the headline screamed. The president hurled the paper across the Oval Office.

"Well, Murphy," he said,"what are we going to do about this?"

"Well, Mr. President," Murphy began, "it's a tough call. Our boys in foreign affairs are doing the best they can."

"So what do _I_ do?" the president shouted. "Do you know how it will look if I am the man responsible for a global nuclear war?"

"I doubt that _you_ will be held responsible, Mr. President. After all, you're not omnipotent..."

"OBVIOUSLY NOT! Look, Murphy, I can't just sit here and let other men do all the work! I need to be involved!"

"OK, Mr. President, got ya. Well, here's the current situation. At present, the neutral zone runs straight through Zaire. The Southerners have a force of five million moving toward the area. The Northerners have threatened to dust Johannesburg and Harare if the troops come too close."

"What is our own presence like?"

"We have half a dozen carriers off the coast of Nigeria. Given half a chance, we could secure the immediate area in less than twelve hours."

"Have the Kenyans changed their minds?"

"No. According to the ambassador, the deal's the same: any U.S. agression on the continent, and they send all their Boston."

"Any luck with the anti-missle defenses?"

"We can handle three at best. The Kenyans have at least six, and as many as eight."

"No leaks?"

"You see any riot news in the papers?"

"Tell Charlie to call a press conference. Announce that the situation in Africa is under the UN's jurisdiction. We'll be taking no unilateral action."