Assault on Gravelly Point - Hardcover

A retired Lieutenant Colonel, and fighter pilot for twenty-four years, Crawford has flown the F-105 Thunderchief, F-4 Phantom II, and the A-7D Corsair II jet aircraft. Crawford and his wife, Judith, live in Williamsburg, Virginia and Duck, North Carolina. AUTHCOMMENTS: Though this book is fiction, events in the world today suggest that such a situation could happen. One has only to recall the bombing of the New York Trade Center Buildings to imagine the scope of the next threat given the hate some fundamentalist organizations harbor against the United States.

Can we be certain that all nuclear weapons of the former Soviet Union will remain under the control of responsible people and their governments? Can we assume, with any degree of confidence, that all fissionable material has been accounted for by those entrusted to monitor the dismantling of the USSR's nuclear arsenal? Is it possible that one or more weapons could have been stolen and gone undetected? Even in the United States, presumably under the watchful eye of dedicated government agencies and the media, small amounts of weapon-grade uranium and plutonium have disappeared. Can we be sure the same thing hasn't occurred in the Soviet Union? I think not.

Is it possible that a coalition of Muslim extremists - fundamentalists - might realize the advantage of joining to press their cause to greater heights? Traditional thinking suggests they are incapable of exercising the discipline to form such a cohesive organization. Infighting among factions is often cited as a primary cause of their divisiveness and supports the argument against their mounting such an effort. Yet, if we consider the increasing number of Western educations provided contemporary Muslim youths, we can begin to see how their understanding of organization and structure could support their cause.

Americans must understand that the fundamentalist movement is not one devoted exclusively to the poor and the oppressed. Successful Muslims - businessmen, educators, government employees, as well as the mullahs - support and actively participate in the "movement." Such talent, over time, will rise to the level of sophistication needed to effect such a coalition.

Nor should we depend entirely on technology, the basis of much of the Western world's success to date, to ensure America's safety. As the Muslim world gains experience in using our inventions, it will acquire the finesse needed to work our technology to our disadvantage.

We need to question our foreign policy with respect to the Middle East and its exportation of terrorism. Policies of appeasement and accommodation are ineffective and reveal the naivety of our policy makers in dealing with the fundamentalists. The term "moderate fundamentalist" is an oxymoron. Rationalization is not a concept easily embraced by the fundamentalist, especially when its application goes against the teachings of Islam. Contrary to Western beliefs, compromise is not always available as a means of settling differences in the Muslim world. As Americans, we find it difficult to understand why the fundamentalist isn't willing to negotiate. His religion is often an obstacle; for us, it seldom is.

If we are to effectively confront the fundamentalist, we must know him, learn his values, and understand his society. We must educate ourselves to his culture and religion. Stereotyping all Muslims as radicals and all Islamists as extremists must give way to more thoughtful reasoning.

In America, we judge a man by his deeds. We must apply the same standard to our Middle East neighbors. To do less is to encourage racism and spawn more hatred. The essence of a lasting peace lies in finding similarities to build on, not in highlighting our differences.

America must continue to actively seek dialogue with the Muslim world while keeping a watchful eye on extremists groups who perpetrate mischief. To do nothing about our current relationship with the Arab world is to disenfranchise an entire culture and ultimately risk Armageddon.

During the next two minutes, citizens learn that Washington, D.C. is being threatened with annihilation by terrorists aboard the hijacked aircraft. The President urges calmness - their instincts say flee. How will they survive if they go? How will they live if they stay?

ASSAULT ON GRAVELLY POINT brings to life America's greatest fear - a terrorist attack on its homeland.

This shocking thriller is the saga of Captain Wes Beacham's fight to save his passengers, crew and family from harm's way. It is a compelling love story of the Beacham family's courage in the face of extreme adversity and of President Mason McGarth's steadfast will to prevail against impossible odds.

A prophetic insight into what America's future may hold, ASSAULT ON GRAVELLY POINT is a telling example of how terrorism from aboard might be employed to threaten this nation and a chilling reminder of the insidious deceit that will likely precede such an attack.