JAG (1995–2005): Season 8, Episode 8 - Ready or Not - full transcript
A Marine general stands trial in a court-martial - by his own request - for alleged reckless and multiple acts of disobedience - all during a war game. Sturgis prosecutes, Harm defends, and Mac sits on the bench. Internal friction pops up during the trial. An important piece of evidence reaches Harm at the 11th hour. The dispute at issue turns out to be a personal vendetta between two generals. Justice prevails. Meanwhile Bud reaches two more milestones in his rehab, he and Harriet hold a reception in their new home, and Meredith provides a good surprise to the admiral.
Sir, just got another report.
The enemy's hit the Havertown.
There was an explosion aft,
she's on fire.
Admiral, a P-Three
just spotted four
bogies, incoming.
They're flying low,
below radar, sir.
The Lewiston's
sinking, Admiral.
She's abandoning ship.
Havertown's taken
two missiles amidships.
How many is that
now, Admiral?
We've lost an Aegis cruiser,
three destroyers
four if the Havertown goes down.
Any word from General West?
No.
And there's no sign
the enemy is turning back.
Son of a bitch.
I suggest you get on the horn
to Admiral Barr
tell him to counter.
Admiral, the carrier's
been attacked.
The bogies were small aircraft
loaded with explosives.
They just flew right
into the ship, sir.
How many got through?
All of them, sir.
The Patrick Henry's on fire.
They don't know
if they can save her.
What about Admiral Barr?
One of the planes
hit the bridge.
He's dead, General.
Sir, the Bellingham's reporting
more incoming missiles.
The Havertown's
going down, Admiral.
This isn't supposed
to be happening.
RABB:
I don't understand
how they got in there, sir.
With no Navy
or Air Force, they took on
the carrier battle group?
Enemy launched
small zodiac boats.
crews had shoulder-fired
missiles.
Small corporate jets
loaded with fuel and TNT
made runs straight
at the carrier.
MacKENZIE:
What was the final
tally, sir?
A cruiser and four
destroyers sunk.
Patrick Henry
was hit and had to
withdraw from battle.
RABB:
Damn.
Good thing it was
just a war game.
TURNER:
It may have been
a simulated exercise, sir
but someone's still going
to have to pay for it.
Someone is. Have a seat.
Operation Silent Spear was
a joint services op.
Army General
Anthony Manzarek
ran the show.
Blue Team U.S. Forces were
led by Admiral Tucci.
Who commanded the Red Team, sir?
Marine Major General Lucas West.
The general's a legend, sir.
He led the most decorated
battalion in the Gulf War.
He does have a reputation
for being a cowboy.
Sounds like the type
of officer you'd want
on your side in wartime.
CHEGWIDDEN:
Apparently not
in war games.
Army General Manzarek stated
there were strict op rules
governing the exercise.
General West disobeyed
most of them.
He's facing a court-martial.
A two-star general for
infractions in a war game?
Multiple acts of disobedience
and there's a charge
of reckless endangerment.
It does sound extreme, sir
taking it all the way
to court-martial?
General Manzarek
didn't have a choice.
He suggested a punitive letter
of reprimand--
General West refused.
He wants his day in court.
Commander Turner,
you'll prosecute...
Commander Rabb,
you'll defend.
You're leaving the colonel
out of a Marine matter, sir?
No, Colonel, you'll be
presiding on the bench.
I'm... I'm judging the case,
sir?
As I mentioned
to Commander Rabb
given deployments,
there's a shortage of
experienced personnel.
For this case
consider yourself T-A-D
to the judiciary.
Yes, sir.
That'll be all.
Aye, aye, sir.
Question, Commander?
Uh, yes, sir.
I was wondering...
If I chose
the colonel
over you because she's a senior?
By barely two months, Admiral...
Well, seniority had
nothing to do with it.
Commander, I questioned your
objectivity in your defense
of a certain plane captain
in his court-martial.
I solved that case, Admiral,
and I think I've come a long way
to distinguish myself
since then, sir.
Commander, this is not a debate.
You'll get your shot.
Dismissed.
Aye, aye, sir.
Careful, sweetie.
I know.
Why don't you go on.
I'll catch up.
I'm not exactly
in a hurry, Bud.
Harriet, I'll be walking
into this house
every day of my life.
Some days
you won't be here.
I know but the prosthesis is
new.
I just want to...
That's sweet, but...
Harriet, I couldn't
have done this without you
but I need for you to let me
handle this by myself, okay?
Okay.
WEST:
Trading a cockpit
for a law office.
Don't you miss combat,
Commander?
RABB:
Every day, sir.
Looks like
a smooth operation.
It's always smooth
when there are no
bullets flying.
But they'll be ready.
If the politicians
can get off their asses.
That's not a view
I'd broadcast, sir.
Too late, Commander.
My big mouth's built me
a solid ceiling at two stars.
30 years commanding troops--
it's the first time
I've ever been relieved.
It doesn't have to
stay that way, sir.
We can still keep this
out of the courtroom.
Coward's way, Commander.
