Remember, democracy never lasts long.
It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself.
There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.

John Adams

Ben Emerson found himself reflecting on his visit with Cartwright at odd moments. He continued to read Cartwright's material and found, to his surprise, references to social problems in a book of Cartwright's entitled Progressive Awareness.

     At first Ben saw this as a kind of intellectual dodge, assuming that people don't know the true nature of the world and lack the ability to make improvements. But upon reflection, he realized these ideas were probably correct. He asked himself if he really knew enough to make the world a better place. He knew he opposed the continual eroding of civil rights by officials put into power through the machinations of moneyed interests: the Ruby Ridges, the Wacos, the insidious new so-called "anti-terrorism" legislation that had been passed in the wake of the Oklahoma City and 9/11 terrorist attacks. He felt strongly about the evils of "globalism," the laying off of American workers and the transfer of production facilities to low-labor-cost countries for the sole purpose of creating millions of dollars in profits for corporate executives and stockholders. Ben had been alarmed with Bush II's and Obama's attacks on Constitutional freedoms and was relieved that Randolph seemed to be making changes for the better.

      What does Cartwright mean by "gaining the understanding of what the world really is"? he asked himself. He pondered this question and others raised by his strange meeting with Cartwright. So much so that Ben decided to write to Cartwright and see how he could gain a deeper understanding--what Cartwright had suggested he lacked. He felt torn, because he detested people who put their faith in a guru, taking his every word as gospel, becoming unthinking disciples. But from his brief conversation with Cartwright he felt that this man had no interest in fawning believers. At least Cartwright had displayed no interest in bringing Ben under his influence. The opposite in fact.

      Ben wrote to Cartwright, asking what he might read or do to gain a better understanding of the world, referring to Cartwright's statement that had piqued Ben's interest. After several weeks, when Ben was beginning to think that Cartwright was replying through silence, he received a note from one of Cartwright's associates.

Dear Mr. Emerson:       Perhaps you might want to study a book written by Medard Boss entitled A Psychiatrist Discovers India (1965). It would be suggested that you: 1) Record those passages of the book you take to be of particular importance 2) Record your evaluation of Boss as a seeker of truth 3) Indicate how you feel you might be similar to Boss       Send your material to the following address: Institute for Advanced Study P.O. Box 3927 Healdsburg, CA (signed) W. Tailor.

      Only twenty-one people in the world knew that Dr. Lyman Gorgon was meeting with ten Americans in the Grand Palace Resort atop a small mountain in Luxembourg. The diminutive Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, nestled between Belgium and Germany, was an ideal setting for a top secret meeting of the World Geopolitical Council. Suites at the Grand Palace hotel ordinarily cost $2,100 a day, but that included absolute security--and secrecy.

     The Grand Palace Resort, so their brochure said, stood at the gateway to the Ardennes overlooking the Luxor Valley, near the medieval town of Reichenhardt. The brochure did not mention that the resort was protected by electrified fourteen-foot chain-link fence with concertina barbed wire and a fully-armed security force. The American guests had come to the resort via helicopter from Luxembourg-City international airport. The only other access to the top of the mountain was by a one-way road. After the guests had driven to the top of the mountain, the road was reversed for those going down.

      Warren Warfield, the American billionaire, was sponsoring the meeting at the Grand Palace. He had earlier met with Dr. Gorgon and together they had chosen the candidates for the Executive Committee of the World Geopolitical Council. Warfield had reserved the entire Grand Palace Resort for the one day meeting--at a cost of a cool $1.7 million.

      In the Grand Palace Resort conference room a semi-circular table had been arranged to face two large screens at the front of the room. Gorgon had made explicit demands of the resort manager. Ten multimedia laptop computers were positioned on the semi-circular table. Files for each of the participants' presentations had been loaded into the computers which could be activated to display on the large screens. The images on the large front screens dominated the dimly lit room. The left-hand screen displayed the Parallax logo, a beautiful woman with snakes for hair. The image then changed to become a live video clip of the same woman, with bare breasts. She smiled in a beguiling way as if to enchant--and petrify--anyone who lusted after her.

      After the eight participants had taken a seat and the faint banter subsided, the lights dimmed. The image of the American Capitol building appeared on the huge screen on the right at the front of the room and in the background could be heard the soft strains of America the Beautiful.

