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Beirut (2018)
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For 4,000 years... ...villains and heroes, and they don't do that here. Here, you have Jews, Muslims, Christians, all living shoulder to shoulder, and it's messy. And the challenge for the State Department, for us... Sounds like I'm not gonna get a quick answer. Mason's just playing the diplomat, Congressman. He's been here long enough to explain this place in a minute. Let's have the shorter version. Give me the snapshot. I don't know if I'd call it a snapshot, but I tell people, "If you wanna understand Lebanon, think of a boardinghouse without a landlord." The only thing the tenants have in common is their talent for betrayal. So these people have been living together, cheek by jowl, 20 centuries. 2,000 years of revenge, blood feuds, vendetta, murder. One night there's a storm. Raining like hell. There's a knock at the door. Who is it? It's the Palestinians. They want in. They've been up and down the block. They had doors slammed in their face. They're cold. They're tired. They want in and they want in now. So the house is thrown into confusion. Tenants arguing. Some of 'em violently opposed. Some think, "Let 'em in. They'll be gone tomorrow." Some think, "I let them in tonight, then I'll have an ally against my enemy." Some of 'em are terrified if they keep the door shut. So it isn't until after the Palestinians move in that the other people in the house realize the tragedy of the situation. That the Palestinians want nothing more than to just burn down the Israeli house next door. Welcome to Beirut. I told you he's good. - Sure is. - And so it goes. Mr. Skiles. a va? How are you? You look beautiful. You look great. Mason Skiles. How do you do? We have not met. How do you do? Nice to see you again. There he is. We know who we don't wanna make deals with. The lessons of Vietnam have been learned. And I think our president has got his own things on the domestic front to deal with. But what we definitely don't wanna do is establish any sort of permanent presence. - Where are you from? - Washington, DC. Well, good for you. Welcome. Here we are. The party is a delight. Thank you! We understand that Beirut, specifically, and Lebanon, more generally, has enough people coming in and trying to put fingerprints on it. We don't wanna be one of those. We just wanna make sure everybody has a fair playing ground to contribute to a stable regional economy. That's what I think. The congressman can certainly speak more to that. Karim, this is some friends of ours. This is Agnes and Joanne from the United Kingdom. Karim's been keeping everybody well-fed. - Good job. - Thank you. How old is he? He looks young. He's about 13. He's from one of the Palestinian refugee camps in West Beirut. He stuck around, and he's become a part of the family, which is very nice. -My lovely wife, Nadia. -Nice to meet you. - You know the congressman. - Are you enjoying Beirut? -We've been having a very nice time. -Yeah. Yes. I find it's a beautiful place, full of beautiful people. Yes. One beautiful person in particular. As a diplomat in the Middle East, you have to think on your feet. And the more you do it, the better you get at it. When you talk about making deals, the most important thing is to keep talking. As soon as the talking stops, the fighting starts. You need to come in from a diplomatic standpoint and explain to everybody involved, "This is what we have to work with. These are the pieces on the game board right now." Thank you for being here. I'm gonna leave you in very capable hands. I've gotta say hi to somebody. Thanks so much. Good to see you. Alice. Alice, all alone. I heard you had congressmen. You know how that drives me wild. Where is Cal? I could use a hand. He's coming. Just something at the office. Everyone behaving themselves? It's early. Come on. Let's get you a drink. - Hungry? - Famished. Hurry up, girls! It's dinner time! Mmm-mmm. Mmm. - How we doing? - Good. Christians in one corner, Muslims in the other and Jack Daniel's in between. Dinner's close. Everyone here? Cal's late, but Alice said we should start without him. How are you, sweetie? My next life? -In your next life, you marry a carpenter. -Mmm. Where you been hiding? The drivers out back, they took everything. The drivers clean you out? They live to eat. There you go. Get you reloaded and back out there. Pardon. Pardon. - Hey. How are ya? - Hey, sweetie. Have you seen Mason? You look tense. No, no. Just wanna talk to Mason for a second. What's wrong? Nothing. I just... Hello, Karim. Look at you. Don't you look elegant. -Don't you think so, Cal? -Yeah, yeah, yeah. Very elegant. I understand congratulations are in order. Nadia told me you did really well on your exams. She helped a lot. But she's not the one who took the test, is she? You heard about this, right? Yeah. Very impressive. Excuse me, I'm just gonna... Hey! There you are. I was having a nightmare. I was gonna have to babysit these yahoos by myself. - We need to talk. - You need a drink. Too much mingling with congressmen will make you lose faith in democracy. Indeed. We need to talk. Mas, we've been through a lot together. Right? And somehow we've managed to steer around the icebergs. No, thank you. Cal, spit it out. We have 25 people out there waiting for dinner. I've never come to you with anything operational. -We've always been clean. -What the fuck are we talking about? Karim. It's about Karim. They want him for questioning. -Who wants him? -Everybody. - He's got a brother. Did you know that? - What? No, he's got no one. Why do you think Nadia took him in? Rafid Abu Rajal. They were separated in '68. Karim came here to Beirut. Rafid went to prison for two years in Jordan. Hold on. Where's this going? Munich. The brother left a rental car outside the Olympic Village. They've got prints. They've got a witness. They got this, Mas. That's Karim and his brother six months ago here in Beirut. They who? There's an operations supervisor at the bottom of the driveway. They want him now. They who? Mossad? I can help you. I can't make this go away. So it is Mossad. -Israel just drops a dime-- -Your people are all over this. This is bullshit. The State Department froze your security access two hours ago. Okay? Someone talked. It leaked. It's gotta be now. It's not safe. Cal, it's Karim for fuck's sake. You've got the kid brother of Global Enemy Number One serving canapes to congressmen. What are you gonna do? Drag him out of here? You think Nadia's gonna go for that? She just filed papers for his sponsorship. We just got him a student visa, for chrissakes. He's part of the family, Cal. Not my call. You go tell your boss that I'll be down to talk to him in five minutes. Karim, you be honest with me. If you lie to me, if you hang me up, I cannot help you. Your brother. Is he dead? -Is he dead? -When is the last time you saw him? Is he dead? Is Rafid dead? He's not dead. Okay? I need you to answer my question. When did you see him last? Months... Six months. Six months