They did their best
to shut me down
on the battlefield.
I won't go quietly now.
I think you should know...
Red Team wasn't
supposed to win.
Are you saying the game
was rigged, sir?
More like scripted to ensure
a predetermined outcome.
This case is simple.
I fought the exercise as I
thought it should be fought.
According to
the inquiry, sir
when the battle carrier group
was assaulted by Red Team
you ignored a direct
cease-fire order.
I couldn't reach my men.
Blue Team was jamming
our frequencies.
I know my accusers say
I was trying to make a point--
and I was--
but I followed my orders
as I understood them.
Well, that's our
argument, then, sir.
I've led men into battle.
Seen some wounded,
watched some die.
But never because
of poor training
or lack of preparedness.
That's what this is about.
Hey, Tiner's brew has reached
yet another octane level.
Want some?
I'm going to go
with the tea.
Yeah.
So, I guess congratulations are
in order... Your Judgeship.
Thanks...
I think.
Are you sure
you're okay with this?
Of course I'm okay.
Why wouldn't I be?
We probably shouldn't be talking
about this, legally speaking.
Why? We're friends, Mac.
Friends talk, and that's
what we're doing-- talking.
Don't forget,
we're also adversaries.
Certainly not in
the coffee room.
In the courtroom
occasionally.
That's exactly my point.
This time you won't be
facing me across the aisle
but I'll be on the bench.
You're not the least
bit concerned?
No.
What?
It's just, we've battled
each other so many times
and I know
your playbook pretty well.
Hmm, well, I think I may have
a couple passes in my playbook
you haven't seen yet.
Won't stop me
from throwing a flag
if I think you're playing
the members.
Well, I'm sure you'll be fair.
Count on it.
MANZEREK:
As the organizer of the exercise
I have an interest
in seeing to it
that everyone gets their facts
right, Commander.
But I think it's
all pretty clear.
General West was
given op orders
for the exercise
and one by one, he chose
to ignore them.
Sir, the General claims
he was merely playing the game
and he was interpreting
the orders.
Yes, I've heard
General West's explanation.
But I was also here,
in the Blue Team command center
when he ignored
my directive to stand down.
And he can explain
that too, sir.
Commander, every exercise
has its parameters...
it's free play,
but within limits.
You're saying the Red Team
could've won, General?
I selected General West
to lead the opposition
because he's an expert
at Red Team play.
Do you really think that I
would've chosen him if I wanted
to rig the exercise?
The man you should
talk to is Colonel Haller--
General West's
Chief of Staff
on this exercise.
He's a good officer.
Served on my staff
as a lieutenant.
He can clarify the general's
factual interpretations.
( knock at door )
Enter!
Excuse me, Admiral.
Your car needs to go in
for service tomorrow, sir.
What time would you like
to leave here?
Well, actually, I've asked
Meredith to give me a lift.
We're going
to have lunch.
Are you sure you want
to do that, sir?
You want to drive me to the
dealership that bad, Tiner?
No, sir, it's
just that...
Well, Admiral,
from what you've mentioned
about Ms. Cavanaugh, sir
I just thought getting
into a car with her...
Sorry, sir, I was out of line.
No, no, Tiner, it's all right.
I've been trying
to work up the nerve
to confront her
about her penchant for danger
for about a week.
Doesn't sound easy, sir.
Shouldn't be
that hard, either.
RABB:
Thanks for meeting with me,
Colonel.
I understand you were
General West's gatekeeper
on this exercise.
I handled all
communication going
through his headquarters.
Generally, we avoided
radio traffic.
We used motorcycle
messengers and
field phones
to avoid electronic
eavesdropping.
Sounds more like
World War I.
It worked.
We had them
off balance
from day one.
Well, how did
you communicate
with the boats
launching the assault
of a battle carrier group?
Sent the attack order
over civilian radio.
It was buried as
a coded phrase
in a broadcast prayer
by a local Muslim cleric.
Brilliant.
Sounds like General West
had all the bases covered.
He's the best
tactician I've seen.
And I've served under quite a
few, General Manzarek included.
These joint ops must be
difficult, huh?
Divided loyalties.
When I was assigned
to General West's team
I'd heard the stories about
how he's a little crazy.
I learned.
Going into battle, you want
that kind of crazy leading you.
Oh, that kind of crazy can get
you into trouble too, Colonel.
General West told me
about the difficulties
communicating the cease-fire
order to the troops
assaulting the battle carrier
group: radio jamming.
That's right, Commander.
There were no other options?
RABB:
General, you had a way
to communicate
with your men:
dedicated
emergency frequency.
That frequency was for
Mayday calls only--
real world emergencies.
That's a tough sell
in the courtroom, sir.
As are a few choice words
you used to describe
General Manzarek.
In the heat of battle, Commander
you say things you regret.
Take it
you don't much like
the general, sir.
We've locked horns
over the years.
I sense your confidence in our
case is dissipating, Commander.
I'm going to be honest
with you, General.
At this point, sir,
it doesn't look good.
