Deterrence

During a freak spring blizzard, President Walter Emerson, his White House team, security detail, and a TV crew become stranded in a remote Aztec, Colorado diner. They greet local civilians—Harvey, Katie, Ralph, and the Woods—while the storm cuts off contact with the outside world. The gathering shifts from campaign chatter to crisis management as weather isolates them and the clock starts ticking.

News arrives that Iraq has invaded Kuwait on orders from Uday Hussein, shocking the region and the U.S. government. The invasion is linked to the deaths of UN peacekeepers largely staffed by U.S. forces, intensifying the crisis. The diners absorb the news as a new existential threat emerges on the world stage.

Emerson issues a worldwide ultimatum: Hussein must surrender at the Iraqi embassy within 90 minutes or a nuclear strike on Baghdad will proceed. The speech shocks his staff and the civilians, who had not anticipated such drastic measures. Emerson defends the move by arguing a nuclear show of force is necessary to defend a threatened ally and show U.S. resolve.

The Iraqi envoy at the United Nations refuses to back down, citing Emerson’s status as a non-elected leader and his Jewish faith as reasons why he is not to be taken seriously. Negotiations grow heated as diplomats push for de-escalation. Emerson, Redford, and Thompson coordinate with the NSC and Joint Chiefs to map out potential nuclear options.

Emerson, Redford, and Thompson rally with the NSC and Joint Chiefs by phone to plan for possible nuclear action. Lines connect the diner, the White House, and various secure channels as the crisis tightens. The civilian observers sense the gravity of the potential path ahead.

Hussein threatens to launch black-market missiles at U.S. and NATO targets. It is revealed that France supplied these weapons, a shocking revelation that strains alliances. Emerson privately probes the French leader about the deal but withholds those details from his advisers.

Harvey, Katie, and the Woods oppose using nuclear force, while Ralph insists he could rally support if Emerson acts. Emerson’s wife also disagrees with the plan, and several aides express doubt. Despite the mounting opposition, Emerson remains resolute about pursuing the strike.

With time running short, Emerson orders a B-2 bomber to cross Iraq’s airspace to execute the strike. The Iraqi envoy warns that such an action would constitute an act of war. Tension surges as both sides prepare for possible wide-scale conflict.

Harvey fatally shoots Captain Coddington, the officer carrying the nuclear football. Secret Service agents retaliate, killing Harvey and devastating Katie. Emerson mourns Coddington’s sacrifice even as the crisis hurtles toward its climax.

Emerson obtains the nuclear launch codes by phone from the Joint Chiefs, but Admiral Miller resigns in protest of the plan. The military leadership fractures as civilian authority presses forward. The countdown toward potential nuclear action continues despite political dissent.

Emerson formally authorizes the nuclear strike and speaks to the crew of the B-2 bomber en route to Baghdad. The attack proceeds, and the world watches as Baghdad is targeted. The action triggers immediate retaliation from Iraq and a broader war dynamic.

The 100-megaton strike obliterates Baghdad, while NATO missile defenses shoot down the majority of Iraq’s retaliatory missiles. A few missiles land on targets, but their warheads do not detonate as anticipated. Baghdad remains the sole major city destroyed in the chaos.

As the storm subsides, Emerson delivers a global TV address revealing that the U.S. government secretly sold faulty nuclear weapons to Iraq via France to preempt an independent Iraqi arsenal. He defends the display as a deterrent and a test of resolve. Privately, he forecasts that the move will pressure China and North Korea to concede the Second Korean War soon.

Just before leaving the diner, Emerson reveals his intention to withdraw from the presidential race and serve out the remainder of his predecessor’s term. He argues that the crisis demands a different kind of leadership for the future, leaving his political ambitions behind. The moment reframes the narrative from a campaign to a controversial legacy.