where? He comes to me. He comes to you where? I turn around and he's there... on the street. On the street. He's here? In Beirut? No! In Spain. He lives in Spain now. He cooks to make a restaurant. Why would you lie to me about this? Why are you angry? Okay. I'm not mad at you. I'm not mad at you. Okay? I just need you to tell me the truth. Okay? His passport... He took a Spain passport. A new name. He says no one can know. If I tell anyone, he loses everything! I promised him! What's going on out here? Go. Now. Go to the kitchen. Wait there. What did he do? I don't know. Nothing, maybe. I don't know. I need to handle this. Go back inside, make sure dinner gets out in time, okay? I'll be back in a few minutes. This is bad, isn't it? It's nothing that can't be fixed. All right? Karim. Are you okay? What is it? Huh? What's wrong? I promise I will have him there. I guarantee it. First thing tomorrow at the Embassy. - I'm offering a compromise. - I'm sorry. I don't have the authority to negotiate. That's a tough spot to be in. I know. Been in that spot many times. There's no reason why this can't run smoothly. I just don't see that happening. -Does he know the situation here? -I've explained it. Mr. Riley is not here this evening in a supervisory capacity. We thought he might be able to get the man out quietly. "Man"? This is a 13-year-old boy we're talking about. This child is harmless. This is not an analysis assignment. If you can't help me find a creative solution to my problem, then I'm gonna ask you to telephone someone who can. We've lost that as an option. Then I suggest you retrace your steps and figure out where... Jesus! Get out-- Wait! Mas! Mason! Hold it. Watch out! Watch out! Mason! Nadia! Karim! Nadia! Karim! Nadia! Move! Get him out! Help me, Mason! Mason! No! No! Please! Take me! Leave her! Drop your weapon! Come here, Karim! - No! - Mason! Karim. Drop your weapon! Or I kill her. Please, no! Please! Go! Go! No, baby. No, baby. Come on. Stay here with me. Don't leave home without that raincoat. You are going to need it. Showers will continue in the Boston area throughout the evening, tapering off just after rush hour. And that's your traffic and weather on WCPN. It's 7:15. I'm Jane Emerson. Coming up in the next half hour, Jerry Torbin discusses the future... Hey, buddy! You all right in there? Yes... Yes, sir! Well, you don't sound so sure. Coming or going? No, I'm here. I'm a guest at the hotel. I was just heading in. All right. Try sleeping inside. All right, issue number five, pension attrition ratio. We worked our way to common ground here. Jerry's gonna accept the National Formula and the Union has decided to waive their "most favored nations" clause. Great. Number six, ICC indemnity bonding. Feels like another solid compromise here. We'll cross-collateralize the premiums with the safety bonuses. So, we have fewer accidents, fewer claims. We have a better package. Everybody wins. All right, guys? That is six issues we've taken off the table. It's important now to take a look back and realize how far we've come. Six of ten. Of nine. You see? You're back with the overtime? Again with this? It's never going on the table. Both sides have to show more cards here. All right? The numbers will tell us which way we're gonna go. I'm getting raped here, Mason. -Prove it. Open your books! -Open your fucking ears. I'm done. I'm going back to the office and starting over. What do you mean by "starting over"? I'm going back to my original offer. - Is that a threat? - No. Here's a threat. I'm gonna start answering my phone, 'cause it's ringing off the hook with guys who would kill to work for what I paid you thieves 20 years ago. You don't got the balls to lock us out! - Let's take a break. - Try me. I can have a strike vote in 15 minutes. Bring it on! Let's see this strike! Fuck you, you piece of fuckin'... Do you know what? Kiss my fuckin' fat ass! That went well. They'll cool off. The deal speaks for itself. Let them sit with it a bit, let the downside ring in their ears. In a couple of days, they'll be back. Where do we stand with the supermarket thing in Providence? They took a local guy. A lawyer. I was gonna tell you this morning, but it seemed like you had a lot on your plate. Can I buy you a drink at Foley's? I've been offered a job. It's New York. We're still haggling over the numbers, but... That's not why I want to wrap things up. I'm not bailing on you. You need a rest, Mas. Like, for real. Get some sun. Walk around. Take a break. You're gonna do great in New York, Ernie. You'll be fine. Colonel Ruzak. ...sanctions. It's confirmed. They found the car. -Pack your bag. -It's in my office, sir. Mason? Mason Skiles? You might not remember me. Ray Sullivan? Sure. You arbitrated a barter for us a couple years back. A fiber optics project down in Needham? Sully. Of course. Of course. -How are you? I'm sorry. -No. Relax. Happens to me ten times a day. Who can keep track? Yeah. We're just here negotiating labor settlements. Just killing time while both sides cool down a little bit. I know. I spoke to your partner. He told me you might be here. I got a wake-up call this morning. Kind of a fire alarm. Friends in Washington. Old friends. Well, mutual friends. They know I'm in the area and they asked me to talk to you. American University in Beirut. I guess they had someone lined up to give a lecture later this week, and he canceled on them. "Cross-Cultural Arbitration" was the topic. So, my friends, your credentials, your being an alumni and all, they were hoping you might fill in. There's a check. $6,500 and a first-class ticket. I wouldn't go back to Beirut if it was the last place on earth. Flight leaves Logan at 8:45 tonight. It sounds like you got about six hours to find somebody else. I was told that's not an option. Look, I have no idea what's happening here. It'd be a hell of a lot easier for both of us if I did. But I was told to tell you that time is extremely tight and the agency would be deeply grateful for your cooperation. It's a serious request. They know that. Tell 'em I don't have a passport. They put one in with the ticket. Great seeing you, Ray. Do me a favor, will ya? You miss the flight, this never happened. This is the last message I'm leaving, because this is bullshit. Dennis called a strike about an hour ago. Maybe you know that. I'm in New York. Pam has my keys. I don't know what else to say. You wanna talk, you know where to find me. Mason Francis Skiles. 45 years old. Postgrad at Oxford in Arabic and Mideast studies. He comes here in 1962 on a teaching fellowship. He's recruited Foreign Service in '63 for immediate posting to Cairo. Then Damascus, '65, Tel Aviv '68. 