      Gorgon entered the darkened room without being seen. Suddenly, his voice boomed over the speakers: "America's remained a democracy for too long. We're going to turn it into a dictatorship. Our goal: total political and economic control of the United States and the world."

      After he had completed his opening remarks, Gorgon allowed a moment for the message to sink in. The lights then went up and the participants could see Dr. Gorgon standing at the front of the room. Gorgon's Vandyke beard, with a vertical gray streak, gave him an air of mystery.

      One of the large screens now displayed:

Operation Medusa Introductions: Warren Warfield 1. Economic Operations A. Corporate: Marc Warfield (Fred Blackmore) B. Financial: Secretary Prince 2. Military Operations: General Storm (General Floyd Drover) 3. Political Operations: Senator Barker 4. Psychological Operations: Dr. Richard Iaggo Wrap-Up: Senator Binkley

      Gorgon had planned his opening gambit carefully; the use of the word "dictatorship" was for the purpose of laying out the Grand Scheme in the starkest terms possible. He was now ready to test these raw recruits. "Mr. Warfield, why don't you begin with introductions and preliminary information."

      "Yes, thank you Dr. Gorgon. I think we have all met, but a bit of introduction would certainly be in order. Senator Binkley is the senior senator from Alabama and the leading contender to become the Republican candidate for the United States presidency in the upcoming election. We're pleased to have you with us, Senator Binkley." Warfield smiled broadly at Binkley.

     "Mr. Stephen Prince is currently serving as the Treasury Secretary in President Randolph's cabinet. Mr. Prince came to his present position from the firm of Blagget and Myers, the prestigious Wall Street financial group.

      "Senator Alphonse Barker is the senior Republican senator from Tennessee, serving as the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee.

      "Major General, retired, Charles Storm, has a distinguished service record. He was one of the commanding officers responsible for Operation Just Cause in Panama in 1990 and served in Washington as senior military planner for the Army Chief of Staff until his retirement in 2000.

     "Dr. Richard Iaggo holds the post of Director of Training for the Criterion Institute, a Washington-based think-tank you're all familiar with I'm sure.

     "And Mr. Marc Warfield is currently President of Croesius Oil Corporation--and has the misfortune to be my grandson, as well. I want to thank all of you for agreeing to participate in this briefing today. As members of the Executive Committee of the American Geopolitical Council . . . "

      Gorgon suddenly interrupted Warfield. "We ought to make it clear that they are not yet members of the Executive Committee, only nominees."

      "Yes, precisely," Warfield corrected himself.

      General Storm quickly stood up, speaking in a booming baritone voice. "Mr. Warfield, I understood that we were already members of the Executive Committee. And I understood that as president of the Council you were in charge of the committee and today's meeting." He looked daggers at Gorgon.

      Gorgon sneered at the general as he spoke. "General, it appears that you don't quite have your order of command straight. To put it in simple terms, so you can understand it, let's just say that I have four stars, Mr. Warfield has one star, and you are a colonel, possibly only a major, depending on your performance today."

      "But I'm a Major General!" the general shouted.

      "I don't care if you're Napoleon fucking Bonaparte in your pathetic military world," Gorgon roared. "In this organization--and certainly in this room today--you have no more than the rank of a colonel. And you're about to be busted to captain unless you get the pecking order straight in your mind."

      The general turned to Warfield. "But you're the president of this council."

      Warfield looked forlornly at the general, not responding.

      Gorgon continued. "General, your behavior illustrates beautifully the reason why we have civilian rule over the military in the United States. You simply don't have the mentality to understand the politics of this organization. So just follow the orders I give as your commanding officer and we'll get along fine. Do you understand?"

      The general hesitated before replying, looking at Warfield for support. "Yes, I suppose so."

      Emphasizing each word in the tone of a drill sergeant, Gorgon spoke with a booming voice. "Do you understand!"

      "Yes sir!" the general replied. He had last reacted like that as a corporal.

      Gorgon's opening gambit had achieved its purpose: everyone knew he was the head honcho, no mistake about it. And they knew that they were involved in planning a total political-economic take-over of the United States.

      Warfield wondered if General Storm should be allowed to remain in the meeting. He'd spoken to Gorgon about replacements during the meeting and Gorgon had assured him that he had enough incriminating information on each participant to render him powerless should he try to oppose the Council. What Warfield didn't know was that Gorgon had deliberately included some ringers in the meeting to show the disparity between "right thinking" and "wrong thinking" as he called it.

