can.”
“We’re trying, Mr. President.”
The president turned to the director of Homeland Security. “Jim, what about terrorist attacks?”
“There’ve been six suicide bombings in Europe in the past twenty-four hours, and three in this country. Boston, Atlanta, and Los Angeles were all targeted. The FBI foiled the Atlanta attack. But the other two succeeded, I’m afraid. We’re doing everything humanly possible. Even so, there’s no way we can get them all.”
The president shook his head. His frustration was obvious. He looked at the chairman of the Joint Chiefs. “All right, General, go on with your report on our troop movements.”
“The last pair of fighter wings on the East Coast left early this morning. They’ll arrive in the Middle East in another four hours.”
“Are our aircraft losses as high today as they were yesterday?”
“I’m afraid so, Mr. President. Eight more in the past twenty-four hours. But you shouldn’t overly concern yourself with the air portion of the war. The Chosen One’s forces have shown an uncanny ability to use their huge supply of Stinger missiles and Russian-made air defense systems to destroy our aircraft. Still, our operations folks believe we’ve got more than enough airpower to maintain control of the skies over the entire war zone.”
“If that’s the case, should I cancel the activation of the Air National Guard?”
“Not at all, Mr. President. If the war runs beyond what we’ve projected, or our losses increase, we might need them all. The same goes for the Army National Guard.”
“Okay, continue the mobilization process. Anything else?”
“One more note, Mr. President. The final battalion of Patriot air defense missiles left El Paso yesterday morning and arrived in Saudi Arabia late last night. The battalion’s four firing batteries are in place and fully operational. In fact, one already knocked down three Scud missiles headed for Riyadh. We’re convinced the reason the Iraqi and Iranian air forces haven’t attempted to enter Saudi or Kuwaiti air space is because of their fear of the Patriots.”
“That’s something I’ll definitely mention during today’s press briefing.”
“Do that, Mr. President. And tell them one more thing. Not a Saudi city’s been touched. The same goes for Israel. We’ve put a steel curtain in front of every critical Middle Eastern country. If it weren’t for the Patriots, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem would’ve been reduced to rubble early in the war. If that had happened the Israelis would’ve had no choice but to attack the Iraqis and Iranians.”
“What a mess that would be. We’ll never extricate ourselves from this situation if the Israelis become any more involved than they already are.”
“No doubt, Mr. President.”
“Except for our snail’s pace in getting ground forces in place, it sounds like things are going as well as we could hope. General, can’t we do anything to get our men and equipment over there quicker?”
“No chance, Mr. President,” Greer said. “We just don’t have the capabilities to get combat units from Europe or America to where we need them. We’re doing everything we can. Still our options are limited.”
“We’ve no other solutions?”
“There’s a partial one, Mr. President,” the secretary of defense said. “But you’re not going to like it.”
“What’s that?”
“Implement the War Powers Act. Take control of our merchant shipping fleet and our commercial airliners. It also wouldn’t hurt if you got your hands on every cruise ship you can find. You’ve the power to do so, and quite honestly, sir, if you don’t, we might lose this war.”
“But if I seize our commercial aircraft, I’ll basically shut this country down. Think of the consequences to our economy. It could take months to recover from such a decision.”
“It’s still better than the other outcome,” the secretary of defense said. “What are the consequences if we lose and the Pan-Arabs control the entire Middle East? Without those oil fields, the world’s economy will never recover. Mourad won’t have to raise a finger to fulfill his promise of dragging us back to the seventh century. With all that oil gone, it wouldn’t be long before the world finds itself back there on its own.”
“Anyone heard the cost of gas this morning?” the president asked.
“Seven dollars a gallon in some places,” the director of the CIA replied. “Projected to double in the next two weeks.”
“Fourteen dollars,” the president said. “Hell, that alone will shut us down. Are the rest of you in agreement with the secretary of defense’s analysis? Should I seize control of our commercial airline industry?”
“Yes, Mr. President,” the secretary of Homeland Security said. “I hate to admit it, but we need to do so. Invoke the War Powers Act and take control over this country’s aircraft.”
“Will we need them all?” the president asked.
“No, Mr. President,” the secretary of defense said. “All of the merchant and cruise ships. Probably half to two-thirds of the aircraft. The shorter-range stuff like the 737s won’t be of much use to us. We’ll need some of them, but can allow most to remain in the hands of the airlines. Still I’d like to see us get our hands on all the longer-range planes.”
The president paused. His answer was a reluctant one. “All right, I’ll announce the implementation of the War Powers Act at my noon press conference. That’ll give me time to notify the heads of the major airlines before they hear it from the media. At two o’clock, all normal aircraft traffic in this country will be suspended.”
“That’s fine, Mr. President,” the secretary of defense said. “I’ll make sure Military Airlift Command is ready.”
“Okay, General Greer, the shipping and aircraft fleets are yours. What’re you going to do with them?”
“With the airliners at our disposal, I’d recommend we take a serious look at Egypt.”
“I’m almost afraid to ask,” the president said. “What’s the latest word from Cairo?”
“Green Berets blew up every bridge over the Nile this morning. It slowed the Chosen One’s advance. But it didn’t stop him. The western part of the city’s under a fierce artillery bombardment. His followers are crossing the river in countless small boats. The Green Berets are engaged in vicious fighting to stem the tide. They’re making Mourad’s lunatics earn every inch. Nevertheless, Pan-Arab forces are moving farther into the city as we speak.”
?
??How much longer before everything collapses and Cairo surrenders?”
“We’ve got no more than forty-eight hours,” General Greer said. “The Egyptians are at their end. There’s not a single unit that hasn’t suffered significant casualties and desertions to the Mahdi’s side. Some, even as large as regimental size, have switched en masse.”
“Is there anything we can do? Anything that will keep Egypt from being destroyed?”
“With the airliners we can have fifteen thousand of our best men in the Egyptian capital by this time tomorrow.”
“How?”