The Laughing Wolf

When Did I First Wake Up In A Larry Bond World?

Let’s see. France and Germany ally and try to dominate a European Union, riding roughshod over former Easter European Countries. They set themselves in opposition to the U.S. and its remaining European allies, like Poland. Poland, concerned, begins buying U.S. weapons including a large number of F-15 fighters. North Korea, led by a seriously out-of-touch son, plays brinksmanship with South Korea and the U.S. China gets involved and plays a crucial role.

Today’s headlines? Yes. Yesterday’s news? Yes. Both of these were subjects of books by Larry Bond, the uncredited (on the cover) co-author of The Hunt For Red October and Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy.

Cauldron dealt with an unholy alliance between Germany and France, that resulted in yet a third European/World War. In it, corrupt and venal French politicians and the shadowy French intelligence services – the same ones that sank the Rainbow Warrior (see March 18 for a good play on this) to silence protest and show French might – plunge the world into war as a part of a power grab with partner Germany. Germany, and Russia, really might want to read the book as France does screw over its partner(s) for its own gain and interest.

Red Phoenix deals with a North Korea led by a megalomaniac with little or no understanding of the world outside of his borders, who embarks on a desperate plan to shore up his regime and secure critically needed resources by any means possible. The results are not good.

Both books deal well with technical and political realities. Both explore some points that are not getting a lot of consideration right now in public, and should. The role of the French intelligence services is one, and the inner workings of North Korea are another. I am going to have to write more this week, as this touches on some points I have previously promised to discuss and have yet to do so. I know, I know, but I do try to have a life and work and things like that…

In the interest of candor, fairness, and all the other doctrines that The Media harp upon, I do have to admit that I know Larry Bond. As with some in The Media, it is also a way to brag. I met Tom Clancy and Larry Bond at a convention where we were all guests/speakers. I was there because of my work analyzing and reporting on the former Soviet Union. Mr. Clancy was a gracious host, but Larry and I ended up seriously talking and I was later very pleased to visit him at his home. Larry feels that I know way more about some things than I should, and I never could explain to him why you need rudders to do a flight game/aviation war game properly. Yes, we are both geeks. While we have not talked in many years, I have fond memories of those times and visits, and highly commend his books to you.

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