      One of Gorgon's aides entered the room through a back door. He whispered in Gorgon's ear, "Security's apprehended an American investigative reporter trying to eavesdrop on your meeting. What shall we do?"

      Gorgon spoke in a subdued tone, so only the assistant could hear. "Make it appear that he had a fatal automobile accident driving off a mountain road. I want the body burned beyond recognition. Do you understand?" Gorgon looked at the aide to see if he understood. "And tell General Drover to come to the meeting."

      "Yes sir." The aide all but saluted and left the room.

      "Now," Gorgon continued, "each of you has expressed an interest in becoming a member of the American Geopolitical Council and you have performed some initial assignments to prove your good faith. For this meeting you were assigned to develop operations proposals for your area of expertise. You were told that the general plan is for the Council to take complete, permanent control of the United States, then the rest of the world.

      "At first, to most of you, that seemed an insanely grandiose ideal. But as you've studied with the Council groups, you've learned that what would have appeared a madman's fantasy is now possible to this group.

      "You've attended Council study groups which have outlined our general plan: a centralized world political-economic order, a globalized economy, and retention of the status of the United States as the sole military super-power in the world." Gorgon smiled, remembering his first meeting with Warfield.

     "When I first selected Warren Warfield as the organizer for the American Geopolitical Council, I told him I had always been amazed that a group of wealthy, powerful Americans had not taken total, permanent control of the United States much earlier--a dictatorship by a ruling power group. The Council will use mind-control techniques delivered through television and political campaigning to program the minds of Americans. Appealing TV images--Medusa-like in their quality--will turn the American mind stone-dead, rigidified into believing only our ideas. That's why I call this Operation Medusa.

      "Let's move right into your presentations. Marc, I'm going to ask you to go first."

      Marc Warfield's training to assume his responsibilities as a member of a billionaire family had been overseen by his grandfather, Warren Warfield. Through Choate Prep School, Yale, Harvard Law, and the London School of Economics, Marc had been groomed in infinite detail. His self-assured air, his stocky frame, and his dark, slightly disheveled hair atop his boyish face gave him the appearance of a wealthy heir and the bearing of a man who feels he owns the world.

      Marc pushed a key on his computer to activate his presentation. On the right-hand screen was displayed a video clip of his recent Yale class reunion picnic on a Long Island Sound beach.

      "I've come up with a new plan this week--while I was enjoying some time off. I haven't even had time to speak to my grandfather about it. It's radical, but I think it makes real sense.

      "If the American Geopolitical Council is to take control of America we've got to have a nation worth taking. As I attended my Yale class reunion this week it was clear to me that globalism isn't working. My corporation has been building production facilities--and markets--in China, Vietnam, India, Poland, and Brazil. But meanwhile the continental United States is going to hell on roller skates. The middle class is hurting big time and the number of Americans at the poverty level is exploding. If we don't watch out, we're going to be taking over a hollow shell of a nation." A video clip of the recent Los Angeles riots was displayed on the screen, showing the devastated areas of Torrance and Santa Monica, with looters running rampant.

      "So I propose we reverse this trend. Concentrate primarily on domestic markets. Put more money into R&D to produce new products for the American market instead of expanding our current products to a world market. We'll keep our manufacturing primarily in the U.S., so Americans have high paying industry jobs and can afford our products . . . "

      "Whoa, Marc," Warren Warfield interrupted.

      "Yes!" Gorgon said, interrupting Warfield. "You don't seem to understand the Council's global economic philosophy. We don't give a damn about the United States people--we're only interested in power. Political power, economic power, military power. Power to control the destiny of the world. If millions of Americans are living in poverty, so what? That's inevitable in a global economy. So the American middle class shrinks. You, Marc, are a member of the upper upper class. That should be your only point of loyalty. Forget this nonsense about reinvigorating the American lower and middle classes. Where'd you get this liberal bleeding-heart horseshit?" Gorgon looked at Warren Warfield, wondering if he would be able to control his grandson.

