Natanz: The Final Notice Page 13
Chapter 12
Day 4: 1400Z: United Nations Building: NYC
Secretary of State Phillip Turner and the United States Ambassador to the United Nations are meeting with the other members of the U N Security Council. The President of the Security Council is speaking and advising the twelve members that the United States has requested an opportunity to present a draft resolution to require the Islamic Republic of Iran to release the twenty-four Israeli citizens that they are holding.
Secretary Turner stands up and begins speaking, “Honorable members of the United Nations Security Council, the United States has been informed by the Israeli government that twenty-four of its citizens were forcibly kidnapped and are being detained by the military of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The world witnessed on television, yesterday, that these men are being held at a nuclear enrichment facility inside of Iran. We have reason to believe that an Iranian military jet intercepted a civilian aircraft in Saudi Arabian airspace and forced it to land at a military base in Iran. We also believe that these Israelis are being used as human shields at their nuclear enrichment facilities. The United States of America condemns this criminal and heinous act of violence and is presenting a draft resolution to the Security Council. We would like the United Nations Security Council to adopt a Resolution that condemns the actions of the Islamic Republic of Iran and mandates that the Iranians release the Israelis and return them to freedom immediately!”
Outside the United Nations, a demonstration organized by the Jewish Defense League is in progress as the black Mercedes S550 sedan of the Iranian Ambassador to the UN arrives. The Mercedes and its security escort vehicle enter an underground parking garage to avoid the demonstrators. The Iranian Ambassador to the UN discreetly enters the building through the basement. He knows that the demonstrators would enjoy making a spectacle of him. He does not condone the action taken by his government but has to make an appearance of supporting his government to maintain his position.
As expected, the Ambassadors from Russia and China have voted against the draft resolution that was presented by the United States. Secretary Turner will now take it to the General Assembly for discussion.
As the delegates and attendees begin to enter the auditorium, the Iranian Ambassador is seen speaking with the Ambassador from Pakistan. He seems to be shaking his head.
Secretary Turner turns to the United States Ambassador and remarks, “I can tell that the Iranian Ambassador will not be conducive to any discussion about releasing the Israelis. But we have to bring the discussion to the floor. The best we can hope for is to distract them so that the engineers won’t be moved before the Israelis and our jets can get there in time. Go call the President and tell him about what is happening here. He is going to speak to the nation on television tonight and he needs to know.” The President of the United Nations General Assembly invites Secretary Turner to speak to the assembly. Secretary Turner gets up and walks to the podium.
1500Z: Pentagon
Early the next morning, General Franklin arrives at his office in the Pentagon to begin receiving the plans from the other Chiefs of Staff. He has confidence that his Staff will present plans that will be well thought out and will be executed precisely. He knows that the Israelis must move quickly before the Iranians have a chance to move the engineers. If the engineers are distributed among the different facilities that support the Iranian nuclear program; a successful rescue attempt will be almost impossible to execute. The entire Chiefs of Staff, Vice Admiral Delker, Colonel Raymond’s two Israeli officers, General Wilson and Lt. Colonel Ericson from Hurlburt Field, General Young from Langley and General Matthews from Fort Bragg begin to arrive.
“Gentlemen,” General Franklin begins, “Thank you for coming on such short notice. I am certain that you understand the seriousness of the situation. Our Israeli friends will begin the briefing and then I would like to hear your plans. I cannot stress how quickly we must act. Our intelligence sources tell us that the hostages are still being held at the Natanz nuclear facility. The Natanz compound is beginning to receive military reinforcements and the Iranians have placed their Air Force and air defense missile systems on high alert. We also believe that the Iranians will use their ballistic missiles if they are attacked. The Iranian IRGC Naval fleet is in the Gulf Of Oman. One of our E-3C AWAC is flying out of Muscat, Oman. It is monitoring the Iranian’s communications and the air traffic activity in the area. After this meeting is over, get back to your commands as soon as possible. I will take our plans to the President and get his final approval. Be prepared to deploy your forces, immediately.”
After hearing the Israelis’ plan, each officer gives his proposed plan. Each plan received very little comment from the other officers. Everyone was focused on the problem: How do they get the Israeli commandos into Iran and back out with the engineers, safely?
At the conclusion of the briefing, General Franklin leaves to go to the White House. He meets with President Fenner in the Situation Room. Also present is the Secretary of Defense, Director of the CIA and the Director of the National Security Administration. He lays out the Israelis rescue plan and the requested American support, in detail.
“General Franklin, do you think that this plan will succeed with as little exposure to American lives as possible,” asks President Fenner. He does not wait for an answer but continues, “I want to get those engineers out of Iran as soon as possible. The Israelis are going to use this as their excuse to take care of the nuclear threat that has been hanging over their heads for twenty years, first Iraq and Syria, now Iran. I am giving you the green light and I also want you to give the Israelis all the assistance that you can provide. I am authorizing the sale of an additional twenty GBU-28, Bunker Busters. I want twelve additional bombs to go to the Israelis and eight to the UAE. The Israelis may need the additional bombs to penetrate the underground facilities at Natanz and Fordo. Have General Taylor get two of his B-2s ready with the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP). I will issue the final order to our forces to use it to destroy the Natanz facility and the Fordo facility that is located in the adjacent mountainside. I do not want the nuclear facilities at Bushehr destroyed. It is already built and appears to be for power generation only. But most of all, I do not want a damaged nuclear reactor spreading radiation over Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE.”
“Yes sir, I will forward your orders to the Israelis. I do not think that Bushehr is on their target list. They will have their hands full with the other facilities,” adds General Franklin, “and with your permission, I will get back to work.”
As General Franklin leaves the Situation Room, he tells his aid to call the other Chiefs of Staff and inform them that the president has given his approval for Operation Final Notice.