Countdown to Looking Glass

The CVN nightly program reports a terrorist bombing at the American embassy in Saudi Arabia, resulting in the death of an American ambassador. The incident heightens security concerns in the region and sharpens the sense of crisis facing the White House. It sits within a wider cascade of events threatening stability across the Middle East.

In the week preceding the embassy attack, a global banking crisis triggered by defaults in several South American countries destabilizes markets worldwide. The turmoil spills into Southwest Asia, contributing to regional unease and policy headaches for leaders.

Soviet-backed militants seize control during a period of economic collapse in Oman. The coup compounds the strategic risk in the Persian Gulf and complicates Western efforts to manage the crisis.

Dorian Waldorf's Pentagon insider boyfriend provides off-the-record insights into the White House's crisis management. Don Tobin pushes for corroboration, wary of relying on a single source amid a flood of conflicting information.

On day two, the U.S. launches a large-scale operation to keep the peace in Saudi Arabia, mobilizing ships, planes, and thousands of troops. The move draws criticism at home and abroad, as allies question America's unilateral approach.

In response to the American troop surge, the Oman-aligned regime imposes a $10,000 toll for every oil tanker passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The measure creates an effective economic blockade as tanker captains refuse to pay.

A brief clash erupts between American warplanes and unidentified enemy aircraft, with an American AWACS shot down over the Persian Gulf. Several attacker planes are downed, and the exchange appears linked to retaliation aimed at Ras Tanura oil facilities.

Waldorf reports satellite photos indicating Soviet forces have disappeared from their border with Iran, hinting at a possible mutual withdrawal. The report surfaces amid a flood of crisis coverage, and Tobin insists on more sources before publishing.

The U.S. sends the USS Nimitz and its battle group to the Persian Gulf to secure tanker traffic, while Selective Service is activated, drafting thousands of sailors and airmen in anticipation of a larger conflict.

The Soviet Union responds by deploying submarines to the Persian Gulf, signaling heightened escalation and challenging U.S. naval forces. Public commentary accuses leadership of missing earlier opportunities for de-escalation.

CVN begins broadcasting 24 hours a day as the crisis deepens, and the United States initiates nationwide shutdowns of its nuclear power plants. The stress of crisis management is underscored when the Defense Secretary dies after a briefing.

An Omani gunboat attacks and disables an unarmed Dutch vessel attempting to pass the Strait of Hormuz, while Soviet attack submarines loom nearby. The incident intensifies fears of a broader naval confrontation in the region.

A Soviet submarine is destroyed after a nuclear depth charge is deployed, and a nuclear weapon detonates inside the Nimitz's battle group. Communications with CVN are broken as high radiation levels interfere with broadcasts.

The White House is evacuated onto the Looking Glass airborne command post while the president delegates tactical nuclear launch authority to the Nimitz battle group commander. The atmosphere grows heavier as the prospect of nuclear exchange becomes real.

As Tobin signs off, the CVN broadcast is handed over to the Emergency Broadcast System and an aircraft departs from Andrews Air Force Base. The film closes on a bleak note, signaling a grim new phase in global crisis management.