      General Drover entered the meeting room at that moment and Gorgon motioned for him to sit next to him at the front. Gorgon quickly sat down at his computer and wrote out a short email message to Fred Blackmore, CEO and chairman of Tele-Dynamics Corporation. "Come to the resort meeting room immediately." He had been told to stand by in his hotel suite. The competition for the corporate slot on the Council Executive Committee had been between Marc Warfield and Blackmore. Now Blackmore was the Man.

      Blackmore's commitment to globalization is solid, Gorgon thought to himself.

      Gorgon then smiled at Stephen Prince to let him know to continue.

      Warren Warfield was visibly upset with his grandson's performance.

      Secretary of Treasury Stephen Prince had been born to a wealthy Texas family. Political analysts said Secretary Prince's smile had two hundred different meanings--depending on the situation. He spoke softly but always carried a very large list of insider contacts and political IOU's. His tall, trim body topped by a head of gray hair marked him as an elder statesman- insider.

      "I can understand Marc's dilemma," Prince began, "we all wish our nation well. But we must be realists." He smiled at Marc. "I'm sure after further reflection you'll see why a global economy is the only answer."

      Prince leaned over and pushed a key on his computer to activate his presentation. Displayed on the right-hand screen was a picture of the New York branch of the Federal Reserve System and a diagram of all twelve FRS regional banks, from Boston to San Francisco. Because of extensive television exposure, Prince's mannerisms were familiar to most Americans: the rising and falling cadences that sounded like a Southern Baptist preacher, the forced smile that sometimes incongruously accompanied a harsh statement.

      "This is the financial command center," Prince began, pointing with a pen light to the image of the Federal Reserve Bank on the screen. "We must control it if we are to take over the United States. Foolishly, we have allowed the 1913 legislation creating the Fed to remain unchanged. So we still suffer from presidents appointing Fed boards of governors for the whole system and commercial banks selecting directors who run the Federal Reserve regions. In other words, too much dispersal of power.

      "My recommendation: When we have once again taken total control over the U.S. presidency, the judiciary, and the Congress, we will create new laws permanently establishing one financial czar, the Secretary of the Treasury, who will also be the commander-in-chief of the Federal Reserve System. We'll do away with all the regional boards and shared decision-making."

      The image on the screen changed to show a centralized financial command center with the Treasury Secretary at the center, controlling the federal treasury and the Federal Reserve System.

      "Once we have this structure in place in the U.S. we should then use our military super-power status to realize the dream of one of the world's great thinkers, Montagu Norman of the Bank of England, that

'the hegemony of world finance should reign supreme over everyone, everywhere, as one whole super-national control mechanism.'

     Prince paused to allow the participants to reflect on Norman's words. A picture of Montagu Norman appeared on the screen, with his words in bold letters.

      Prince continued. "We will create a rash of bank failures and use the ensuing panic as the reason to pass new legislation in Congress placing all financial institutions under the control of the Secretary of the Treasury and outlawing the private ownership of precious metals in any form. With our control over the Presidency and the Congress, we will pass new laws so that there will be no taxes for the wealthy and raise taxes for the middle class and the poor. Corporate profits will sky-rocket and we'll reduce the over-paid American workforce by at least one third.

      "I have laid out specifics as to how the new U.S. financial power-structure would take control over Japanese, German, British, and even tighter control over international financial interests, such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Suffice it to say that we will create a new financial world order with our Council members at the head."

      Gorgon was especially pleased with Prince's presentation. He looked over at Warren Warfield and smiled, to indicate that he was delighted with their choice of Prince for the executive committee of the Council--and, undoubtedly, the Secretary of the Treasury under the Council's new regime.

      A nervous General Storm arose. It was his turn to speak. He looked at Gorgon. "I don't know how to make this computer system work."

      Gorgon glared at him, then strode over and activated Storm's presentation by making a grand gesture in the air and then pushing the correct key on his computer, as if he were a concert pianist.

      Storm had trained himself at Command and General Staff College to speak as forcefully as possible to impress his superiors. He cleared his throat and spoke bombastically. "I have studied the military factor in national strategy for over twenty years now, assisting several Chiefs. I am excited about becoming a member of the American Geopolitical Council and possibly joining the Council's executive committee.