( sighs )
What's your advice?
We could go for a deal.
You agree to immediate
retirement
no disciplinary action
will be taken.
You retain your pension
and benefits.
Otherwise I go to court-martial
and I stand to lose it all.
I've never stood down
from a fight...
and I'm not starting now.
Excuse me, ma'am?
Yes?
You're coming
on Saturday?
The housewarming,
ma'am.
Oh, Harriet,
I'm so sorry.
I forgot to RSVP.
That's okay, ma'am.
Is there anything
I can do to help you?
No, I'm fine. I just...
I'm running late.
It's not like they're going
to start without you.
Sorry.
You must be excited.
Actually, I'm terrified.
Well, that's understandable.
It's a high-profile case,
all eyes are on you
watching every move.
I haven't seen that much
military brass...
I get the idea, Harriet.
You will do fine, ma'am.
I have to do
better than that.
You make a mistake as a lawyer,
you recover.
You knock one into the woods
as a judge
it's on your scorecard forever.
It's what the Court of Appeals
is for, ma'am
to fix judges' screw-ups.
Good luck, ma'am.
TURNER:
General Manzarek
when you drew up this exercise
you designed it as a "free-play"
scenario, correct?
There are always
some constraints.
Why is that,
General?
We're testing tactics,
technology.
We have to set some limits
to prevent people
from doing things that would
negate the value of the tests.
And do you believe
that General West
exceeded those limits, sir?
Yes. He also recklessly
endangered personnel
when he overflew
the carrier group
against orders.
Do you have any idea what
motivated his actions, sir?
Objection.
Calls for an opinion.
TURNER:
On the contrary,
it calls for
an assessment of a
subordinate's behavior
by his commanding officer.
Has probative value, Your Honor.
Nice try, Counselor.
I agree with the Government.
Objection overruled.
You've got to be kidding...
...Your Honor.
You may answer the question,
General.
General West assumes
that he has a monopoly
on the truth
when it comes to
how to prepare for a war.
I believe that he's less
motivated by preparedness
and more by ego.
Thank you,
General.
Your witness.
No cross at this time,
Your Honor.
But I reserve the right
to recall this witness
at a later date.
Your choice, Commander.
( tires squealing )
Ha.
Thanks for driving.
Oh, are you kidding?
I love the open road.
And you didn't know I went
to rally school, did you?
There's a lot
I don't know.
Oh. Do you want me
to give you a ride
later to pick
up your car?
No.
Um, I'll, uh...
I'll get, uh, Tiner
to give me a lift.
A.J....
A.J., is something wrong?
Well, Meredith
you know, at some point,
we need to...
...make plans for dinner
tomorrow night.
Yeah, great.
I have this incredible
inspiration.
You know those
Korean steak houses
where you get to grill
your own food?
Now, this doesn't involve
juggling knives and
pepper shakers, does it?
I'm sensing a little reluctance.
Let's play it by ear, huh?
Sure.
I'll call you.
Ciao.
( tires squealing )
Afternoon, sir.
Was that Ms. Cavanaugh,
Admiral?
Yeah.
She's quite a woman, sir.
( tires squealing
in distance )
Yeah.
TURNER:
Sir, do you believe
that General West
exceeded the op orders
for this exercise, sir?
In my judgment, yes.
How, Admiral?
Day One: He launched
a simulated missile attack.
Several plane sensors
recorded hits.
They were downed
along with a C-17
which was our experimental
aerial communication
headquarters.
How is this outside
the rules, sir?
General West
was supposed
to have disabled
his air defense systems.
Did the general employ
any other tactics that were
outside the bounds, sir?
He launched a simulated
chemical weapons attack
contrary to the Rules
of Engagement.
And he attacked our ships using
small boats and private planes
when civilian assets
were prohibited.
In your judgment, sir,
did the general's tactics
jeopardize the training goals
of this exercise?
We were testing battlefield
communications.
Communications is exactly
what General West targeted.
Thank you, Admiral.
Your witness.
Admiral, would you agree
that rules are open
to interpretation, sir?
Yes, Commander
within reason.
Now, you testified,
sir, that General West
shot down several of your planes
including your aerial
nerve center, correct?
Affirmative, Commander.
And weren't you
on that plane, sir?
Weren't you, in fact, "killed,"
Admiral, in simulation?
In simulation.
Yet you continued
to command troops, sir.
The legitimacy
of the kill
was a matter of debate!
So I was reconstituted,
Commander.
Like soup, Admiral?
Objection. Your Honor.
Counsel is editorializing.
More like playing to the crowd.
Sustained.
Careful, Commander.
Sorry, Your Honor.
I didn't realize
it was such a tough room.
Admiral, was your timely return
from the grave
within the rules, sir?
Not strictly.
But it was necessary
to keep the exercise going.
Well, it sounds to me like the
rules kept changing, Admiral.
We did what we did
because General West kept
disobeying orders.
According to your
interpretation, sir.
Objection.
Your Honor.
Commander seems to have
forgotten who's being tried.
I know. "Sustained."
