This military-political novel assumes that someone other than Bill Clinton, or George Bush, was elected president in 1992 and re-elected in 1996.  Two military systems which were conceived but not developed play integral roles in the story.  AIMS is a fictional name for an Army supply system to replace the one used in the Gulf War.  MICIS, also a fictional acronym, is a helmet-mounted, mini-camera system which was supposed to give a ground commander a real-time look at the battlefield.  In both cases, better systems were actually fielded.

            The is a story of the often conflicting motivations between the president and his appointed political advisors and his senior military advisors who are charged to render their best military advice to the commander-in-chief irrespective of personal consequences.  It is also an intimate look at the inter- and intra-Service relationships among generals and admirals.
            Following his re-election, the President is concerned with his historical legacy.  He wants to be remembered as a man of peace and prosperity but the admonition that it takes a war to make a great president nags at him.  Saddam Hussein is still defying UN sanctions and probing America’s willingness to maintain the no-fly zones.  The intelligence community is divided as to his intentions.  There are reasons to believe Saddam may try to annex Kuwait again.
            Vice President Downing and his oil conglomerate associates want access to Iraqi oil.  The President’s newest protégé and Under Secretary of Defense, B. Charles Summers, pushes to eliminate Saddam any way possible.  Summers believes that Saddam is part of a loose federation of Arab nations and international terrorists who are determined to destroy Israel and Israel’s chief supporter, the United States.  Summers suggests assassinating Saddam, an idea which Army Chief of Staff General James MacDougall regards as immoral and illegal.
            When confrontation with Saddam seems likely, MacDougall secretly sends his senior logistician, Lieutenant General Bob Groves, to Kuwait to begin preparations.  Groves wants to be MacDougall’s replacement and believes his mentor, General Jimmy Plunkett, may help his chances.  Groves is the antithesis of MacDougall.  He reports that AIMS is fully functional when it isn’t, takes a mistress in Kuwait, and in a fit of rage unknowingly chews out the VP’s nephew.
MacDougall is in line to become the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs but by opposing Downing and Summers, he essentially removes himself from contention.  General Plunkett, Commander of Central Command, becomes the next viable candidate for Chairman, although an alliance between Downing and Admiral Storm threatens that nomination.  Plunkett is determined to rid the world of Saddam and uses the MICIS system to trick the President into believing Saddam is attacking Kuwait.
            The United States massive two pronged attack against Iraq leaves no forces in reserve to counter other potential hot spots.  As the President is being sworn-in for his second inauguration, the world situation destabilizes.  U.S. forces in Macedonia are overrun.  Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Syria begin massing troops against Israel.  With the assistance of China, North Korea attacks South Korea.  The President is forced to threaten these countries with the only option he has left— nuclear strikes.  The world holds its breath as the possibility of nuclear winter weighs in the balance.  U.S. forces withdraw and the other countries stand down but the President’s dream of a legacy of peace and prosperity is destroyed.

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ISBN: 0-595-49285-1.
Size/Weight: 6x9 / 282  pages