      "We've got to do more with less in the military. We will continue to spend less on the military in the next ten to fifteen years. But we must also show the nation and the world that the United States is the world's only military super-power. So we must have a war approximately every five years to flex our muscles, renew the super-patriotism we established during Desert Storm in 1991, Kosovo in 1998, Afghanistan in 2001, and Iraq in 2003. We must coerce the rest of the world into paying us to be the world's policemen. Our most useful enemy right now is Iran. We've made it possible for Iran to buy dangerous new weapons and nuclear material enrichment equipment from our European competitors. I propose that we secretly encourage Iran to continue buying as much military hardware as possible and then next year find some excuse to start a short war with Iran. We'll beat the crap out of them, just like we did with Iraq, and the world will see again that we're not to be messed with."

      Storm paused and looked at Gorgon. "That's my presentation. Are there any questions?"

      No one spoke for several minutes. Finally Gorgon stood. "You can be seated, General Storm." He turned to General Drover. "I want to introduce Brigadier General Floyd Drover. General Drover has been working in the field of military geopolitical strategy at the Pentagon. He has an outstanding global outlook concerning the place of the military in the American Geopolitical Council's strategic plan. General Drover, would you please say a few words about your vision."

      Drover took off the sport coat he had been wearing. He wore an aqua blue shirt with a grey tie. His mustache and chiseled chin gave his face a look of fierce power. He walked up to one of the screens at the front of the room. He spoke forcefully but not harshly. "I would disagree with General Storm that we should decrease investment in the military. Some of this country's most important corporations are Department of Defense-related. The military budget is essentially a way to support those essential corporations through their development of weapons systems. We're going to have a leaner military force, but we must increase our military spending for weapons.

      "We will use North Korea as our initial military target, not Iran. Iran is a long-term project for military development as an enemy. North Korea is a mature military market. That is, it has a lot of military hardware and we can easily defeat them, making a very positive impression on both our enemies and friends. And the same kind of two hundred percent Americanism we created during Desert Storm and Iraq will be possible once we make it appear that North Korea has secretly developed nuclear arms and has immanent plans to attack South Korea.

      "We'll control the press just as we did in Operation Just Cause in Panama and the embedded reporters in Iraq and Afghanistan. That is, all press coverage will be controlled by us--before, during, and after any military campaign. If a few dissident reporters become "collateral damage," as in Iraq, so much the better. North Korea is a necessary showcase for our military might, because Japan is beginning to think about developing its own military capability. Asia, meaning China, India, Indonesia, and Japan, must understand that the United States controls the world. Our war with North Korea will make that clear. We will provoke war with North Korea by claiming, falsely, that they have developed world-threatening nuclear capability. When they refuse to let the U.N. inspectors in, we'll begin our attack."

      General Drover looked at Gorgon. "That's a very quick overview. Anything additional?"

      "No, that's fine, General," Gorgon said immediately, standing up. He looked quickly at Senator Barker. "Senator, would you give us a quick overview of your conception of the political game plan for the Council."

      "Yes, surely," the senator said, making certain he was muting his southern drawl as much as possible. He had experienced a particularly embarrassing encounter during which Gorgon had told him that the Council would not include southern crackers. The senator had always used his drawl to his particular advantage, especially when orating on the Senate floor. But he was careful now to speak "northern," as he called it. The senator had been particularly attentive to the Council's study group outlines, so he knew the main political ideas the Council was pursuing. No one had ever characterized the senator as an original thinker.

      "The Council will begin an immediate campaign to call for a re-invention of American democracy, including a complete revision of the U.S. Constitution. We will use Dr. Gorgon's mind-control techniques to convince the American electorate that the old Constitution has served its purpose but needs updating and revision relative to current global demands. We will begin a popular movement for revision of the Constitution, enlisting various special interest groups in our effort. The Constitution will be revised so that the President will have overall control of the federal government. The Senate and House of the Congress will have a reduced role in this new political structure, merely creating legislation to carry out the President's objectives."

      Senator Barker glanced at Gorgon. He wondered if that was enough.

      "I see you've been paying attention during the Council study group sessions, Senator," Gorgon said quickly. "You've glossed over some of the high points, but that will do for now."

      "Next," Gorgon continued, "we'll hear from Dr. Iaggo who will explain the important psychological operations which will constitute the foundation for our other efforts.

      Dr. Iaggo was a white-haired, foreign-looking man who spoke with a heavy Russian accent. He wore a heavy black suit with a brown tie. He had been brought to America by Gorgon from the Pavlov Institute in the late 1980's and had been a follower of Gorgon's ever since.