No more questions.
( doorbell ringing )
( pop music playing softly )
Colonel!
Bud, please tell me
I'm not the last one here.
Nah, just getting
started, Colonel.
Can I take your jacket
and your purse?
Thanks.
You look great, Bud.
Oh, I'm feeling great.
And I hear
you're going to be
the next
Ruth Bader Ginsberg.
Right.
Come on in.
Harriet, wow,
quite a spread.
Welcome, Colonel.
Thanks.
Harm.
Mac.
Oh, you should really
try the crab cakes.
Oh, they look
dangerous.
Oh, is that a ruling
or an opinion?
Come on, Harm, can we just bury
the hatchet for one day?
Well, I'd love to, but
I'd have to pull it out
of my client's head
where you left it.
Shrimp roll, sir?
We're not having
this discussion.
Well, at least we agree
on one thing, huh?
Excuse me.
Hi, Mac.
Hi.
Great party.
Thank you.
Excuse me.
You must be
Colonel MacKenzie.
Colonel MacKenzie,
Corporal Sean Stiles.
I've heard a lot about you.
All bad, I hope.
What's going on
with the music,
Lieutenant?
What's wrong
with my music?
It's just a little
Jurassic, sir.
All right, Corporal,
Let's go digging, shall we?
Colonel.
Ma'am.
He's doing really well, Harriet.
Today.
We're not out of the woods yet,
though.
Hey, Lieutenant.
Tiner.
Sir, I still owe you
that house tour.
Lead on.
I, uh... I wanted a chance
to talk to you, sir.
About what's next?
Yes, sir.
I have been dying
to get back to work.
I'm waiting on a call
from your team
of physicians.
Uh, your return
to limited duty
is based on their
recommendation.
And yours, sir.
Well, you know
where I stand.
So it's up to the doctors, sir.
Yeah.
You just got to wait it out.
So let's see this house.
Yes, sir.
TURNER:
You received
the cease-fire order
from General Manzarek.
How did General West respond?
HALLER:
He said we couldn't
do anything.
Our radio frequencies
were jammed
so we couldn't
contact our men.
Was there no way
to reach them?
We had an emergency
frequency.
Why didn't you use that?
General West said
it wasn't an option.
What else did General West say?
General West said
he was only interested
in sending one message
to General Manzarek.
Thank you, Colonel.
Your witness.
Colonel, you said the general
wanted to send a message.
Was his intent merely
to push his own agenda?
Objection.
Calls for an opinion.
RABB:
On the contrary,
it's an assessment
of a superior's performance
by a subordinate.
I believe Commander Turner
used the term "probative value."
I'll allow it.
Colonel?
In my experience
I don't know a general
who doesn't push his agenda.
That said, I consider
General West
sincere in his desire
to prepare us for an enemy
that won't be following
any script.
Thank you, Colonel.
That'll be all.
MacKENZIE:
This court is in recess
until 0900 tomorrow.
Admiral.
Good afternoon, sir.
Your morale seems better.
Well, I finally deciphered
the colonel, sir.
Things are looking up.
Well, you might want
to look up at this.
Scripting an exercise
is no way to find out
if we're prepared for war.
Look, I've known
General Lucas West
since we were young officers
in Vietnam.
When I got this e-mail,
I hit the roof.
You don't stage a war game
then tie the enemy team's hands
to ensure
that the good guys win.
General West used exactly
the tactics the Iraqis
or Al Qaeda are going to use...
( turns down volume )
Apparently,
the general sent an e-mail
stating his case
to a few "professional friends."
I just finished moving
the Members off of the view
of General West as an egomaniac
who'll stop at nothing
to prove a point.
And now he... he pushes
the "send Ollie" key.
He's got a history of saying
what he thinks
career be damned.
He must feel it's worth it.
Yeah, maybe it's time
for an insanity plea.
RABB:
I picked up some newspapers
on the way in, sir.
"General Calls Exercise a Sham."
"Ready or not,
General Says Not."
This is my personal favorite,
sir:
"General on Scripted War Game--
The Fix Was In."
The truth prevails, Commander.
Sir, you're being
court-martialed
for exceeding orders
in a war game you conducted
as though it were your own
personal training demonstration.
Now you're courting the media.
I have my reasons, Commander.
Like sticking it
to General Manzarek
on the front page, sir?
This is not
a pissing contest
between the Army
and the Marine Corps.
My only objective here
is to prepare
our troops for war.
And I am trying
to keep
you in uniform, sir
so you'll be there to lead them.
( sighs )
So...
What's the plan?
We answer the charges, sir.
We put your field commanders
on the stand.
Have them testify
to the fact
that you played
the game smart, not dirty.
Think that'll work?
Well, if they can't
speak eloquently
to your leadership
and your character, sir
we still have
one card left to play.
What's that?
We put you on the stand, sir.
According
to targeting sensor data
you recorded 12 Blue Team
aircraft kills. How?
We used passive radar, then
visually acquired the targets
and took them down
with stinger missiles.
Was this
within the rules?
