Chapter 1 / Page 3

“Approximately twelve hours ago, this series of photos was taken by an unscheduled U-2 flight. This particular flight followed the course of the Tigris River from Baghdad to the Shat al Arab.” A red dotted border drew a southeastern line from the center of Iraq to the narrow access Saddam had to the Persian Gulf and ultimately to Western ports. It made sense to run unscheduled U-2 reconnaissance flights, because Saddam had certainly bought the overflight schedules for American satellites from our steadfast allies in the Russian Federation—or maybe it was the French. Brian mused how long it would be before Tony Blair, the British Prime Minister, would tire of this expensive game. The screen switched to the hazy graininess associated with infrared and high altitude night vision photography.

“The U-2 continued into the Gulf for approximately one hundred klicks before turning west and landing inside Kuwait.” Brian wondered how many of the civilians did not know that klick was slang for kilometer. Regardless of Arab solidarity, Kuwait made sure the United States had whatever facilities it required to keep the nightmare to the north at bay. The Iraqi invasion during the 1990 summer had created an anomaly—pragmatic Arab leadership.

The next photo was a reconnaissance from some other time. It revealed the conning tower of a submarine with the number 404 clearly painted in white on the side. “This is a file photo of a Chinese Han Class PLAN naval submarine. It is a nuclear powered boat placed in service in 1988. It is comparable to a Russian Victor Class boat, and this particular boat is capable of launching surface-to-surface missiles.

“We know the Chinese do not take kindly to American battle groups paying close attention to their activities. In October 1994, J-7III fighters challenged an S-3B anti-submarine warfare plane from the Kitty Hawk. There are five known boats in this class, although the first boat—the 401—is not believed to be in service due to radiation leaks.” He paused as the screen dissolved into another photo from the U-2.

“Last night a Han Class boat—the 404—was spotted on the surface fifty klicks from the mouth of the Tigris River.” The screen dissolved to the overhead silhouette identified as a Han Class boat.