Prisoners of Circumstance
by
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PROLOGUE
‘It is when your spirit goes wandering upon the wind that you, alone and unguarded, commit a wrong unto others and therefore unto yourself.’
--Khalil Gibran
The sun rays reflecting off the concrete apron intensified the heat of the noon day sun. The sky was cloudless and the gentle breeze sweeping over the sand dunes from the sea afforded a small measure of relief. There was a strange calm, no movements anywhere, most unusual for a busy airport at this time of day.
The body laying on the tarmac at Beirut International Airport was that of an American Navy sailor. His nationality was his only crime. Beside the crumpled body was TWA flight 847, high jacked in Europe and forced to land in Beirut this 14th day of June 1985. It was captivating news witnessed by millions on CNN, that is, before the channel was flipped back to a favorite sitcom or sports event. It was a live drama being played out, yet no more real to the audience than the afternoon movie that had been interrupted. It was just too far away; too confusing. It was somebody else’s problem that they did not understand and about which they did not particularly care to know.
But here, it was one more episode in the unraveling of a country, one more chapter in the plight of a desperate and frustrated people struggling for attention and recognition of their cause
This was Lebanon, always a country of contrasts, always a small nation with big ideas, but now fractured into a myriad of mini-states, each vying for control of some small enclave, each attempting to wrest power and wield influence, more now as a mechanism for defense than some noble mission for progress. Ravaged by civil war since 1975, invaded by Israel in 1982, Lebanon was a country thrust back into its dark medieval past. Once a playground for the rich and a haven for the persecuted, it was now a battleground on which political scores were settled. It was a country into which regional conflicts were imported, dividing the people as well as the land. Peace and civil order had been systematically destroyed, bullet by bullet, bomb by bomb. Confidence displaced by mistrust, security by fear. Heavily armed militias sprung up from no where and every where, often borne of one another but owing allegiance to no one. Neighbor was set against neighbor, friend against friend. Successive governments were installed, then largely ignored, having patronized the interests of the influential few at the expense of the neglected many. The non combatants, the large majority, survived by avoiding confrontation and overt involvement, staying close to home and among their own.
But somehow, amid conditions testing the most resilient of souls, hope persevered.
******
18 SEPTEMBER 1985 -- EARLY HOURS
At precisely 0025 hours the Javelin broke water and silently surfaced. Off on the horizon were several dimly lit fishing trawlers, very normal for this time of year and often seen in this general area. The navigator of the Javelin did some quick calculations and concluded that the current and prevailing winds were such that the Minutemen would stay comfortably away from the nearest boats. Meanwhile the dinghies were being brought up on deck, inflated and deployed in the water.
The men made ready to depart the Javelin, first by visiting the head. This would be their last chance before returning to the Lexington, hopefully within a couple hours. George was on the radio. "Eagle, this is Falcon. Do you read?"
"Loud and clear, Falcon," responded Captain Griffin.
"At phase one, out." This was the agreed code to confirm a no-surprise departure from the Javelin.
Each dinghy carried six life jackets and two sets of scuba gear. Each was powered by a specially muffled forty horsepower outboard motor. These would be used to speed them to within a half mile of shore. From that point on, it would be muscle-power . . . pulling on paddles. The men quickly assumed their positions on the dinghies and cast off. The sea was calm and serene, the stars were winking down at them and there was a cool breeze brushing the salty mist against their faces. Had they not been heading into the uncertainties of battle, they might have enjoyed the ride. In the distance they could see the lights of Beirut with parts of the city blackened, awaiting their turn for the rationed electric power which was rotated around the city like a mother bird, taking turns feeding her hungry babies.
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About the Book
By the mid 1980’s, having endured ten years of civil war, Lebanon found itself in the midst of a struggle for power and domination by the myriad of militia groups born during the chaos and instability of the time. Desperation for international recognition and for political leverage led several of the Iranian-backed militias to seize American and other Western hostages. Prisoners of Circumstance is a novel set in the turmoil of this period. It reflects on the kidnapping of men whose only crime was the accident of birth. It deals with the interaction of the hostages with their captors and the initiatives of their wives to focus international attention on their plight, and finally, on a CIA-led effort to forcibly secure their release. Assigned newly to the Embassy in Beirut as the CIA station chief, George Kowalski’s task became to plan, sell, and execute a daring rescue of the hostages. Drawing from the elite units of all branches of the military, a ‘dream team’ is assembled to launch the rescue mission; a mission which was fraught with surprising and unexpected twists. The characters in the book are fictitious, but the historical and geographical references are accurate. Through dialogue between the characters, the author describes the motivations behind the actions of the various parties involved in the Middle East conflict; a conflict that has persisted for over fifty years and has defied resolution to this day.
About the Author
Oliver James is a native of Kentucky, currently residing in Cos Cob, Connecticut. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Kentucky and advanced degrees in Aeronautical Engineering and Management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and M.I.T. After a two-year stint in the Army, Mr. James spent eight years in the aviation industry followed by thirty years in the petroleum and petrochemical industry. In his working career he has resided in New York, Beirut, London, Riyadh, Brussels, and Mexico City. As Chief Executive Officer of several overseas companies and holder of senior positions with outside commercial and charitable organizations, he has had occasion to meet and befriend a broad spectrum of senior businessmen and prominent government officials in the United States and in those countries where he has resided.