1969, he's reassigned to DC as assistant undersecretary for Mideast Affairs. He marries. He's published. He's widely quoted. Kissinger takes a shine to him, throws him a working group at the Paris peace talks. And in '71 he jumps the line. He comes back to Beirut, where he was appointed deputy chief of mission here. And his wife... I guess Don ran that by you on the ride in. The incident at Skiles' house in '72? His wife and the Abu Rajal brothers? I can read, Ms. Crowder. What I need to know is where he stands now. Well, he left Beirut in '73 before the civil war kicked in. He was the senior trade negotiator for the Boston Merchandising Council, and then he left there three years ago to go private. And now he just has this small two-man firm. Mostly local labor issues. So, from Kissinger to the crapper. Mm-hmm. He has a drinking problem. Christ. How bad? They had to pour him on to the plane. Like we've got time for this nonsense. Talk to me, Don. He's damaged goods. Front-runner who stumbled. But he's manageable. Frank? You knew him when. Don't play cards with him, Gary. Take it easy. Mr. Skiles! Mr. Skiles! Bernard Teppler. American University. Absolute pleasure to have you here. Let me take... Welcome to Beirut. We're thrilled to have you here. Let me take that for you. I'll be your liaison with the university. Get you where you need to get. Beirut's changed quite a bit in the past ten years. You missed quite the civil war. My itinerary says I'm staying at the L'Admiral Hotel. Yes, indeed. We've booked you the deluxe suite. On the shelling side, I'm afraid. Beachside was full. Why aren't we taking Rue du Nabil? It's faster. Rue du Nabil's not good today. Big car bomb last night. Many people killed. Who lit that fuse? Well, it's Beirut, Mr. Skiles. Depends who you ask. PLO says it's Amal militia. Amal militia says it's Christian militia. Christian militia says it's the Druze. Druze says it's the Syrian Army. Listen to the radio from Damascus, it's the Israelis making excuses to come across the border. Ask Israel... Ah, for them it's always the PLO. Not the PLO. My wife says it was Gamaeet El Cheea. What do you say? I say we skip Rue du Nabil. They're checking papers, sir. Oh, fuck it. I'm afraid I'll need your passport. Nothing to worry about. PLO run a decent checkpoint. - Passport. - Hold on. Welcome to the Green Line. This road divides East and West Beirut now. One of the civil war's charming new landmarks. Muslims to the West. Christians to the East. Not much room for the rest of us, but there you have it. Thank you! Thank you so much. Shit. % ... till it hurts % % I know you hurt, too But what else can we do % % Tormented and torn apart % % I wish I could carry your smile In my heart... % Monsieur. S'il vous plait? % It would make me believe What tomorrow could bring % % When today doesn't really know % % Doesn't really know % % I'm all out of love... % Mr. Skiles? Mr. Skiles? Hi. I'm Sandy Crowder. I'm the deputy cultural attach at the Embassy. So nice to meet you. What a surprise. I help out at the university sometimes. They told me you were here for the lectures. -I know you just got in... -Yeah. No, I just... Please. Please. No, I left my car out front. Perhaps you'd like to get out of the hotel? Oh. You know what? That's funny. I was just thinking I could use a tour guide. -Really? -No. So why don't we stand here and pretend while you tell me what kind of trouble I've gotten myself into. The ambassador's hosting a recital this evening, and I was thinking of stopping in. You're just gonna keep smiling at me no matter what I say, right? Why don't I meet you out front? Good God. Mason. Ambassador Whalen. It's shocking, I'm sure. Good seeing you, Frank. I seriously doubt that, but I appreciate the effort. Congratulations on all this. Now I know you're fucking with me. Why don't you go and find Don? We'll be right up. -Uh, flight good? -Good enough. You get a look around? - Yeah. What's left of it. - Breaks your heart? I tell you, Mason. You missed one hell of a fight. PLO started tossing bombs. Government pushed back. Israel got involved. And what did we get? 50,000 dead. City carved up like a goddamn pizza. And the PLO, they're still here, hoping the cease-fire holds. 'Cause now we've got Israel down the road licking their chops, looking for an excuse to drive up and show us what great weapons we got 'em. -Mason Skiles, uh, Colonel Gary Ruzak. -Nice to see you. - National Security Council. - How you doing? -Um, thirsty? -Sure. Uh, bourbon. Neat. Before we get started, I want you to know we're all keenly aware of what you've done. And what is that? Coming out here. No notice. No info. It's been duly noted. I think you know Don Gaines, our chief political officer here. Been a while. Long time. Here you go. Have a seat. Okay. Wow. Two spies, the White House and an ambassador. Maybe one of you can actually tell me what I'm doing here. Have you talked to anybody in the area recently? - No. - You had a lot of friends here. -You must keep in touch with some? -No. A phone call? Christmas card? - Where we going with this? - It's a simple question. Who's in charge here? We all serve the president. Unless he's the next one to pop through that door, why don't you step up and tell me what the fuck's going on. Three nights ago, an American was pulled off the street in West Beirut. The next morning, we got a communiqu from a group calling itself the Militia of Islamic Liberation. Very clean. No rhetoric. They have the guy, they wanna talk. They want you to broker the deal. They asked for you specifically. Who would do that? We know who it's not. It's not mainstream PLO. - That's a minority opinion. - Come on. The last thing they want is Israeli tanks rolling across the border. They won't risk something like this. Right now, we're not ruling out anyone. Everything is in play. What is it you want me to do? You're an experienced negotiator. Negotiate. I'm here because some lunatic pulled my name out of a hat. Your kidnappers clearly wanna make a deal. They got back fast. They're responsive. They're specific. You have something that they want. Call their bluff. Tell them I'm out. Let the downside of that ring in their ears for a while. If they bite, great. You have your first concession. Honestly, I'm a little surprised. I thought I'd see Cal here tonight. Cal Riley? Cal's the hostage. You guys were pretty close. When's the last time you talked to him? Jesus. Uh... Ten years ago? I... Radio silence? Nothing? Yeah, no. Yeah. We believe Cal requested you. Based on what? Nothing specific, but-- No, no, no, no, no... No, I don't see that happening. Cal's my CO. We run half the agency's Mideast operation off this desk. Do you understand what that means? Yeah. You're afraid he'll talk. Afraid? He's been here 13 years. The guy's a walking playbook. - At the moment nothing's blown. - That we know of. This goes bad, we don't even know where to begin wrapping up. We're playing the waiting game. It's their move. So, the question I need answered from you right now is... can we count on you to play along until we get our feet on the ground? So, here's our story. We never mention Cal. He's on assignment, and nobody needs to know. Ruzak doesn't arrive in Beirut till tomorrow, so you've never met him. We brought you here tonight because we wanted to find out what you're doing in town. This isn't really my thing, Gaines. Sure it is. It's Texas Hold 'em. Two cards down, and everything else is on the table. Just play the