Executive Power by Vince Flynn

even-keeled Kennedy.
    â€œThat’s one of the most ludicrous things I’ve ever heard.”
    Kennedy resisted the urge to tell Jones that if she’d paid attention to her intelligence briefings she’d know that the idea was far from ludicrous. People in Washington had long memories and another thing Thomas Stansfield had taught her was to avoid making it personal. “Abu Sayyaf is not just some poor group of peasants. They receive millions in funding from various Muslim groups throughout the Middle East. Much of it comes from Saudi Arabia.”
    The president did not want to get into that mess right now so he focused his gray eyes on General Flood and asked, “Was General Moro informed by us of any aspect of the rescue mission prior to it being launched?”
    â€œNo,” answered Flood. “For reasons that are all too apparent, the plan was to keep the Philippine army in the dark until we were on our way out with the Andersons.” Flood shrugged. “We didn’t trust them enough to bring them in on it and if we didn’t ask for permission, they couldn’t say no.”
    The chief of staff rolled her eyes and said, “I’d hate to think what the U.S. Army would do if a foreign country conducted a military operation on American soil without our permission.”
    Rapp leaned forward, almost coming out of his chair entirely and looked angrily at Jones. “They wouldn’t have to, because we’d never allow a group of terrorists to kidnap foreign citizens in the United States. We’d go kick the door down and solve the problem before you even had enough time to collect polling data.”
    Jones stood and crossed her arms defiantly. “Mr. Rapp, we’re all aware that you are predisposed to using violence to solve a problem, but I would like to ask you where that has gotten us?” Not giving him a chance to reply she continued, “Our list of allies is shrinking. These little operations that you are so fond of have alienated some of our strongest supporters. The Filipinos are going to make some serious hay out of this, our own State Department is going to be livid with us for spying on them, and not letting them do their jobs, and before this is over”—she angrily pointed at Rapp—“you mark my words, there will be a congressional investigation into whose bonehead idea this whole thing was.”
    The blood rushed to Rapp’s face, though he was too tan for it to be apparent to the others in the room. He stood to face Jones eye to eye. It took all his self-control to speak somewhat evenly. “Valerie, you have great political instincts, but you are an absolute moron when it comes to issues of national security. Your ideas are dangerous, your logic is flawed and nothing I’ve heard you say here today is based on sound moral judgment.”
    â€œMoral judgment?” she asked snidely. “You’re going to lecture me on morality?”
    The implication was clear. Rapp was a killer and thus should forfeit his right to judge. He ignored her condescension and said, “Here are the facts, Valerie. A family of American citizens was on vacation and were kidnapped by a well-known terrorist group that is a self-admitted sworn enemy of the United States. We now know that the Philippine general in charge of freeing those hostages is taking bribes from the terrorists who hold them. We know that a decision was made to use U.S. Special Forces to free the hostages. That decision was completely legal and made by none other than the commander in chief.” Rapp pointed at the president. “Part of those operational orders were that neither our embassy in the Philippines nor the Philippine government were to be informed of the rescue operation. Two senior State Department officials willingly disregarded those orders and as a direct result a platoon of SEALs was ambushed on a beach two nights ago.”
    With her arms folded