The Right War

General Jack Lewis, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, watches the television in disgust as a new president of the United States takes the oath of office. General Lewis does not favor one political party over the other, or one politician over another – he dislikes them all. But this candidate won the 2000 presidential election in what General Lewis considered to be the most offensive way possible. The candidate objected to counting thousands of mail-in ballots from service members stationed overseas because they were received two days past the deadline, and the U.S. Supreme Court agreed with him.

Military personnel at bases in the U.S. and around the globe protest the election, and those protests expand as the new administration insists on harsh punishment for all involved. Concerns about the threat to the security of the nation caused by the growing unrest add to General Lewis’ contempt for the administration, and lead him to contemplate the possible necessity of a military takeover of the government. The few officers he takes into his confidence as he formulates a plan for the takeover believe they are just placating an angry, old general on the eve of his retirement. An event that could lead to a military coup in the United States of America is simply unthinkable to them – until the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

The September 11th attacks trigger the military takeover, which in turn gives the military free reign to design a response to those attacks without concern for political limitations or diplomatic protocols. That response is quickly launched, brutally executed, and swiftly ended. It exacts just retribution and sends a message to the world about the price of harboring terrorists who would do harm to the U.S. This response did not include an invasion and occupation of Afghanistan because General Lewis knew that country’s history. No foreign power had invaded, occupied and implemented long term changes to Afghanistan’s political structure and culture since Genghis Kahn in 1220.

As he is preparing for the attack on Afghanistan, General Lewis takes the initial steps towards returning the U.S. to civilian rule. But the general is about to learn that Washington D.C. can be every bit as perilous as a battlefield.