reality. You're a confused 40-year-old widower in the middle of a long winter. You're pretending to give a lecture, but the truth is you don't really know what you're doing or why you came. Reality. Your name appears out of nowhere, and we get real nervous. Reality. We roll you up for a look, and you resent our interest. Reality. So, I'm leaving here pissed off? Works for me. What about Ms. Crowder? Well, it's a widely held belief that dangling a skirt in front of a jet-lagged American man of your age is a high percentage play. We done here? You suddenly became really important. Is that a mistake? I don't know. Reality. Gaines was just testing you. Everyone's under a lot of pressure. -Isn't that what you're after? -What's that supposed to mean? You wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the action, right? -You think I'm here for the thrills? -I don't know. No, you don't. All right, fine. Enlighten me. What's your story, Ms. Crowder? I'm a skirt in a car driving an irritated tourist back to his hotel. Hey, can we take a quick detour? To where? I'll show you where I used to live. Wow. The PLO had a transmitter up here. Ten months ago, just before the cease-fire, the Israelis took it out. Must have been beautiful. It sure was. In every way. Ski in the morning, swim in the afternoon, party all night? No, not just that. What we were doing was what we wanted to do. We were happy. I'm not sure how that turned into this. I'm good. Cal still with Alice? As far as I know, yeah. -So, where is she? -They have an apartment in Athens. Alice moved there with the family when the fighting started. Cal stayed in Beirut. It's impossible with kids here. She knows I'm involved? I'm not sure Gaines has told her yet. -We should head out. -Hold on. Wait, wait. What's your take on all this? Honestly. Do you think they want to save Cal or the information? That's an ugly question. You must have thought about it. I'm too busy worrying whether you're gonna come through for us or not. Okay, fine. Just pretend for a minute that I'm actually gonna do my job. Who am I working for? The White House? The State Department? Don Gaines? Make Cal your client. Unless you blame him for what happened here. Is that what it says in my file? Listen, we all fucked up here. Every one of us. Shoot, double up. It'll be transported to Paris. I gotta tell you, Mas, Alice has been pretty adamant about going to the service. I'll call you when I get there. If not now, then maybe we'll do something later, stateside. You can tell her that. I keep thinking that I can take this. -You're gonna be fine. -Bullshit. Sooner or later, you're gonna realize that none of this was your fault. Every time you say that, it cuts me. Then I'll stop saying it. -Take care of yourself, Cal. -Hey, Mas... Mason. Mason! Mason. Mr. Skiles. Mr. Skiles. Mr. Skiles, good morning to you, sir. Bloody traffic! Look, we're already late. She's waiting. Look, uh, it's the blue Renault across the street there. Can you see it? Right there. Off you pop. All right. Mr. Skiles! Quick as you can. No, no, no, no, no, no. Are you fucking kidding? What? I'm talking about the card game. I was told to act naturally. Well, Bashir, your new friend... The host? He's the PLO Minister of Commerce. I didn't get a revolutionary vibe off him. He's a long way from the homeland. He's got a house in Spain and a condo in Sidon and a Belgian hooker named Sandrine he keeps in a luxury apartment in Rue Hamra. - How the hell does that work? - The airlines. He's pulling over a million a month, 'cause he's the guy who guarantees the PLO won't blow your plane out of the sky. You mind telling me where you're taking me? The kidnappers called at 6:00 a.m. They know you're here. They want to meet. Sent a comm signal out about 20 minutes ago, we just got called back. We've got four million in cash in the Embassy safe. There's a Naval cruiser stationed offshore with a SEAL team on standby. We've got approval to retarget the observation satellites. We've got all the pieces in place. We just gotta hope there's somebody worth talking to. Let's go. You all right? You look a little jet-lagged. I'm fine. All right, let's go. It's the Syrian Air Force. I don't know what the fuck they're doing there. Shit getting closer, though. Hey! Don't move! Don't move! Don't move! No, no, no. We send in four of ours. We hold four of theirs. We finish, we go back the way we came. All right. We're playing by ear from here on out, Mason. Follow our lead, we'll be fine. Gaines does the talking. Understand? -Just another pretty face. -All right, let's go. Sit. We've been waiting. He says they've been waiting. How may we be sure that this man is alive? You will trust in my word. Which one of you is Skiles? Now he's asking who's Skiles? Tell him this isn't much to go on. We are concerned that the... My question remains unanswered! I'm Skiles. I am curious... My friends are curious. How is it that I can help where others cannot? No, no, no, no! I'm not here to answer questions. I'm here to tell you what must happen. - I ask the questions. - Sir... Demands can be thrown through the Embassy window. We've come to hear your voice. And to let you hear ours. My voice? These men should speak! This man saw his mother and sister blown up two days ago at Barjesh Kjehelem. Do you know that sound? The sound of American bombs falling from Zionist planes. Perhaps you should ask him what it is he needs! Sir! Enough! So... Tell us. Tell us. What is the price of our man's freedom? The price? Where do you think you are, the souk? You think we're selling you lipstick? Yes, Saiyid! The market is now open for business. Come in! Come in! - What have you done? - Don't question me. Everything okay in there? Take him out of here. It's okay. Everyone stay where they're at. Everything is okay! Okay, we'll stand by. Okay. I apologize. My friend was old. He was confused by... anger. I know when we speak to America, we need clarity. We need to choose word carefully. You agree, Mr. Skiles? Have I changed so much? What the hell is this? You know this guy? Yes, I do. Karim. Karim Abu Rajal. You look older. So do you. I apologize for the circumstance. I'm afraid we don't have a lot of time here. - You're apologizing a lot. - Jesus Christ. - What do you want? - What the fuck? You're gonna let that man fuck us? My brother. Rafid Abu Rajal. He is known to you. Yes. I will trade Cal Riley for the return of my brother. What makes you think we have your brother? Not you. Israel. Why come to us? Why go to the son when the father is so close? You're saying the Israelis have Abu Rajal in custody and they're keeping it quiet? I think we would know something about that. He was with friend at the border in the south. Now he's missing. You understand my offer? Yes. Straight up, Cal for your brother. I've explained my terms. - Wait. - Describe Cal's condition. Alive. - How do we contact you? - I trade only with Mr. Skiles. Why? Because he doesn't trust you, either. Hold on a minute. What if they're not lying? If they can't find your brother, come up with an alternative. Alternative? This