initiative when resources were reallocated to accomplish the plan? Currently, m ost of the cities being help ed by the military were barely maintaining some level of law and order , and if the number of troops were reduced, no one could predict the consequences.
But the most prevalent complication was the lack of good communication. Beaumont , Texas, central to an area rich in refineries required for Operation Heartland , was used as an examp le. No one knew how this medium- sized city had coped or organized after the collapse had occurred. Without at least minimum information, the level of resources required to initialize production of fuel was a complete unknown .
The president absorbed all of the information being presented , followed by the inevitable unending debates, due largely in part to lack of solid information. Debate without resolution was to be expected in a situation where no clear answer was apparent. After listening to point and counterpoint for over five hours, the chief executive cleared his throat and stood. The conference room became silent as he paced in front of the assorted maps and charts scattered a round the room. Finally, he announced, “When all of this started, I agreed to our initial actions without knowing the facts. I’m not going to do that again. Whatever our next step is , ladies and gentlemen, it is our last. We have one shot left , and it needs to be the right move. W e simply don’t have enough information to make a good decision here . Can we - what do you call it, General - perform a reconnaissance of these critical areas , and then make informed decision s ?”
Eventually , it was determined that a variety of experts, both milita ry and civilian, would execute fact - finding missions. The president sensed what was at stake and wanted input from people he trusted. It wa s thought that the majority of senators and c ongressmen were in hiding or had not made it out of Washington D.C. alive. The few who had reported in to military commands had used their influence to be transported back to their home states and districts , and most had not been heard from since. It w as finally determined that the president ’s staff would reconvene the next day with a list of recommendations concerning who would be assigned these all-important duties.
The following day had been a long and difficult one. For all of its former power and glory, the Unite d States government was virtually incapacitated . A year ago, the president ’s staff would have been inundated with a practically endless list of available academic, business , and government professionals clamoring to fulfill the job s. Some would have volunteer ed to expand their influence and power, while others were simply patriots. In the end, choices were made . Many of the people selected had a personal history with the president . For the first time in his life, the POTUS made his selections based purely on qualifications and his belief that he could trust the people who would bring him their recommendations. Influence, political favors and party influence had no bearing on his decisions.
Orders were drawn u p and transmitted to the military commands surrounding the area defined for Operation Heartland. T he POTUS hoped this plan would stir the phoenix to rise from the ashes of the United States.
Those orders had been issue d some time ago, and the information that had drifted in since was mixed at best. He was waiting on one final report before making the decision regarding the operation.
When the g eneral returned a few minutes later, his report was the same as the day before – no new information .
Chapter 3
Bishop was lying prone between two large rock outcroppings. The small area of hardpan soil between the rocks provided some cushion , but really, he had picked the spot for concealment and the vantage. He had left the camper almost two hours before and slowly worked his way to thi s position. He was overlooking H ighway 98 ,
But the most prevalent complication was the lack of good communication. Beaumont , Texas, central to an area rich in refineries required for Operation Heartland , was used as an examp le. No one knew how this medium- sized city had coped or organized after the collapse had occurred. Without at least minimum information, the level of resources required to initialize production of fuel was a complete unknown .
The president absorbed all of the information being presented , followed by the inevitable unending debates, due largely in part to lack of solid information. Debate without resolution was to be expected in a situation where no clear answer was apparent. After listening to point and counterpoint for over five hours, the chief executive cleared his throat and stood. The conference room became silent as he paced in front of the assorted maps and charts scattered a round the room. Finally, he announced, “When all of this started, I agreed to our initial actions without knowing the facts. I’m not going to do that again. Whatever our next step is , ladies and gentlemen, it is our last. We have one shot left , and it needs to be the right move. W e simply don’t have enough information to make a good decision here . Can we - what do you call it, General - perform a reconnaissance of these critical areas , and then make informed decision s ?”
Eventually , it was determined that a variety of experts, both milita ry and civilian, would execute fact - finding missions. The president sensed what was at stake and wanted input from people he trusted. It wa s thought that the majority of senators and c ongressmen were in hiding or had not made it out of Washington D.C. alive. The few who had reported in to military commands had used their influence to be transported back to their home states and districts , and most had not been heard from since. It w as finally determined that the president ’s staff would reconvene the next day with a list of recommendations concerning who would be assigned these all-important duties.
The following day had been a long and difficult one. For all of its former power and glory, the Unite d States government was virtually incapacitated . A year ago, the president ’s staff would have been inundated with a practically endless list of available academic, business , and government professionals clamoring to fulfill the job s. Some would have volunteer ed to expand their influence and power, while others were simply patriots. In the end, choices were made . Many of the people selected had a personal history with the president . For the first time in his life, the POTUS made his selections based purely on qualifications and his belief that he could trust the people who would bring him their recommendations. Influence, political favors and party influence had no bearing on his decisions.
Orders were drawn u p and transmitted to the military commands surrounding the area defined for Operation Heartland. T he POTUS hoped this plan would stir the phoenix to rise from the ashes of the United States.
Those orders had been issue d some time ago, and the information that had drifted in since was mixed at best. He was waiting on one final report before making the decision regarding the operation.
When the g eneral returned a few minutes later, his report was the same as the day before – no new information .
Chapter 3
Bishop was lying prone between two large rock outcroppings. The small area of hardpan soil between the rocks provided some cushion , but really, he had picked the spot for concealment and the vantage. He had left the camper almost two hours before and slowly worked his way to thi s position. He was overlooking H ighway 98 ,
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