copyright 1989; G.P. Putnam's Sons publishers, New York; larger hardbound in black and charcoal boards with gilt stamp lettering of author signature on cover and gilt lettering along spine; very good condition with unmarked pages; dust jacket very good.
Description -
Clear and Present Danger is a political thriller novel, written by Tom Clancy and published on August 17, 1989. A sequel to The Cardinal of the Kremlin (1988), main character Jack Ryan becomes acting Deputy Director of Intelligence in the Central Intelligence Agency, and discovers that he is being kept in the dark by his colleagues who are conducting a covert war against a drug cartel based in Colombia. It debuted at number one on the New York Times bestseller list. A film adaptation, featuring Harrison Ford reprising his role as Ryan, was released on August 3, 1994.
Plot -
The President of the United States, who is running for reelection, finds a fierce opponent in Ohio Governor J. Robert Fowler, who has rallied the American public behind his administration's failures in the War on Drugs. This provides National Security Advisor James Cutter with an opportunity to help him initiate covert operations within Colombia with intent to disrupt the illegal drug trade there. Aided by CIA Deputy Director (Operations) Robert Ritter and CIA director Arthur Moore, the plan involves inserting light infantry troops with Hispanic descent into the country to stake out airstrips used by the cartel (SHOWBOAT), which then allows F-15 Eagles to intercept drug flights (EAGLE EYE). In addition, mobile phone communications between cartel management are intercepted through CAPER, which is also the communications arm for SHOWBOAT.
Meanwhile, a U.S. Coast Guard cutter Panache intercepts a yacht in the Caribbean Sea; its crew finds two Hispanic men cleaning up the vessel after murdering its owner and his family. Through a mock trial and execution, the Coast Guardsmen force the killers to confess to their crimes; it is later learned that the murdered man was involved in a money laundering scheme for a Colombian drug cartel. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) then proceeds to seize the laundered money from several banks in the United States and Europe, which amounted to over 650 million dollars.
The seizure of the cartel money by the FBI infuriates drug cartel leader Ernesto Escobedo...