Chapter Fifty-Eight Before the Holidays

President Egan and Dean Hargrove are sitting on sofas in the Oval Office trying to second guess what Israel might be deciding relative to the President’s suggestion of a coordinated joint military venture. “The prime minister did say he would have an answer in two weeks,” says the chairman of the joint chiefs, “Which is tomorrow.”

“You know, Dean, if I were Yaakov, it would be very difficult for me to make the decision to place my country’s security in another country’s hands.”

“I tend to agree with you, sir,” says Hargrove. “However, we are not just another country. We have been, and will continue to be, the largest friend and benefactor that Israel has.”

“Yes, I know the logic of it all. However the gut feeling that creates, the potential insecurity of it all could work against the part we want them to play.”

Just then, the phone on the president’s desk rings and he rises to answer it.

Seeing its Janet’s line to him, he picks up the receiver. “Yes, Janet.”

“Sir, the prime minister of Israel is on a secure line and would like to speak with you.”

“Thank you, Janet. Put him through. It’s Yaakov,” he says to Hargrove before he picks up the secure line, his concern as to what the conversation may amount to showing clearly.

He picks up the phone. “Yaakov, thank you for calling. I didn’t expect to hear from you until tomorrow.”

“Well, Mr. President, Israelis can move quicker when they want to.”

“We all can move quicker, like you say, when we want to,” the president says coolly. “So – may I ask, how did our proposal go over with your people?”

“I have to tell you, there’s a great deal of concern on our part that if we give up the right to deal with Iran directly, then we are placing Israel’s safety in the decision-making process of others.”

Hargrove, watching the look of concern on the president’s face, feels his powerlessness, like a phantom observer who can do nothing but watch what’s going on.