The Op orders required
that we disable
only the primary radar,
not secondary systems.
We just went off
the script, Commander.
I know people say
these exercises
aren't about winning and losing
but we're preparing
for war.
If it's not about that,
then what is it about?
RABB:
Commander Moseley,
you were in charge
of General West's Naval Ops?
That's correct.
When you launched the attack
on a carrier group, Commander
did you employ civilian assets?
We used private boats
and planes.
But we applied Red Team flags
and markers.
I believe that made them
military assets
in compliance with Op orders.
Thank you, Commander.
Your witness.
Commander, the zodiac boats
were launched
from fishing trawlers.
Were the trawlers
flying Red Team flags?
No, Commander.
They sound like
civilian assets to me.
Weren't you stretching
the rules?
I don't know, Commander
but maybe you should
ask the men and women
who survived the attack
on the Cole
if they were hit
by civilian assets.
Al Qaeda has their own
definition
for Rules of Engagement.
RABB:
Colonel Swift,
you launched
a simulated chemical
weapons attack
on Blue Team forces, correct?
That's correct.
We hit them with tear gas
as soon as they hit the beach.
Simulated chem-tipped artillery.
The Op orders
banned the use
of weapons of mass destruction,
Colonel.
Weren't you violating the rules?
Not as I defined weapons
of mass destruction.
These weren't SCUDs
dropped on a city.
There was a limited tactical
delivery on a military target.
Thank you, Colonel.
Your witness.
Now, surely, Colonel,
you can see why the Blue Team
might dispute your definition
of weapons of mass destruction.
Objection.
Argumentative.
Overruled.
Unbelievable.
MacKENZIE:
You may answer
the question, Colonel.
In war, disputes are settled
on the battlefield.
The bully makes the rules,
right?
Now, that's argumentative.
Sustained.
The Geneva Convention
prohibits chemical weapons.
Wasn't the Red Team
required to follow
the International
Rules of War?
The Geneva Convention
wasn't exactly
giving me my orders, Commander.
No, General West was.
And he ordered you
to gas the enemy, correct?
Objection.
Overruled.
Answer the question.
The general gave the order
to attack
if that's what you're asking.
But you ask any squad leader,
and they'll tell you
that the biggest threat on the
battlefield is chemical weapons.
Now, we need to be ready.
General West understands that.
Thank you, Colonel.
Given the hour, we'll recess
and reconvene tomorrow at 0930.
MEREDITH:
The pièce
de résistance.
( gasps slightly )
Go ahead.
So, how do you like it?
( exhales )
This is truly amazing.
I mean, Meredith,
the whole dinner--
the... the tuna sashimi,
the... the risotto, the veal.
I-I can't believe it.
You must have been
cooking all afternoon.
I have a confession to make.
I got home late.
This all came from Le Jardin.
I hope you're
not disappointed.
Oh, a good dinner's
a welcome change.
You know...
( chuckles )
believe or not...
there was a time when
I couldn't cook at all.
When-when was that?
High school.
I remember one day
in Home Ec
I had an accident.
I was julienning potatoes,
and-and the knife slipped.
It took the ER doc 30 stitches.
You seem to have
come through it okay.
Oh, no, no, not me!
M-My cooking partner.
Oh, poor Dennis, he was
the only boy in class.
Well, he learned to play
tennis with his left hand.
But I still feel bad
about the scholarship.
A.J.?
What's the matter?
I feel as though you're
not telling me something.
It's about work,
isn't it?
Um, the commander and the
colonel are going at it again.
And you feel responsible?
Well...
You are not
their father, A.J.
They're adults.
And as soon
as they realize
that all of this passion
is coming from a place that
is not work-related, then...
well, then all the Sturm
and Drang will go away.
To be replaced
by more of the same.
Talk about two people
that are candidates
for couples therapy.
Well, maybe they're not alone.
( phone rings )
Roberts.
Good afternoon, sir.
Yes, sir, I will.
Thank you.
Who was it, sweetie?
It was the admiral.
He wants to see me on Thursday.
How did he sound?
Same as always.
Gruff?
Ill-tempered.
Impatient?
Pretty much all that, yeah.
Harriet, I've been through
the worst of it.
Everything else is...
just what it is.
RABB:
General West, as Red Team
leader, what was your mission
in this exercise, sir?
To present the U.S. Forces
with an aggressive
and determined foe.
And to that end, sir, you used
tactics you deemed appropriate?
I believe so, Commander.
Within Op orders, sir?
As I understood them.
I have a different view
of training
from some of my superiors.
I don't believe
in scripted games.
I think we should be ready
for all comers.
And with this mindset, sir
you approached this exercise,
correct?
I was in the
Gulf War in '91.
I led my battalion
into a town where
Shia villagers
had been gassed to death.
I saw the bodies of men,
women and children
twisted and contorted.
I didn't just see
civilians murdered
I saw my men; saw
what could happen.
I vowed then to make sure
we were prepared
for the evil we were facing.
The evil we face now.
Thank you, General.
Your witness.
