The way it could have been -Sept 7th 2001
Clark: "Mr President..."
Bush "Call me George"
Clark: "George, I now have specific details about a planned attack by Al Queda members on the US"
Bush: "Go on."
Clark: "Al Queda as you know have been planning these attacks for the last 5 years and some have been successful. We feel that airplanes will be used in the next attack, sometime in the next 2 years, and will be used as a weapon against a major city or social gathering."
Bush "Any idea which city?"
Clark:" Not specifically, but information we have now is that 19 unarmed terrorists with false papers will board 4 commercial airliners , kill the stewardesses, and highjack the aircraft while armed only with boxcutters".
Bush:"No grenades? No bombs? No guns? No exploding shoes?
Clark: "Nope, just little knives"
Bush:"And we dont know which city"?
Clark: "Nope"
Bush: "Damn, this sounds real serious . What is your recommendation on how to deal with the threat".
Clark: "If I tell you do I get my old job back?"
Bush: "I'll give it some thought"
Clark: "OK. First I would ban all internal and international airline travel beginning tomorrow and send up armed Air National Guard planes to shoot down violators."
Bush " You know I used to fly those things.Those were the good old days. So how long will this flying ban last ?
Clark: "Until we catch the other 18 highjackers- could take a year, maybe two"
Bush: " I would like a cost estimate on the flight ban and will have to evaluate the political fallout from banning all international flights which would prevent the convening of the UN and the economic consequences of people not flying to Vegas, Disneyland, England, Spain, China, etc. Damn, sometimes I just hate this job"
Bush: "Dick, how soon can you have your recommendations together and packaged.?"
Clark :" With about 500 people and adequate funding,I can have a polished plan ready in only 30 days. Candi could be my secretary"
Bush:"Thats it then, you got the job. And I want your plan here on my desk on......,on, no later than October 7th- but you dont get Candi"
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