is alternative. A, they killed him and haven't told us yet. For chrissakes, it's Israel. B, they killed him and don't know it. C, they have him and don't know it. He's been picked up but hasn't been ID'd yet. The guy they've been hunting the last ten years? - I don't think so. - D, he's hiding. He's been driven so deep, his own people don't know where he is. E, F, G, they have him in Tel Aviv in a cage with a little socket in his ear. Does it even matter? You think if they have him, they'll just let him out, so he can blow up another bus full of Israelis? You got your checkbook. It's Abu Rajal. Are you kidding me? He's Munich! There's always a number. Never happen. It's worth a meeting. And say what? Tell them about Cal? We do that and he's blown. We don't say anything, go in, drop a bomb, see what happens. Come on, get me a meeting in Israel. Wait a minute... You know I can do things you can't. I don't have to be here when this blows up. I can play hard. These are our friends. You're over your fucking head. - Okay. - You're over your head. What's Cal's value on the open market? That some big secret? You think Karim is the only one that knows he hit the jackpot here? How long do you think he holds that gang together? How long before one of those guys gets ambitious or pissed off or does something sloppy or stupid? I'm sorry, right now your only problem is getting the Abu Rajal brothers back together. And whether Rafid blows up another bus is something you'll need to worry about later, after Cal is safe. You don't have time to be polite, and you cannot afford to be predictable. You need cards to play, and you need them right now. So, unless someone else has a better idea, I say we go rattle the Israelis before they can stonewall us. I'm sorry, this is a waste of time. Rafid Abu Rajal? Seriously? -What's going on here, Gary? -I don't-- If you don't have him, it doesn't really matter, does it? I think it's safe to say that if we knew where he was, he'd be dead. And we're saying that he might be worth more to us alive. - Why? - We're not here to say why. We're just here to see if the market's open. Is this about you looking for the man who killed your wife? - Would that get the ball rolling? - There's no ball. You came all the way here just for this? - No. - Okay. Hold on. Hypothetically... Just for fun... Let's say you did have him. What would it take? What's on your wish list? Sky is the limit. I'm sorry, Gary. Someday you're gonna have to tell me what this was all about. I must be out of my mind for bringing you here. Relax! I can't even think of all the ways this is fucked. They're coming back to us. These are people I have to deal with every day, Mason. We're not done yet here, Gary. Are you drunk or delusional? We're in play. You need to be ready. -Back to the airport. -Yes, sir. The curiosity's driving your buddy crazy. You are. You're delusional. Okay. Put up or shut up. I say they call before we take off. If I'm wrong, I'm off your back. I'm right, in the next meeting, the one they throw me out of, you're gonna stick around and close the deal. I'm begging you to shut the fuck up. - Mr. Ruzak? - Yeah? There's a call for you. Munich Olympics. Madrid. 16 Israeli tourists. A synagogue in Istanbul. 14 victims. Children. El Al flight 305. 46 dead. Families. All of this, Rafid Abu Rajal. So how much? We know what we're asking. We don't know the price. If we had him, we would never let him go. That's a tough opening. Is this man deaf? -I think we're off the track. -It's a simple question. How much? We never said we had him. -Then what are we doing here? -No! What the hell are you doing here? Wait for me. Wait for me. -Hypothetically... -They have him. Eh. They won't say. They're gonna take another look. He might be "lost" in the system. I think they have him. I think they have him. What do they want? You mean other than to make sure you're not involved? Syria has antiaircraft bunkers all over the Bekaa Valley. Half of them are decoys. They want better satellite imaging. That's it? Two dozen Syrian targets they don't have eyes on? Take my word, it's a major piece of strategic intelligence. Did you tell them it was Cal, or did they already know? Did you really think they were gonna make a blind deal? Of course I told them. This isn't the New England Chamber of Commerce. You've got us in there playing good cop, bad cop with the World Heavyweight Champions. Look, we got lucky, okay? But that's the end of the flimflam. From here on out, you're our spokesman to Karim. That's it. End of story. Now, this is bullshit up and down! Syrian bunkers, my ass. Those are Russian-built installations. We're running out of time. - Are you kidding me? - They just want the imaging! Here you go. Thank you. Don't say a word. You're talking about jeopardizing US-Soviet relations. That's why Washington's gonna be making decisions. We spoke with the minister, Frank. He was very direct. They give us Abu Rajal, we give them satellite pictures... Those pictures are the only thing keeping the Israelis from crossing the border. Little dramatic. You take away those rockets and the Israeli Air Force does whatever they want to up here. You give them that intel, we might as well hand the PLO their life preservers tonight. - You think Riley's worth that? - Come on, guys. - Are you serious? - You like this, don't you, Gary? Two birds? One stone? You've been trying to push an Israeli invasion along for months. You might want to check with your boss. -I'm not the Christmas help. -I'll be calling the Secretary. - Do what you have to do. - Count on it. See what you been missing around here? We're putting a plan in place. Well, we're in play. That's the good news. Let's see what comes back. Did you get a chance to tell him? Alice is in town. She flew in from Athens this morning. She's obviously upset. She's gone back to their old apartment, which is no longer a safe neighborhood. We need to get her out of there. He's on his way. Ma'am, Skiles is here. Alice. If that's for me... No? It's warm anyway. They've had the electricity off all day. Don Gaines told me you were an alcoholic. Guess that makes sense. God knows what he says about me. I know it's a lot to take in right now. I know they want me out of here. You've got the girls to think about. You say that as if you know them. The girls are fine. They're living with my parents... in blissful ignorance of all things adult. Do you think Cal's still alive? I do. People seem very motivated. How they seem? In Beirut? Most of the people you're talking to would love to see him disappear. People like who? Cal thought he'd earned the right to have an opinion. You'd think someone with so many secrets would be able to keep their mouth shut. -About what? -Seriously? Israel will fail here. They'll drown, like everyone who came before them. Just don't dare say it out loud. -Is that what he's done? -Oh, for chrissake. Look, Alice, I'm doing everything I can. -To do what? -To save him. Well, you've proven you can crush him. Bringing him back to life may be a little harder. Oh, God, this