President Crawford heard the American ambassador to the United Nations sigh. “What he didn’t say was when. I am speculating, Mr. President, but I think if we keep the political pressure on, Algeria will release our citizens soon.”
“Alex, I hope you’re right, but I do not intend to wait much longer.
The press is comparing Algiers to Tehran under Jimmy Carter. According to Bob Gilfort, Westerners are still being forced into the compound.
The ambassador there is rationing food and water, and attributes six deaths since yesterday to cholera.” President Crawford sighed in return. “Alex, the newspapers are crucifying the administration. I may have to send in the military to take the pressure off us.”
Franco touched President Crawford on his arm and shook his head.
President Crawford scowled, shifted the phone to his left hand, and continued. “What are your thoughts on this new Algerian ambassador?
Why does he want to address the General Assembly? Will he honor his word on the plight of our citizens?”
“I don’t know the answer to any of those questions yet, Mr. President.
This unusual request to address the full body, plus the world attention on the situation at the American embassy in Algiers, gives him an opportunity to show a humanitarian side to the chaos in that country,” Ambassador Cannets added.
“Alex, I hope you’re right. For your information, this morning I gave orders to prepare to evacuate our citizens regardless of whether we have permission to go in or not. I am holding off the execute order to see what Ambassador Mintab has to say. It is the only thing holding me back.”
“I take it then, Mr. President, our forces are already in the area.
This morning on CNN they said that mines in the Red Sea sank the USS Roosevelt and that the USS Stennis was blockaded west of the Strait of Gibraltar because the strait is mined.
What’s going on, sir? Is there anything you can tell me before the speech begins? I have already had the British and Canadian ambassadors asking me questions about the newscast. Australia and New Zealand will also support our position, but they’re half a world away.”
The president glanced down at the STE telephone to confirm the digital readout. Seeing “TOP SECRET CODE WORD” displayed, he continued. “Alex, CNN, for once, is wrong. This is top secret, so it’s close hold, though I suspect the news agencies will know soon enough. The aircraft carrier Roosevelt was not sunk. As you know, the Egyptians closed the Suez Canal based on some story about it being mined. But Farbros told me that the CIA believes it’s a fabricated story to keep the Roosevelt battle group from entering the Med.
“We didn’t force the issue because by then we had redirected the USS Roosevelt to reverse course and join the Seventh Fleet off Korea. When the Roosevelt battle group hit that narrow strip of water, linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, the lead destroyer hit a mine.”
President Crawford stopped and covered the mouthpiece.
“Franco, what’s that area called?”
“The Bab El Mandeb, sir,” the director of the CIA, Farbros Digby-Jones, answered before Franco could respond.
President Crawford removed his hand. “Yeah, that’s it. The Bab El Mandeb, Alex. The destroyer suffered considerable damage. The battle group turned north after saving the destroyer, and about five miles later several torpedo mines hit the Roosevelt. She is damaged, but still under her own power. You can’t sink a major ship of the line like a carrier without a lot of effort. Commander United States Naval Forces Central Command in Bahrain reports that the United States Fifth Fleet has dispatched three minesweepers from the Persian Gulf to the area, and we expect them to arrive day after tomorrow. I’m told it’ll take two days to clear a path through the mines. Even so, the Roosevelt cannot continue to Korea. The Navy is ordering her to Singapore for repairs.”
As for the USS Stennis …” Crawford chuckled. “A piece of good news through all of these misfortunes. You’ll love ins this story, Alex, being a former Naval officer.
Captain Hoi man, the commanding officer of the USS Stennis, had a destroyer tow the carrier through the strait while the battle group hugged the Moroccan coast.”
“What did the Moroccans do, Mr. President?”
“They didn’t do a damn thing, Alex. Holman had F-14s and F-18s swarming overhead the battle group like angry hornets. He made the submarine do-the transit on the surface. The message sent to Sixth Fleet and to JCS indicates that Captain Holman believes the mines are keyed to magnetic-field size and sound-level intensity, whatever that means. He says that’s why the submarine that attacked them was sunk.
Oh, Alex, you can share that information about the evacuation and the minefields with the British, Canadians, Australians, and New Zealand. But don’t do it until after five o’clock this afternoon. The Royal Navy carrier was towed through the same way after Holman shared the information with them.”
“So, the Nassau battle group, full of Marines, and the Stennis battle group, with its air wing, are together?”
“Hold on a minute, Alex, I am going to put you on speaker phone.”
Crawford hit the speaker so Alex could hear. “Franco, are the two battle groups together yet?”
“Not physically together, sir.” Franco turned to General PA glefield, who was sitting in the second row. “General, what is the status of the two battle groups in the Mediterranean?”
General Eaglefield nodded to the chief of Naval Operations sitting beside him.
“Mr. President,” Admiral Farmer answered. “They’re close enough to conduct operations. Stennis sailed past the southeastern tip of Spain two hours ago, and Nassau, forty nautical miles north of Algiers, is closing the city.”
General Eaglefield added, “Kenneth Sutherland, Commander European Command, has designated Admiral Cameron as the Commander Joint Task Force, Mr. President. Feedback from Stuttgart estimates that the Navy and Air Force assets will be in position by this afternoon to commence an evacuation when ordered. We will receive word when preparations are completed. At that time, Mr. President, when you give the go-ahead, they’ll go.”
“Not when,” Franco interjected. “Not when, General, but if.” “Alex,” the president continued. “Did you hear all that?”
“Yes, sir, Mr. President. Do you want me to say anything to the Algerian ambassador? A warning or anything?”
Admiral Farmer, sitting to the left of General Eaglefield, touched Franco’s shoulder and shook his head vehemently. Franco nodded, touched President Crawford, and mouthed
“No.”
“No, Alex,” the president replied, watching Franco’s lips. “Let’s see what he has to say. How much longer before he begins?”
“Five minutes, Mr. President. His name is Ahmid Tawali Mintab. He arrived at the General Assembly about twenty minutes ago, and has been engaged in animated conversation with the other new ambassadors from Morocco and Tunisia and with the acting Libyan ambassador. I asked the CIA for a bio on him, but have yet to receive a reply.”
The president leaned back in his chair and turned around to Farbros Digby-Jones. “Farbros, you have anything on this new ambassador?”
“No, sir, Mr. President. Our databases do not have an Algerian politician or revolutionary by that name. The only person we can find by that name is a minor functionary in the Libyan foreign service, but nothing that ties him to Algeria. The Army provided that information, and I don’t know where they got it.” “Okay, Alex,” Crawford continued, speaking firmly. “We’re going to watch the speech from the White House. This phone patch will be kept open and you can talk directly to Bob Gilfort, Franco, or me. Do not let anyone know that I am on the other end. But if we don’t like what we hear, then the next phone call will be from General Eaglefield to the European Command. We are bringing out our citizens, with or without the help of the Algerian government.” He glanced over at Roger Maddock, who nodded once in quick agreement. “Okay, Alex, I’ll talk with you later.”