      "Gentlemen, none of our efforts will succeed unless we continue to undercut the small amount of moral underpinning remaining in the people of the United States and the other nations of the world. The U.S. is today the best example of how easily a moral climate can be destroyed in a few generations--look what was accomplished under Bush II and Obama. Daily you read of some young high school kid or college graduate killing one or more of his acquaintances or family members. People shake their heads at such savagery, wondering what's gone wrong. Well, actually everything's gone wrong--just as we have planned. The people reading the hysterical newspaper story don't notice that the parents didn't think the kid was that bad, the school administrators and teachers felt that the kid was just like all the other students, and the kid's friends didn't really think that his killing a dozen or so people out of rage was anything unusual.

     "We're now living in a culture where there is almost no moral fiber remaining. Parents cannot instill morality into their children because they have none themselves. Schools no longer teach anything; they are merely places where kids serve time and then go on to college, the military, or unemployment.

     "But there is still a small ethical strain in America and other nations that we're systematically wiping out--primarily with carefully-designed television programs, movies, and anti-intellectual school books. The new ethic we're instilling in young and old alike is Egomania: the belief that the world revolves around the individual. The twin pillars of egomania are greed and immediate self-gratification. It's surprising how easily we've been able to turn people who care about their society into people who have no other interest than becoming as wealthy and famous as possible--or, for the lower classes, as mindless and pleasure-seeking as they can.

     "Within the next year, most of the programs on American television will show how cool it is to satisfy whatever immediate ego-desire an illiterate mind can devise. We'll make it seem that any kind of murder or mayhem is merely an expression of self.

     "Movies and computer games will glorify violence of all kinds, and within this generation we should have what we've been planning: a culture without any moral or artistic standards whatsoever."

      Dr. Iaggo looked at Gorgon to indicate that he had completed his presentation.

      Gorgon stood up. "Excellent, Dr. Iaggo, excellent. We'll now conclude this part of our session. I'll ask only these people to remain: Senator Binkley, Mr. Warfield senior, Secretary Prince, Senator Barker, Dr. Iago, and General Drover. I will return in a moment." He walked out of the room through the back door.

      Marc Warfield and General Storm realized that they were now to leave. They attempted to draw the least amount of attention to themselves as they departed. Marc merely glanced at his grandfather, a smirk on his face. He realized he had made a huge mistake by trying to suggest a new economic approach. The general was seething, wondering how he could get back at Gorgon.

      The other attendees waited patiently for Gorgon to return. Fred Blackmore arrived and Warfield introduced him to the others. During his absence, Gorgon instructed his technical staff in the communications center to see that the master computer system was loaded with the appropriate databases, including the Council's Grand Strategy, incumbent President Randolph's background and profile, and selected political-economic data.

      The data had been obtained from the Council Work Groups; the CIA Spider files database of information on American leaders; the F.B.I. "action/active" and "Hidden Ball" files which included reports on two million U.S. citizens; reports from the President's psychiatrist, among scores of other sources. From all the data, a simulation of President Randolph's personality had been created which allowed Gorgon to try what-if kinds of scenarios in controlling the President's behavior. The system indicated that if Gorgon influenced or controlled one of the factors affecting the President's personality, specific effects would ensue. Gorgon had told Warfield that his computer system knew the President better than the President knew himself. On the two screens were displayed the Council Grand Strategy and information concerning the President.

      As soon as everyone was again seated, Gorgon looked over at Senator Binkley. Gorgon always felt uneasy when he realized that Binkley might have to be the presidential candidate for the Council. It's going to be a real job to program that buffoon into a viable presidential candidate, he thought to himself.

      "The most likely Republican candidate for the presidency," Gorgon said, "can perhaps amplify what has been said about the Council's political strategy." He'd now see how well Binkley's programming was progressing.

      "Uh, thank you, Dr. Gorgon, gentlemen." Binkley stood up quickly and strode to the front of the table, standing next to Gorgon. Gorgon had told him to make sure he always stood at the front of any room when he spoke.