place. Staying here... All the things we might've done. We could've gone anywhere. You, know, I think really, in the end, he's been waiting for you to come back and tell him it's okay to leave. And here you are. But it's too late. You can tell them I'm leaving tonight. And you owe me a favor. When you left Beirut, I packed your house. Dishes, papers, Nadia's clothes, all of it... Cal doesn't make it out of here, you pack this place up for me. I think that's fair. She's ready to go. - He's on his way down. - Copy. Monsieur Skiles. Come, come! We don't have a lot of time. He's on his way? Yeah. He's coming to you. Mason? Mason? He disappeared. Let's move. Slow down! Get her out of there right now. Fuck. Slow down. Follow me! No, no further. Stop! Stop! Stop! No. Get in! You went to Israel. Yes, Karim, they said maybe they have him. -So, now we're waiting. -What? Maybe? You wait for them? Bullshit! You wait for nothing! -You... Shut up! -We are trying. They know it's important. You have to tell them to make it work! Karim, I got back two hours ago! We are trying. Find a stop. - I need to see Cal. - Impossible. I need to see Cal and speak to him. Find Rafid first. -If I had your brother, I'd let you talk. -Impossible. It's only impossible if he's dead. Get out. Are you kidding me? I'm supposed to trust you now? Get out! You're the reason I'm here! I gave my life up to protect you! Get out! Listen to me very closely if you want to see your brother again. I don't make a move until I talk to Cal. We don't have him. What? -We looked. -No. We don't have him. -The wheels are in motion, Roni. -Oh, we should worry? You wait three days to tell us Cal Riley is a hostage? What if he talks? We might have people in danger now. Without Abu Rajal, this doesn't give me many options. - Work with what you have. - And what do I have? Say it. You had the whole ride up to think about it. You know what I want, Gary. Say it. Make this the moment. Make Riley the breaking point. "US Embassy staff grabbed off the streets, kidnapped, killed. The monsters have taken over Lebanon. Something needs to be done." Give us the green light. We could clear this place out in a month. Just burn Cal and give Israel the keys to the city? We should worry for him? -He's been a thorn in our side for years. -Cal's network? His assets? You think the agency's just gonna throw all that away? If he's not back soon, they won't have a choice. Oh, God. You've got lemons, Gary. Make some lemonade. You have any idea how many people we have looking for you? Obviously, not enough. This kid, the messenger, says what? "Follow me"? He gave me a note. It had one word on it. "Karim." I didn't have a lot of time to make a decision. -No one shows up? -No, the kid bails on me. I fall down, walk back here. I didn't see anybody out there looking for me. I'm not staying. Another one for me, please. Take off your belt. What? Under the table. I'm giving you a new belt. A transmitter? I can't lose you again. Now, do us both a favor. You're speaking at the university tomorrow, so make that your nightcap. And get something to eat. Merci. We're five days and counting, Gaines. How much longer can you wait before you start pulling Cal's people? - I don't know. - You don't know? What if this is all bullshit, and they've been working Cal over from the start? That's Mossad talking. Fuck that, it's common sense. But I hate to say it, Gaines, Cal talks... you want to be waiting for bodies to pile up on the Embassy sidewalk? Tel Aviv loves this, don't they? We're gonna lose every asset we've got. They'll be the only game left in town. It's a tough decision, but I need to know you're thinking about it clearly. Just give me 12 more hours. Maybe we'll get lucky. What the hell are we gonna do with Skiles? Do with him? He's a drunk. He's got the belt now, so keep an eye on him. He fucks anything up, well... it's always good to have someone to blame. Thank you. Yes, and next question. You. With the striped shirt and the glasses. And do speak up. Don't be shy. Mr. Skiles, you worked on the Paris peace talks when you were very young. Was that your first negotiation? Uh... My first? No. No, not by a long shot. Uh... I was raised as an only child in a very small home with two people who basically hated each other just enough to stay together. So, I guess you could say I've been mediating since before I was born. So, to give you some kind of context, when I was about nine years old, one night my father came home from one of his girlfriends' house. And my mother served him for dinner that night about a dozen of his best racing pigeons. It would be about ten more years before I heard the term "Mutually Assured Destruction," but rest assured, I was very familiar with it growing up in that-- - Go, go! Go! - Look for channel 5! No, channel 6. - Get me my beacon. - Working on it. Let me help you, sir. Mr. Teppler. The pharmacy Jumblatt! Jumblatt! What? Jumblatt near the Druze cemetery! Pharmacy Jumblatt! You leave now. Alone. -You understand? You need to go now! -Yes! Yes! I need Crowder on the line now. Crowder's in a van outside. Pick it up. Line two. Sandy? What happened? Where's Skiles? I have no idea. Unknown. Where the hell's my beacon? I can't get a fix. We have to move. Hey, where is he? He's gone. He's gone. - He disappeared. - We're going to leave. We're on the move. Do not lose him! Shit! Skiles is MIA. -Missing or taken? -I don't know, but he's got the belt. - I want that signal relayed in here! - Yes, sir. I'm on it. -Let's get a flag up for the Ops team. -Got it. Ethan, get me a line to the SEALs Ops team. It's not safe here, friend. Thank you. Stop where you are. Don't move. Put this on. Okay, 300 yards. Straight ahead. Signal's good. Three hundred yards. Clear signal. Signal's locking in. They're moving southwest 200 yards. Go left on Rue de l'Arme! Heading off the left now. Stabilizing. Stabilizing? Signal's still stabilizing. It's stationary. Search him! Let's go, search him. Get me an address. -Can we get an address right away? -Gaines, come here. -We're sending them in? -Mmm-hmm. Tell Crowder to get out of there now before this gets loud. Come on, hurry! Don't fucking move! Hands where I can see 'em! Keep your hands up! Don't fucking move! Not a move! Motherfucker! You have one minute. Hey, Cal. You're not hallucinating. It's Mason. Are you okay? You look okay. I'm here to help you, but we don't have a lot of time. We gotta work quick. -Mason, how did you get here? -Stop. Listen to me. All right? Now, Rafid Abu Rajal is missing. And we're trying to make a trade for you. -The brother? -Yes. They asked me to come and make a deal. Now I want you to listen to me very carefully. They sent me to Israel to try to find him. You know how wild it can get there, and you have to goose things along sometimes and chase things you don't wanna chase. Israel? No, no, that's not who-- Karim has been very patient. Karim's been very patient. But your friends... Your friends at the Embassy... They like this idea. Yeah. I don't have many friends as I used to. Okay, you can see everything's okay. I