Paging Steven Coonts

Many of you will remember Flight of  the Intruder, Steven Coonts' novel (and John Milius movie) about  the Navy A-6 Intruder buddies who fulfill  the American fantasy  of actually trying to win the Vietnam war.  They illegaly bomb "Sam City," the anti-aircraft installation in Hanoi that American politicians  have put off limits [GAH!]?  Yeah, that one.  But, how many remember his next novel, Under Siege?  Precious few, I'll bet. Even though Siege was on the New York Times best seller list, it generated so little media buzz  that it may as well been authored by Ann Coulter.  I couldn't' put it down,  and I anxiously awaited the movie version that never came.  "When the kingpin of the Medellin drug cartel is extradited to Washington, D.C. to start trial, President George Bush is severely wounded by a hired assassin. Vice President Dan Quayle assumes the responsibility for directing the fight against a criminal army that now rules the streets." Summary That was the problem  Dan Quayle is assertive, heroic, and does all the right things, qualities  impossibly at odds with the media crafted image of  Dan the Dunce  (and conservative presidential threat). But, I digress.  The thrilling ending of the book has Washington's Black population going Mau-Mau, and hanging scores of the city's drug dealers from lamp posts, and the white House fence (as I recall). USA! USA!  Another American fantasy fulfilled. This is what reminded me. What an opportunty. "Democrats to hit White House, Republicans on privacy issues"