“If there were any civilians who were hurt as a result of our actions we did not do it,” he stated in his only scripted response hoping he got the wording correct. He was sure he was close enough.
“Captain, follow up please, that seems to be a very definitive statement. Will those video feeds be made available to the press at some point?” the reporter asked, also scripted in his follow up question.
“I am afraid that much of what can be seen on those feeds gets into our capabilities for some very special units, and specific equipment. To release those videos to you also gives information concerning our operational capabilities to our enemy, and that could cost American lives on the battlefield. I wish we could release it to prove what I have said to you. I have been told once this war is over that a degraded version will be released. Until then you will just have to take my word on it,” he said.
He looked down the rows of reporters, “Unfortunately, thanks to the lights and camera flashes, I can’t read much in the way of name badges until my eyes adjust, and I’m afraid I haven’t been personally introduced to any of you. Let’s just do it the easy way. Second row, third from my right. I have no idea who you, are or where you work, but what do you have for me?” he asked.
The pressroom responded with a mild bit of polite laughter, Frank breathed a sigh of relief that they weren’t annoyed at his freewheeling style, “Captain, thank you for coming out and answering questions. Vincent Boyle from MSNBC. We learned today you and your men took a POW while on this mission. The Iranians have said you kidnapped a private citizen, can you comment?”
“Yes, we took an important POW on that mission. We are currently at a state of war with Iran. These types of things happen. What I can tell you is that the man has been treated within the bounds of every international convention to which we are a signatory. His rights have not been violated, and he has been treated very well,” he said.
“Captain, follow up, the Iranians are also saying that this man’s profession is nuclear physics, but his entire program was in support of their peaceful power generating capabilities at nuclear power plants. They say that he was no threat to anyone, and a very old man. Can you respond to these Iranians claims?” asked the MSNBC man.
Frank was a bit disturbed by this question and could sense he was walking into one of those traps that the Press Secretary warned him about. He knew if it started to go badly there was a signal to watch for, if he saw it that would mean wrap it up and the press conference would quickly end, but this kind of loaded question bothered him. He had to speak his mind, which the President had instructed him to do.
“Well, I am not a nuclear scientist but I am a graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point. I took the basic science classes there and I have read many books, both before and after I graduated from the Academy on subjects surrounding these devices. As I understand it the difference between nuclear reactors and nuclear bombs is not much more than control and starting material. It is harder in some ways to keep that control to build a reactor rather than it is lose control and build a bomb.
“Perhaps he did build reactors, but anyone who can build a reactor could, in all likelihood, build a bomb if you have access to the material needed. The difference is specifically in the type of Uranium they used, as those bombs are very simple to construct, but difficult to get the material.
“Getting the Uranium to the right purity levels is the really difficult part. So, ok, sure, maybe he was working on peaceful things, maybe not. I am sure through interviews with him we will find that out. If he was just doing peaceful things he will be sent home.
“However, I have personally been to Dallas, seen what they did there, and it didn’t seem very peaceful to me. So, if grabbing a man for a few weeks, and treating him nicely just to later have him returned home if we are wrong is bad, then I will personally apologize to him and escort him back to his home, or at least to the border of Iran. If we were right, then I for one am glad he is off the streets.”
“Besides, does anyone really, truly believe that multi-decade old, Iranian response of ‘we need peaceful nuclear power,’ they have so much oil that I personally just don’t buy their argument. They have wanted nuclear weapons for a long time, they have publically stated that they would use those sought after nuclear weapons in the exact fashion they did, and they have said it for years. All the while we have listened to multiple debates about should we leave them alone or not.
“Well, they attacked us. We have to attack back in order to prevent them from doing it again, in the process we must save Israel, who is an allied nation, and keep OUR innocent civilians safe,” he finished, hoping he didn’t go too far.
“Ok, who is next,” he started to get his groove, “Fox News, we haven’t called on you yet.”
“Captain Banner, may we ask what you are going to do next?” the reporter asked.
He was grateful for the softball question, “Well I just recently became engaged to be married to the lovely lady behind me, Sandra Cooper, a nurse, who worked in an emergency room near the Dallas blast site. She was on duty the day of the bombing. Someday you should ask her about it, but not today. To answer your question, I think taking a few weeks of earned leave is appropriate. I have a lot of vacation time racked up so I intend to take a bit of it.
“The President tells me I am supposed to go and do a press tour giving no one an exclusive, and everyone an interview. After that, I am sure I’ll be exhausted, and really in need that vacation. Now if the American people want to see a true hero, it is the medical personnel, such as her, that tried to patch people up after the bombing. They worked to the point of exhaustion, and did a fantastic job saving many lives.”
“When can we speak to Miss Cooper?” someone called from the back.
“We talked about that before I came out here and she said, not today, but I am certain at some point you will get a chance at her. However, be nice, remember I am in the Special Forces, I have a lot of friends who are, and I tend to be a bit protective,” he said with a wink and a nod hoping he hadn’t gone one step too far.
The press laughed for the second time, which was highly unusual. They appeared to like him and he was certainly relieved by that.
The Press Secretary stepped back to the podium, “Thank you Captain. The schedule for his additional, one on one interviews will be worked through my office, but he will be doing sit downs with all of the networks who have White House Press credentials in the coming days.”
Frank had already left the room and was making his way into the hallway. The President was waiting at the end of the corridor giving him the thumbs up. After a quick smile the two men headed in different directions for the continuation of what was sure to be a very long day ahead.
AP NEWS FLASH: The White House trotted out the Captain whose face appeared on the Iranian press releases with the claim he killed innocent civilians while on a renegade mission. The US denies these claims and The White House is making the military man and his fiancé available for further interviews. Schedule for this is to be released soon. Response from the press in the room is that the man is only hiding the information needed for national security, and there is no validity to any of the claims to the contrary of his statements. His fiancé will be made available for interview as to the state of the Emergency Rooms following the bombing in Texas as well. She was working as an Emergency Room nurse who was on duty when the attack occurred. Together the two make the quintessential American couple.