think we all need friends. Cal, I know I could use a friend. I could use someone to trust. Right? Don't you think that's true? People can trust people based on whether or not they have something to gain? Right? What do you think about that, Cal? What do you think about those gains? Do you think those gains can be trusted? No. No, I wouldn't trust those gains. I'd feel a lot safer in a crowd. In a crowd? -More of a crowd. -That's enough. On a sandy beach. - That's enough. - Sandy. It's enough. -Have you talked to Alice? -Mm-hmm. Get her to show you the picture in my apartment. -Time is over. -You need Abu Rajal? That's all they want. Tell Alice I pray she loves me only. -What? -Stop. Tell her I pray she loves me only! -I pray she loves me only! -Stop! I pray she loves me only! -What was that? -You told me I could talk to him. You have seven hours. -How do I contact-- -No. Talking is finished. You come to Fadya Crossing at 2:30 a.m. with my brother. Karim, that's not possible. Okay. So I sell Riley to the Iranians. Good luck with them. Fadya Crossing, 2:30. Stop! Put the bottle down. -Think the gun is really necessary? -I wish I knew. Come up, come up. He's here. You might want to wait a second. What the fuck are you doing here? I'm here looking for something that Cal told me was important. Turn around. -When was this? -About an hour ago. Tell me something I can believe. -Cal told me I could trust you. -Sorry. And that Gaines was not on our side. -Who are you working for? -My friend. Yeah? Cal or Karim? He told me to look for a photo album, that there was something important in it. Where is he? -He's okay. -Where? I don't know. We drove around. -I was blindfolded. -You took off the belt. Yes. Are you kidding? You think I want Ruzak dialing in a rocket strike on my last known location? There's nothing in that photo album. There's nothing here, Sandy. What is going on? Don Gaines has been skimming money from the station budget. There's a bank in Cyprus and all this shit. Cal found out and wrote a grievance. That's what you've been looking for. Cal wrote it up, but he wanted to wait through the cease-fire before he blew the whistle. And I took it out of the photo album. I didn't want Alice to find it and light the fuse. Gaines is a thief and Cal knows about it. You don't find that problematic? -Don doesn't know any of this. -Would you bet Cal's life on that? Wouldn't matter. Cal's too valuable. No, Sandy. Now, Cal is expendable. He's a threat to Gaines and a speed bump to Ruzak. They're just gonna burn him. Now they don't have to wait. What do you mean? Karim has given us six hours to deliver the brother. You're wrong. We've got a deadline. They'll get the White House involved. Israel has to budge. Israel never had Abu Rajal. They never said they did. It cost them nothing to toy with Ruzak. Sandy? Yes, I'm here. Listen. Listen to me. Listen to me. Listen to me. Cal called it, okay? He kept saying, "Pray. Love. Only. Pray. Love. Only." I think he's right. I think the PLO have Abu Rajal. What are we doing? Get the car. Come on, think about it. You're the PLO. You're Arafat. You're desperately trying to hold this cease-fire together. The last thing you want is the Israelis crossing the border. One more incident, one more bomb, another assassination, and they'll stop asking for permission. They're gonna roll up and push you right into the sea. Rafid Abu Rajal and his little splinter group? That's a problem. He's uncontrollable. What do you do if you're Arafat? I think I would take him off the table. I would put Abu Rajal on ice. Because Abu Rajal wants this to fuck up. He'd rather put a match to this whole thing. Ruzak wants the same thing as Abu Rajal. He said it. We heard him. "Two birds, one stone." He wants this to go sideways. He wants to tip it over and give Israel all the reason it needs to come on in here. Come on. This is Cal talking. This is him telling us what's going on. If you let Gaines and Ruzak and the White House and Tel Aviv, if you let them run their game, Cal's gone. Waiting only increases the risk. -You understand that, right? -We blew our chance today. I need a master list of Cal's assets and code keys. We'll start prioritizing his people quickly, so we can get the relocation budgets in place for the folks who qualify. -You're hearing me, right? -It's a death sentence. Jesus, Sandy. Nobody's quitting on Cal, okay? But we get paid to be ready. There's a hell of a lot of unprotected pieces in the field. You think I don't know how you feel? That could be any of us out there. You're right. Maybe we'll get lucky. There's a secondary issue here with Skiles. We need to wrap him up as quickly as possible. It's covered. We picked him up half an hour ago. - Where? - The bar at the Napoli Hotel. They're gonna bring him over as soon as he's sober. Son of a bitch. You know what, though? Don't sober him up. Keep him bombed. Get his signature on a security release and pour him onto a transpo tonight. Okay. Hey, Sandy? You've done a hell of a job. I hope you know that. It hasn't gone unnoticed. Thank you. Thank you, sir. You change your mind? Little late for that. What do you mean? In an hour and a half, the Embassy duty officer is gonna open the fifth floor safe and discover four million dollars is missing. You're right. We're on our own. That's Raffik. - Put them in back. - He's coming with us. -Where is it we're going? -I thought we'd try and make a deal. And do what? Shake down the PLO? Why not? I bet you're pretty handy with four million bucks. Sandrine? Sandrine? My love! Listen closely, Bashir. You're going to tell me what I want to know or this is the last breath you'll take. -What the fuck nonsense is this? -Rafid Abu Rajal! Where is he? Where? You're not my only option, Bashir. Fuck you! Kill her. No. -The gun? -Do what I tell you! - Too much noise... - For chrissake. In the bedroom. Go! Kill her. No. No. Sandrine! What craziness is this? You let a woman tell you what to do? Let's try one more time. Rafid Abu Rajal? Where is he? Now that you told us where he is, all you gotta do is go get him for us. Call it a finder's fee. $50,000 now, $50,000 on completion. That's a $100,000 phone call, Bashir. Plus another two million if you can deliver Abu Rajal to Al-Mazar Square alive in the next hour. It's not so easy. I know it's not so easy. We all know that. That's why we're asking so nicely. And if the Old Man says no? If the Old Man says no, then all this money goes home. Duty officer says she signed the log. Thought it was for petty cash. All of it? The whole four million? - She knows Riley's code. - Oh, my God! She's got radio equipment, vehicle, weapons. Get ready. Yes, I trust him. He's one of Cal's people. Cal doesn't come back, he's cooked. He's fighting for his life. Is that what you're doing? For Cal? Making a hell of an effort. It's not some huge romance, if that's what you think. It's not. We're here, and it gets lonely. Better me than someone else. Hmm. Okay. Come on, Bashir. He has to be here now. He won't ditch us for 50 grand. If he tries to rip us off, it'll be for the whole