      "You can remain at your workstation, Senator," Gorgon said. Gorgon pushed the key on his computer. On one of the large screens was displayed the Council's Grand Strategy:

American Geopolitical Council Grand Strategy Revise U.S. Constitution: President as primary power controlling Congress and all federal agencies Initiate war with North Korea to maintain world super-power status Destroy President Randolph through campaign tactics and win the presidency After gaining the presidency, launch orchestrated false-flag terrorism in the United States, institute a total police state and suspend civil rights GAIN TOTAL CONTROL OVER THE UNITED STATES

      The senator felt terribly awkward. He returned to his computer, but decided he would remain standing, even so.

      "Senator Barker has given a synopsis of our political plan. After we have our man in the presidency, the political scenario will be triggered by our staged terrorist attacks, carried out by operatives we are now training in South America. These acts of terrorism will occur in large metropolitan areas, involving power shutdown, takeover of commercial air terminals, destruction of corporate databases through information warfare tactics, and the taking of hostages in state and federal buildings, including the rebuilt Federal Building in Oklahoma City.

      "These terrorist acts will take place within the first year after our man is inaugurated as President. Our controlled press will provoke the American people to mindless panic. They'll be programmed to call for the suspension of civil rights and the institution of a police-state to deal with terrorism. Our new President," he smiled, "will establish martial law throughout the nation. The reign of martial law, I fear, will be a prolonged one."

      Binkley sat down and glanced at Gorgon.

      Gorgon began. "Now the second part of our agenda of the evening: the personality profiling of incumbent President Randolph." An image of President Randolph appeared on the overhead screen.

     "I have created a state-of-the-art profiling system which captures an individual's entire personality in a computer program. The system also includes what is called an expert system: psychological and political expertise embedded in a complex decision-recommending mechanism. We add information to our profile of President Randolph daily, and the psychological and political expertise heuristics are modified on a weekly basis.

      "With this system we are able to tell what a target individual thinks about all the important issues, precisely what people control him and what external and internal forces motivate him. And we know precisely what actions to trigger to produce specific behavior in this human guinea pig. This, gentlemen, is the world's first mind-control machine.

      "To make certain that Senator Binkley becomes the Council's man in the presidency, we have a great deal of work to do, including, neutralizing and destroying our political opponent, President Randolph.

      "President Randolph is not, of course, aware that the Council has any power over him. We want to keep him ignorant of our power until the right moment. We will make certain that his election ratings drop significantly in the last weeks of the campaign. We will destroy the President's credibility through various campaign tactics, destroying the social stability the President has worked so hard to achieve.

      "And now," Gorgon said grandly, "what is the present estimate of our overall success?" Gorgon pushed a key on the computer keyboard in front of him. The monitor read-out was displayed on the second large screen, including an expert system window, and a results window on which the final decisions would be displayed. The expert system window displayed a blinking question: What is the desired outcome?

      Gorgon had revised this input many times, as his own plan for takeover matured. Today, Gorgon was certain of his input. Without hesitating, he typed in a response: take over the presidency in the next election. The expert system was programmed to take that final input to the question, work through scores of heuristics which Gorgon and his experts had developed, and come up with a strategy to realize the objective. The computer system worked away for about twenty seconds while Gorgon and the committee members sat silently in the huge room. Finally, the first large screen displayed its recommendations.

OPERATION MEDUSA Recommended Strategies Power Quotient Initiate OPERATION MEDUSA, April 1 50% Destroy the President's credibility during a nation-wide TV debate 40% Arrange for the President to have a Council-controlled mistress 5% Exert control over Chief of Staff Obermann 5%

      Gorgon chuckled when he saw these newest recommended strategies. "The system's recommending we start next month, not January of next year as we had thought. That seems reasonable. We have already begun to arrange for the President's mistress--a very effective young lady I can assure you. And I have plans afoot to gain control over Obermann, Randolph's Chief of Staff."

      He did not explain to the committee members what he meant. It was an operation which required neither their knowledge nor their participation.

      Gorgon continued to reflect on the recommended strategies of the expert system. As he read the last item on the screen, he smiled at Warfield. "I'll bet you a million dollars this project succeeds. You want the bet?"

      "No thanks," Warfield replied, "My money's on our succeeding. There's no one to stop us."

      "Even if someone knew our plan, they couldn't stop us. After the next presidential election, the United States is ours--forever!" Gorgon spoke with complete self-assurance.

      The two huge computer screens on the wall suddenly displayed a message in large, bold letters:

Operation Medusa Main Objective: Gain Total Control Over the United States Predicted probability of success: 97%