You referred to your service
in the Gulf War, sir.
Do you remember an incident
that happened on a road
ten miles west of Basra?
May we approach?
I'm familiar with this incident.
It happened ten years ago
and has no bearing here.
I disagree, Your Honor.
It goes to pattern of behavior.
The issues are
unrelated, Your Honor.
The defense opened
this avenue, Your Honor
when the general used his war
record to justify his actions.
I'll allow it for now.
Do you recall
the incident, sir?
Yes. My battalion attacked
a column of Iraqi
Republican Guard.
As they were retreating,
isn't that true, sir?
They'd fired on my men.
This attack happened 12 hours
after a cease fire
had been declared
isn't that right, General?
Yes, I hadn't received word.
Your C.O. said
that the order had been sent.
But not received,
Commander.
An inquiry, sir, found that
you had your forces
20 miles from where
they were supposed to be.
You took out 80 tanks
and armored vehicles
and killed over
200 Republican Guard.
A reporter later called it:
"A turkey shoot."
Am I right, sir?
Those were his words.
Let me get this straight,
General.
You were deep behind enemy
lines-- against orders
attacking an enemy
that was retreating
under a flag of truce.
I guess that's what happens
when you play fast and loose
with the rules, sir.
Objection.
TURNER:
Withdrawn.
Thank you, General.
Morning, General.
You know that
the five separate inquiries
cleared me of all charges.
I know that now.
Did you say we should have gone
all the way to Baghdad, General?
I'm trained
to see military solutions
not political ones.
That's the big difference
between General Manzarek and me.
RABB:
I did some research, sir.
General Manzarek served
in the Gulf War, too.
He testified against you
in the initial inquiry
into the incident in '91.
He was there that day.
Is it true, General?
You mean, did I fire
on innocent men
retreating under a white flag?
The Iraqis had fired
on my troops, Commander.
I was going to make damn sure
they didn't do it again.
Can I help you, sir?
Oh, I... I know the way,
Petty Officer.
Thank you.
( exhales deeply )
Oh... I...
should have knocked.
You must be
Lieutenant Roberts.
Yeah, what's left of him.
Lieutenant Commander
Tracy Manetti.
This was your office before it
was Lieutenant Singer's office.
Before it was your office.
And you didn't know?
It's all right,
Commander.
It's a heck of way to find out.
Well, my life has been
full of surprises recently.
Nice to meet you, ma'am.
Now I see what they mean.
You're a kind
of a legend around here.
To that, I'd add: the very
picture of a northern gentleman.
Thank you, ma'am.
Sir, Lieutenant Roberts
reporting as ordered, sir.
Sorry, Lieutenant, I forgot
to mention Commander Manetti.
Sure space is getting quite
short around here, Admiral.
Should we talk in my office?
You have news, sir?
My office.
Hey.
Putting your life
in Tiner's hands, huh?
No, I made this fresh.
You want some?
I promise you won't
taste the poison.
Tough day in court yesterday.
Oh, you noticed.
Excuse me.
You know, I wasn't
expecting any favors.
With any other judge,
I'd have won this case days ago.
I'm sorry I'm not complying
with your schedule.
Every time I work in
an advantage, you slap me down.
Because you ask for it.
You're relentless,
you know that?
Mmm... so I've heard.
I'm the hanging judge.
The source of all
your problems, right?
That's right.
But... though it pains me
to admit it, you're good.
You don't let me
get away with the stuff
I pull on other judges.
You really do
know my playbook.
Most of all though, Mac
you know the law...
and I hate you for it.
I'll take that as a compliment.
Good. Just remember
this magnanimity when
I'm on the bench, okay?
Excuse me, Colonel,
Commander.
The admiral's called a meeting
in the conference room.
Thanks, Tiner.
CHEGWIDDEN:
As you all know
given the severity of
Lieutenant Roberts' injuries
and resulting complications
there's been a delay in
the disposition of his case.
So, I got on a conference call
with his team of physicians
at Bethesda this morning
and they approved his return
to JAG on limited duty.
He'll be rejoining us
in two weeks.
MacKENZIE:
That's great
news, Admiral.
I second that.
Limited duty is not
permanent reinstatement, sir.
No. If Lieutenant Roberts wants
to return to full duty
he's going to have to get by
the Physical Evaluation Board.
The doctors inform me
that 85% of the
disabled personnel
that go before the Board
are found unfit.
They're given disability
discharges, sir?
I'm assuming
you told the lieutenant
all this, Admiral.
About an hour ago.
How did he take it, sir?
Guardedly optimistic...
as I think we all should be.
TURNER:
Bud's a lawyer.
A missing leg shouldn't
slow him down.
Not here, but if he was billeted
to a ship or a war zone...
Full duty is
full duty, Sturgis.
Commander Rabb.
Excuse me, sir.
You have a visitor.
Thank you.
Look, Sturgis,
we need to talk.
General West?
Deal's not going to be
easy now, huh?
Give me a moment,
will you?
I'll, I'll come
and see you.
Good to see you again,
Commander.
