Joel C. Rosenberg - The Last Days (Political Thrillers Series #2)

THE LAST DAYS

Also by Joel C. Rosenberg from Forge Books THE LAST JIHAD

Joel C. Rosenben

A Tom Doherty Associates Book New York

This is a work of fiction. AQ the characters and events portrayed in this novel are either fictitious or are used

fictitiously.

THE LAST DAYS

Copyright 2003 by Joel C. Rosenberg

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form.

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

A Forge Book

Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC

175 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10010

www.tor.com

Forge is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Rosenberg, Joel C, 1967

The last days / Joel C. Rosenberg.1st hardcover ed.

p. cm.

ISBN 0-765-30928-9

1. AmericansMiddle EastFiction. 2. Arafat, Yasir, 1929Fiction. 3.

Palestinian ArabsFiction. 4. Middle EastFiction. 5.

JerusalemFiction. I. Title. PS3618.O832L36 2003 813'.54dc22

200317063

First Edition: October 2003

Printed in the United States of America

0987654321

This book is dedicated to our Arab and Jewish friends

in and around the Middle East who are pouring out their very lives for the peace that passes all understanding.

To my incredible wife, Lynnmy hero and best friend. You constantly amaze me with your grace and discernment, your kindness and stamina. I don't know how I'd survive without you. Every day we walk together I learn something more wonderful about you. I love you so much. Thanks for loving me and doing this adventure together. We're living our dreams, and this is just the beginning. To Caleb, Jacob, and Jonah, my prayer warriors and "traveling buddies." I love being your dad. I love seeing your faith, hope, and love growing day by day. Spain, Morocco, Gibraltar, Jerusalemwho knows what's next! To everyone in our previous acknowledgments, especially our families, friends, and kindred spirits from Syracuse, Washington, McLean, and Frontline. To our November Communications compadre, "John Black John Black," thanks for all your "air support" and wisdom! To Dan ("Duncle") Rebeiz, welcome aboard; Marcus and Tanya Brackman; the "Posse"; our Spain

'03 team; the Stahls; the Rose family; Shirley O'Neill; and the team at World magazine. 1 hanks for your faithful friendship and for making us part of your lives.

Special thanks to Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity. You sent The Last Jihad into the stratosphere and our lives into hyperspeed with your passion and enthusiasm. We couldn't have been more surprised or had more fun. And many thanks to Steve and Sabina Forbes and Bill Dal Col for your enduring friendship and tremendous encouragement. We're still so humbled and grateful. God bless you guys!

To those who've been so generous with their time, research, and insights, including Allen Roth, Steven Schnier, and their colleagues; Ambassador Dore Gold; Mey Wurmser at AEI; Jim Phillips and Ariel Cohen at Heritage; and to so many Palestinian and Israeli sources who wish to remain anonymous.

To everyone who put together such wonderful book events for us over the last year, and have blessed our lives in so many ways, including Stanley and Gay Gaines; Janet Westling and her family; Bridgett Wagner at Heritage; Jeff Taylor; Nancy Streck, Steve Scheffler, and their team in Iowa; David Keene, Diana Banister, and everyone at CPAC; and even the kind folks who invited me to do the "Pat the Bunny" readings on that beautiful Saturday afternoon thanks so much!

To Greg Mueller, Leif Noren, Keith Appell, Mike Russell, Peter Robbio, Suzanne Bakri, and the wonderful team at Creative Response Concepts for everything you did for me.

To Tom Doherty, Bob Gleason, Linda Quinton, Elena Stokes, Brian Cal aghan, and the stellar team at Tor/Forge Books. You guys are absolutely amazing.

Thanks so much for all you did to make The Last Jihad a bestseller and for giving me the opportunity to do what I love. I couldn't be more grate-fill.

And to Scott Miller at Trident Media Group, the best agent in the business.

What an amazing yearwho woulda thunk it? Thanks again for your wisdom and candor, your willingness to go the extra mile, and most of all for your friendship. Let's hope there's more to come.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

James "Mac" MacPherson

THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

William Harvard Oaks

THE PRINCIPALS ,

Scott Harris, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Stuart Morris Iverson, former Secretary of the Treasury Lee Alexander James, Secretary of Homeland Security Marsha Kirkpatrick, National Security Advisor Jack Mitchel , Director of Central Intelligence Tucker Paine, Secretary of State Burt Trainor, Secretary of Defense Neil Wittimore, Attorney General

SENIOR WHITE HOUSE STAFF

Jon Bennett, Senior Advisor to the President

Bob Corsetti, White House Chief of Staff

Erin McCoy, Deputy to Jon Bennett and CIA operations officer

Chuck Murray, White House Press Secretary

OTHER KEY ADMINISTRATION ADVISORS

Marty Benjamin, State Department's Policy Planning Staff director Dick Cavanaugh, Deputy Secretary of State Ken Costello, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Troy Moreaux, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, head of ORHA General Ed Mutschler, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Danny Tracker, CIA Deputy Director for Operations

U.S. SECURITY OFFICIALS

Tariq Abu Ashad, CIA agent

Max Banacci, DSS agent

Dietrich Black, late FBI agent

Hamid, CIA agent

Sergeant Hunt, Navy SEAL

Kyi Lake, DSS agent

Maroq, CIA agent

Donny Mancuso, DSS agent

Nazir, CIA agent

Bud Norris, Director of the U.S. Secret Service

George Polanski, FBI agent

Eduardo Ramirez, SEAL Team Eight commander

Jackie Sanchez, Secret Service agent

Robbie Trakowski, DSS agent

Neil Watts, FBI agent

Jake Ziegler, CIA Gaza Station chief

IRAQI LEADERS

Ayad Al awi, Iraqi National Accord

Mustafa al-Hassani, Iraqi National Al iance

Abdel-Aziz al-Hakim, Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq Masoud Barzani, Kurdistan Democratic Party

Achmed Chalabi, Iraqi National Congress

Jalal Talabani, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan

ISRAELI LEADERS

David Doron, Prime Minister of Israel Dmitri Galishnikov, CEO of Medexco, Inc. Dr. Eliezer Mordechai, former head of Mossad Yossi Ben Ramon, head of Shin Bet

avi Zadok, current head of Mossad

Uri "The Wolf" Ze'ev, chief of staff of the Israeli Defense Forces PALESTINIAN LEADERS

Yasser Arafat, Chairman of the Palestinian Authority

Abu Mazen (a.k.a., Dr. Mahmoud Abbas), Palestinian Prime Minister Marwan Barghouti, Fatah Tanzim leader

Mohammed Dahlan, Palestinian Interior Minister

Tibril Rajoub, Palestinian security chief on West Bank

Khalid al-Rashid, personal security chief for Chairman Arafat Dr. Ibrahim Sa'id, CEO of Palestinian Petroleum Group

Achmed Qurei, Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council

AL-NAKBAH LEADERS

Yuri Gogolov, Russian co-founder of Al-Nakbah terrorist movement Mohammed Jibril, Iranian co-founder of Al-Nakbah Nadir Sarukhi Hashemi ("The Viper"; "Mario Iabello"), terrorist Daoud Juma, terrorist OTHERS

Akiva Ben David, founder of the Temple Mount Battalion

Ruth Bennett, mother of Jon Bennett

Solomon Bennett, late father of Jon Bennett

Marcus Jackson, New York Times White House correspondent

Dorothy Richards, sister of Ruth Bennett

Then Jacob cal ed for his sons and said:

"Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in the last days...

Genesis 49:1

The real test of a man is not

when he plays the role