package. What's it like to throw your whole career away in one night? -You should know, right? -You're tougher than I was. I don't get surprised very often. Not in a good way. That's my version of a compliment. All right. Thank you. Two cars approaching. Which direction? Southeast on Rue de Damas. They're coming southeast. Okay. She's telling him to get ready. -She's keyed off. -Can you triangulate the exact location? She's smarter than that. She's using just two walkies. I may be able to track the UHS signal. - Rue de Damas, where is it? - Along here. There you go, $2 million. Two million is not enough. I'm in a hurry. I'm already overpaying because you know that, but I like my offer. The answer to two million is no. Mason, it's him. It's Abu Rajal. May we speak privately? We told Bashir two million, and you brought us Abu Rajal. So let's get this settled quickly. This is it. All I got. I'm topped out. Deal speaks for itself. You wouldn't open with your best offer if your life depended on it. -Two point two-five. -Five million. -Three. -Four and a half is my floor. Point blank, I have $3.9 million exactly. Going once. Why should Bashir be the only person to profit? -Going twice. -If you take the three-nine right now, I swear I will tell Bashir you settled for three-five. You can go back to Arafat with your head held high and $400,000 in your pocket. Deal. All right, let's go. We got him. Bring him. Get the rest of the money. This is the all the money. I had a feeling we could work this out. The thing that scares me about this is you haven't asked me what I'm gonna do with him. At these prices... I want you to look at my hand. You see that? It's a laser sight. It's attached to a very high-powered rifle that my friend Raffik has up there. I've never seen anything like it. -I thought you came in good faith. -I did. Now I want to leave in one piece. You don't move until after we leave, maybe you'll live to spend that money. Let's go. -Where the hell are they? -Downstairs, sir. How much longer? Maybe he'll wait. We've waited too long. Let's get out of here! Listen, I want to go! Let's go. Go! Let's go. Heads up! 300 meters. It's the Christian militia. I'll talk our way through. With Abu Rajal in the car? Impossible! -Rami, no! -I'm going through! We can make it! Fuck. You're crazy! They're not coming! Come on, they're not coming! Turn off the engine. Turn it off! Stay alert! Where are you going? They're waiting for me. Anything might happen. I'm not staying here. Another second with this murdering fuck, and I'll lose my mind. May this be your last lucky day, you son of a whore! You're right. He's right. What the hell is this? You're not putting this through. You can bet your ass I am. -Frank, this is not your area. -This is an intel operation. It's a goddamn rodeo. - Mason, do you read me? - They keyed back in. Yes, I can hear you. It's him. It's Karim. -The goddamn location. Come on. -Almost there. I'll keep the walkie keyed, so you can hear what's going on. Copy. Cal goes first. He makes it across safe, then you get your brother. Why should I do that? Because you'll have me. I'll stay. You're not worth so much. Maybe you should've had someone more important make your deal for you. All right. All right. We're moving forward. Cal's gonna come over. - Till then, stay put. - I'm getting a lock on this. Figure out the location-- Just give me 30 seconds. Get a team rolling now. -Looks like-- -Get a fucking team rolling! No, God damn it! This is Mason's deal. It's his hand, and you're gonna let him play it. You step in now, and I'll make sure you own this all the way to a Senate hearing. I think about Nadia. Always good people suffer the most, huh? Were we that wrong about you? What? Was I a terrorist? Not then. Not that night. But in the morning. Cut him loose. How you doing, buddy. You okay? Here's the deal. You're gonna go over alone. I'll stay here until it's done. That's your plan? It's kind of a work in progress. Shit. All right, go. I'll see you on the other side. Go! He's coming over. Get the brother ready. Copy that. Cal? Yeah. It's me. Cal. Rafid! I knew you'd be safe. Karim, are we good? Let him go. And I thank you, brother. - Rafid, no! - Whoa! - Curse me, do you? - What's he doing? - You're free, Rafid. - Curse me now! We're done here. It's all good. Rafid, put the gun-- Go, Mason. Go! Rafid! Rafid! Move! Move! Mason! Mason, come on! Grab my hand! Grab it! All right, I got you. Bernard! Great! Get in! Get in! Sandrine! Get in! Good girl! Okay, let's go! Almost done here. All right, you're all set. I'll let you talk to Mason. Okay. You good? I'll let you know once these meds wear off. How about you? I'll let you know after I get a shower. Think they'll ever find Karim? Well, if he doesn't find us first. I still cannot believe you pulled this through, man. I mean, I feel like I won the lottery. You saved my life and I got to see you again. Let's not take so long to do it next time. Okay? I would like that. Thank you, Cal. That's the meds talking. Are you up for a quick debrief at the Embassy? Am I gonna need a lawyer? Yeah, well, it's more of a luncheon. Ruzak gonna be there? He's in the air back to DC. He's got some powerful friends. Who's in charge of the station? Well, that job just opened up. Don Gaines resigned this morning. Not exactly sure why. But we did come in on budget. All I'm saying, Mason, is that there is a general satisfaction all around with the results here. -Is that what you're saying? -Things happened in haste. People acted in ways that might be subject to a variety of legitimate interpretation. Enough dancing, Frank. Everybody got what they wanted. It's a rare thing. Might as well enjoy it. -So, you riding with me? -I got him. Just forget all this ever happened, huh? You really gonna go for that? You should try it. If I were you, I'd kiss this place goodbye once and for all. What if you were you? I've got a pretty good bargaining position. They already offered up some pleasant options. You got somebody making that deal for you? I've got a short list. I'm around till dinner if you really want to stick it to 'em. The Israeli Army has moved into southern Lebanon. It has a clear-cut single mission. Namely, pushing the PLO forces out of artillery range of Israeli settlements. After months of rocket attacks, Israeli soldiers backed up by tanks move up the coastal road into West Beirut. The Israeli invasion of Lebanon has been deep and wide. It encompasses an area smaller than Delaware and a third larger than Rhode Island. Evacuation of over 800 PLO fighters began today, as more American troops arrived in Beirut to keep the peace. Pentagon officials say this terrorist attack caused the four-story structure to collapse, trapping and killing those Marines. In Beirut today, a pickup truck loaded with explosives drove to the American Embassy and there was a tremendous explosion during lunch hour. Peter Jennings begins... This criminal attack on a diplomatic establishment will not deter us from our goals of peace in the region. |
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