Book Review, Rubicon
RUBICON
By: Lawrence Alexander
Harper Collins, N.Y. 2008
The title of this book relates to the historic crossing of the Rubicon river, a relatively minor stream in northern Italy. By Julius Caesar in 49BC. The generals of Rome were never to come south of the Rubicon with an army, for to do so would threaten Rome itself with civil war. Caesar defied that rule, entered Rome with his army, and installed himself as Rome’s first Caesar, or Emperor.
In this novel, a plot to overthrow the government of the United States is marked by the same name as that of the Italian river. In this plot, a thinly-veiled fictional cast of characters uses the current concern for the sitting president’s usurpation of powers generally shared with the congress. In this book, Alexander proposes a fictional account of the vice president and other shadowy figures of the administration using the war on terror as a reason for a treasonous plot to take The United States from its history as a Republic into their vision of an Imperial United States. It is a frightening portrait, and very plausible.
Democratic senator Bobby Hart of California is the central figure of the novel along with his Republican senatorial colleague and close friend Charles Thomas Ryan. These two will cross the aisle in their diligent search for the meaning of the code name “Rubicon,” which Hart discovers through his mysterious contact with a CIA friend of his father, Gunther Kramer. Kramer, a former East German intelligence operative, is supposed to have been dead for a decade, but he has been in hiding in Damascus following the dissolution of the old Soviet Union. Upon learning of the plot to overthrow the U.S. government, he contacts Bobby, who arranges to meet him in Germany. They meet. As soon as they sit down at a table in the restaurant Kramer has specified, Kramer is killed by a sniper’s bullet, and Hart is also shot, but not fatally.
Hart returns to the U.S. only to have another tragedy hit. A longtime CIA friend, Assistant Director Raymond Caulfield talks with Hart about Kramer’s finding. Caulfield tries to discover if the CIA is involved, and he is murdered. It seems that Rubicon is not only a plot, but a deadly one at that. Still, unable to discover exactly what Rubicon may be about, Hart plunges on, trying to discover the meaning of this deadly scheme.
Interwoven in the plot is the story of Helen, Hart’s wife. She has retreated from public life, unable to manage the demanding life of a senator’s wife. The two are very much in love, but Helen has decided to remain at their California home instead of immersing herself in Washington’s constant political intrigue.
Two more murders occur: both bombings. First, the Democratic candidate for president is killed by a suicide bomber. Shortly after, the Republican candidate is killed in Atlanta by another terrorist. Following these two political assassinations, the parameters of Rubicon become increasingly clear: it is a plot to destroy our democratic form of government and instill all authority in the office of president. It is treason most foul!
The spiral continues as Hart and Ryan begin to discover that the plot does have its roots in the offices of the vice president…or higher. And…the administration’s attorney general begins to assert that the president is issuing an order to put the election off until such time as the president, as commander-in-chief, gives the all-clear from the threat of further terrorist attacks. As this announcement, Hart meets with an Egyptian national who was held for several years at Guantanamo as a terrorist on false charges. He was repeatedly tortured there, and was finally released by the U.S. under the policy of rendition with the understanding he was being released for further torture in a friendly country. Not so! He was able to escape. He tells Hart of further information about Rubicon, how Iraqis were recruited at Guantanamo by the U.S. for secret missions of terror against the U.S. mainland. These are the people who have been terrorizing our nation.
Using this information, and more, Hart and Ryan take action against the administration’s order to delay the election. They take their case to the Supreme Court, where Hart argues eloquently that the Constitution only allows the President a limited term, and he cannot lengthen it under any circumstances. In lieu of candidates from the parties, it should be the responsibility of the Electoral College to select a president. The last time the College did so, the president selected was George Washington.
I will leave you at that point: with the men waiting the decision of The Court. This is a most plausible tale, with tendrils of truth from a number of modern events. It is a frightening reminder that much of our politics today are run by the power of fear. If people are afraid, they will give power to just about anyone they feel will protect them. This truism makes our grasp on freedom more tenuous, and we all need reminders like this book to help us disregard fear-mongers and hold fast to the gift of freedom with all our might.