Colonel Haller.
Have a seat.
I heard about what happened
with General West.
Well... it's not
the first time
past acts have come back
to haunt an officer.
I know. That's why I'm here.
I have information
I think will cast
this whole matter
in a different
light, Commander.
I delivered that to
General Manzarek myself.
At the time, I
thought it was the
right thing to do.
That General West
was a loose cannon...
dangerous, they all said.
I believed it.
I don't believe it anymore.
Your timing is a little off,
Colonel.
I screwed up,
Commander.
It's a hard
thing to admit.
And General Manzarek has had
a lot to do with my advancement.
But a good officer--
a good man--
is being crucified in that
courtroom and it's got to stop.
This will put a bullet
in your career.
I hope you realize that.
I do.
There's a statue of MacArthur
at West Point
I walked by every day
for four years.
Below, there's a quote:
"Your mission remains fixed,
determined, inviolable.
"It is to win our wars.
"All other public purposes
"will find others
for their accomplishment.
"Yours is the profession
of arms-- the will to win.
"The sure knowledge that in war
"there is no substitute
for victory
"that the very obsession
of your public service
must be duty, honor, country."
I put on this uniform
for a reason, Commander.
For a while I forgot.
General West reminded me.
MANZAREK:
I chose General West
despite his reputation
for "freelancing"
because he's an effective
OPFOR commander.
General, you had described
his Red Team tactics
in previous war games as
"disruptive and corrosive
to the maintenance
of good order and discipline."
Isn't that right, sir?
I may have said that.
Your Honor...
this is a copy
of a report
outlining, in broad strokes
the Red Team battle plan
for this exercise.
It was provided
to General Manzarek
by General West's Chief
of Staff, Colonel Haller
five months before
the exercise began.
I would like it entered
into evidence and marked
for identification
as Defense exhibit E.
Objection, Your Honor.
The Government
hasn't seen this.
It recently came to light.
Approach, Counselor.
Eleventh-hour disclosure
doesn't sit well with me.
You should know that, Commander.
I had no alternative.
I'm sure if you look,
Your Honor
you'll see the probative value
far outweighs any
procedural problem.
Colonel, you're not going
to allow this.
I'm afraid I am.
You may proceed,
Commander.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Colonel Haller has
made a statement
he delivered this report
to you personally.
Do you recognize it?
Yes, Commander,
I've seen it.
Sir, five months prior
to these war games
you had a copy of a report
briefly outlining General West's
proposed tactics.
The passive radar, the chemical
weapons, the civilian assets...
isn't that right, sir?
That's correct, Commander.
In broad strokes,
not specifics.
Now, sir, knowing
what General West had planned
if you had a problem
with his tactics
why didn't you do
something about it
in the five months
prior to the game?
Because, sir,
the game was rigged, wasn't it?
The plan was to give
General West enough rope
to hang himself.
To get rid of an officer
you had branded
as disruptive and corrosive.
Isn't that right, sir?
Like rules in a war game,
I guess evidence, too
is open to interpretation,
Commander.
Training, tactics, technology.
They all matter
when it comes to
preparing us for war
and those who
don't acknowledge it
are as great a threat to us
as our enemies.
( sighs )
Thank you, General.
That will be all.
Will the accused and counsel
please rise?
MacKENZIE:
You may publish your findings.
"Major General Lucas West,
United States Marine Corps
"on the charge and specification
of Reckless Endangerment
"this court finds you
not guilty.
"On the charge
and the specification
of Willful Disobedience of a
Superior Commissioned Officer
this court finds you
not guilty."
Court is adjourned.
Thank you, Commander.
I'm really not the one
to thank, sir.
Colonel Haller's a good man.
Service needs
more like him.
Congratulations, General.
Once in a while it feels good
to see the other side win.
Let's hope the real victory,
Commander
is reserved for the battlefield.
Yes, sir.
If you two will excuse me,
I owe a good man a drink.
Gentlemen.
Sir.
Glad this one's over.
Yeah, you and I both.
An appeal before this judge
would be murder.
You two seem okay
with the verdict.
Well, we restrict our
differences to the workplace.
I'll remember that
next time I patch one of you up
after a basketball game.
I was going to grab
some dinner.
You two care to join me?
Depends who's buying.
I'm feeling rich.
What, You get extra
pay for being a judge?
I should look into this.
Don't.
Don't.
The enemy's hit the Havertown.
There was an explosion aft,
she's on fire.
Admiral, a P-Three
just spotted four
bogies, incoming.
They're flying low,
below radar, sir.
The Lewiston's
sinking, Admiral.
She's abandoning ship.
Havertown's taken
two missiles amidships.
How many is that
now, Admiral?
We've lost an Aegis cruiser,
three destroyers
four if the Havertown goes down.
Any word from General West?
No.
And there's no sign
the enemy is turning back.
Son of a bitch.
I suggest you get on the horn
to Admiral Barr
tell him to counter.
Admiral, the carrier's
been attacked.
The bogies were small aircraft
loaded with explosives.
