Part 131 (1/2)
”This country has not had a common cause since Kennedy pointed us at the y policy, and we screwed it up royally when oil prices were stable So what do we do?” His rhetorical question was best left unanswered ”We now import more than 50 of our oil
That's so stupiddon't let h of relief frorave and the others
When the President got like this, real pissed off, he needed a sounding board, and it was generally one or more of them Such was the price of admission to the inner circle
The President abruptly shi+fted his manner froement realist that had made him a popular leader He spoke with determination
”Gentleaaze was not returned ”Henry? Andrew?” Mus- grave and Chambers and Secretary of the Treasury Martin Royce wished they could disappear into the wallpaper They had seen it before, and they were seeing it again Senior aides eaten alive by the President
”Henry? What's the procedure?” The President's voice showed increasing irritation
”Sir, CERT, the Coo to investigate Network Penetrations,” Henry Kennedy said ”ECCO, another co with the FBI on related events Until yesterday we didn't even knoe were up against, and we still barely understand it”
”That doesn't change the question, Henry What are the channel contingencies? Do I have to spell it out?” The Presidentto spareattention to the fact that the President of the United States is unaware of the protocol for going to ith a coe in the room, hten us all”
The jaere preparing to close tightly
Henry Kennedy glanced nervously over at Andrew Coletree who replied by rubbing the back of his neck ”Sir,” Henry said, ”basically there is no defined, coordinated, that is established procedures for so like this” The President's neck red- dened around the collar as Henry stuttered ”If you will permit me to explain”
The President was furious In over thirty years of professional politics, not even his closest aides had ever seen him so totally out of character The placid Texan confidence he nore, part real, was co me that we spent almost 4 trillion dollars, four Goddamn trillion dollars on defense, and we're not prepared to defend our coa for the last 12 years?” The President bellowed as loudly as anyone could reht through each of his senior aides
”Dae assessment Potential?” The President said abruptly as he forced a fork full of scras into histransactions coency opera- tions Telephone co at 30 or less of capacity No Federal payet the picture”
The President wished to God he wouldn't be remembered as the President who allowed the United States of America to slip back- ward 50 years He waited for the stearet
”Marv?” For the first tied the presence of Marvin Jacobs, Director of the National Security Agency Jacobs had thus far been a silent observer He respond- ed to the President
”Yessir?”
”I will be signing a National Security Decision Directorate and a Presidential Order later today, authorizing the National Security Agency to lead the investigation of computer crimes, and related events that may have an effect on the national security” The President's words stunned Jacobs and Coletree and the others except for Musgrave
”Sir?”
”Do you or do you not have the largest coree on in the world in the name of National Security?”
Jacobs winced and noticed that besides the President, others were interested in his answer He ht tilt of his head
”I recall, Marv,” the President said, ”that in 1990 you yourself asked for the National Computer Security Center to be disbanded and be folded into the ency Bush issued a Presidential Order rescinding Reagan's NSDD-145 Do you recall?”
”Yes, of course I do,” said Marvin defensively ”It iven it's charter, it still ency is only responsible for military security NIST handles civilian”
”Do you think that the civilian agencies and the coer than the military computers?” The President quickly qualified his statement ”Based upon e kno?”
”No, not at all” Jacobs felt hi boxed into a corner