Good Reading
Curtis Rivers
May 20, 2008
By: Lawrence Alexander
Harper Collins, N.Y. 2008
The title of this book relates to the historic crossing of the Rubicon river, a relatively minor stream in northern Italy. By Julius Caesar in 49BC. The generals of Rome were never to come south of the Rubicon with an army, for to do so would threaten Rome itself with civil war. Caesar defied that rule, entered Rome with his army, and installed himself as Rome’s first Caesar, or Emperor.
In this novel, a plot to overthrow the government of the United States is marked by the same name as that of the Italian river. In this plot, a thinly-veiled fictional cast of characters uses the current concern for the sitting president’s usurpation of powers generally shared with the congress. In this book, Alexander proposes a fictional account of the vice president and other shadowy figures of the administration using the war on terror as a reason for a treasonous plot to take The United States from its history as a Republic into their vision of an Imperial United States. It is a frightening portrait, and very plausible.
Democratic senator Bobby Hart of California is the central figure of the novel along with his Republican senatorial colleague and close friend Charles Thomas Ryan. These two will cross the aisle in their diligent search for the meaning of the code name “Rubicon,” which Hart discovers through his mysterious contact with a CIA friend of his father, Gunther Kramer. Kramer, a former East German intelligence operative, is supposed to have been dead for a decade, but he has been in hiding in Damascus following the dissolution of the old Soviet Union. Upon learning of the plot to overthrow the U.S. government, he contacts Bobby, who arranges to meet him in Germany. They meet. As soon as they sit down at a table in the restaurant Kramer has specified, Kramer is killed by a sniper’s bullet, and Hart is also shot, but not fatally.
Hart returns to the U.S. only to have another tragedy hit. A longtime CIA friend, Assistant Director Raymond Caulfield talks with Hart about Kramer’s finding. Caulfield tries to discover if the CIA is involved, and he is murdered. It seems that Rubicon is not only a plot, but a deadly one at that. Still, unable to discover exactly what Rubicon may be about, Hart plunges on, trying to discover the meaning of this deadly scheme.
Interwoven in the plot is the story of Helen, Hart’s wife. She has retreated from public life, unable to manage the demanding life of a senator’s wife. The two are very much in love, but Helen has decided to remain at their California home instead of immersing herself in Washington’s constant political intrigue.
Two more murders occur: both bombings. First, the Democratic candidate for president is killed by a suicide bomber. Shortly after, the Republican candidate is killed in Atlanta by another terrorist. Following these two political assassinations, the parameters of Rubicon become increasingly clear: it is a plot to destroy our democratic form of government and instill all authority in the office of president. It is treason most foul!
The spiral continues as Hart and Ryan begin to discover that the plot does have its roots in the offices of the vice president…or higher. And…the administration’s attorney general begins to assert that the president is issuing an order to put the election off until such time as the president, as commander-in-chief, gives the all-clear from the threat of further terrorist attacks. As this announcement, Hart meets with an Egyptian national who was held for several years at Guantanamo as a terrorist on false charges. He was repeatedly tortured there, and was finally released by the U.S. under the policy of rendition with the understanding he was being released for further torture in a friendly country. Not so! He was able to escape. He tells Hart of further information about Rubicon, how Iraqis were recruited at Guantanamo by the U.S. for secret missions of terror against the U.S. mainland. These are the people who have been terrorizing our nation.
Using this information, and more, Hart and Ryan take action against the administration’s order to delay the election. They take their case to the Supreme Court, where Hart argues eloquently that the Constitution only allows the President a limited term, and he cannot lengthen it under any circumstances. In lieu of candidates from the parties, it should be the responsibility of the Electoral College to select a president. The last time the College did so, the president selected was George Washington.
I will leave you at that point: with the men waiting the decision of The Court. This is a most plausible tale, with tendrils of truth from a number of modern events. It is a frightening reminder that much of our politics today are run by the power of fear. If people are afraid, they will give power to just about anyone they feel will protect them. This truism makes our grasp on freedom more tenuous, and we all need reminders like this book to help us disregard fear-mongers and hold fast to the gift of freedom with all our might.
Good Reading
Curtis Rivers
May 20, 2008
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