They just flew right
into the ship, sir.
How many got through?
All of them, sir.
The Patrick Henry's on fire.
They don't know
if they can save her.
What about Admiral Barr?
One of the planes
hit the bridge.
He's dead, General.
Sir, the Bellingham's reporting
more incoming missiles.
The Havertown's
going down, Admiral.
This isn't supposed
to be happening.
RABB:
I don't understand
how they got in there, sir.
With no Navy
or Air Force, they took on
the carrier battle group?
Enemy launched
small zodiac boats.
crews had shoulder-fired
missiles.
Small corporate jets
loaded with fuel and TNT
made runs straight
at the carrier.
MacKENZIE:
What was the final
tally, sir?
A cruiser and four
destroyers sunk.
Patrick Henry
was hit and had to
withdraw from battle.
RABB:
Damn.
Good thing it was
just a war game.
TURNER:
It may have been
a simulated exercise, sir
but someone's still going
to have to pay for it.
Someone is. Have a seat.
Operation Silent Spear was
a joint services op.
Army General
Anthony Manzarek
ran the show.
Blue Team U.S. Forces were
led by Admiral Tucci.
Who commanded the Red Team, sir?
Marine Major General Lucas West.
The general's a legend, sir.
He led the most decorated
battalion in the Gulf War.
He does have a reputation
for being a cowboy.
Sounds like the type
of officer you'd want
on your side in wartime.
CHEGWIDDEN:
Apparently not
in war games.
Army General Manzarek stated
there were strict op rules
governing the exercise.
General West disobeyed
most of them.
He's facing a court-martial.
A two-star general for
infractions in a war game?
Multiple acts of disobedience
and there's a charge
of reckless endangerment.
It does sound extreme, sir
taking it all the way
to court-martial?
General Manzarek
didn't have a choice.
He suggested a punitive letter
of reprimand--
General West refused.
He wants his day in court.
Commander Turner,
you'll prosecute...
Commander Rabb,
you'll defend.
You're leaving the colonel
out of a Marine matter, sir?
No, Colonel, you'll be
presiding on the bench.
I'm... I'm judging the case,
sir?
As I mentioned
to Commander Rabb
given deployments,
there's a shortage of
experienced personnel.
For this case
consider yourself T-A-D
to the judiciary.
Yes, sir.
That'll be all.
Aye, aye, sir.
Question, Commander?
Uh, yes, sir.
I was wondering...
If I chose
the colonel
over you because she's a senior?
By barely two months, Admiral...
Well, seniority had
nothing to do with it.
Commander, I questioned your
objectivity in your defense
of a certain plane captain
in his court-martial.
I solved that case, Admiral,
and I think I've come a long way
to distinguish myself
since then, sir.
Commander, this is not a debate.
You'll get your shot.
Dismissed.
Aye, aye, sir.
Careful, sweetie.
I know.
Why don't you go on.
I'll catch up.
I'm not exactly
in a hurry, Bud.
Harriet, I'll be walking
into this house
every day of my life.
Some days
you won't be here.
I know but the prosthesis is
new.
I just want to...
That's sweet, but...
Harriet, I couldn't
have done this without you
but I need for you to let me
handle this by myself, okay?
Okay.
WEST:
Trading a cockpit
for a law office.
Don't you miss combat,
Commander?
RABB:
Every day, sir.
Looks like
a smooth operation.
It's always smooth
when there are no
bullets flying.
But they'll be ready.
If the politicians
can get off their asses.
That's not a view
I'd broadcast, sir.
Too late, Commander.
My big mouth's built me
a solid ceiling at two stars.
30 years commanding troops--
it's the first time
I've ever been relieved.
It doesn't have to
stay that way, sir.
We can still keep this
out of the courtroom.
Coward's way, Commander.
They did their best
to shut me down
on the battlefield.
I won't go quietly now.
I think you should know...
Red Team wasn't
supposed to win.
Are you saying the game
was rigged, sir?
More like scripted to ensure
a predetermined outcome.
This case is simple.
I fought the exercise as I
thought it should be fought.
According to
the inquiry, sir
when the battle carrier group
was assaulted by Red Team
you ignored a direct
cease-fire order.
I couldn't reach my men.
Blue Team was jamming
our frequencies.
I know my accusers say
I was trying to make a point--
and I was--
but I followed my orders
as I understood them.
Well, that's our
argument, then, sir.
I've led men into battle.
Seen some wounded,
watched some die.
But never because
of poor training
or lack of preparedness.
That's what this is about.
Hey, Tiner's brew has reached
yet another octane level.
Want some?
I'm going to go
with the tea.
Yeah.
So, I guess congratulations are
in order... Your Judgeship.
Thanks...
I think.
Are you sure
you're okay with this?
Of course I'm okay.
Why wouldn't I be?
We probably shouldn't be talking
about this, legally speaking.
Why? We're friends, Mac.
Friends talk, and that's
what we're doing-- talking.
Don't forget,
we're also adversaries.
Certainly not in
the coffee room.
In the courtroom
occasionally.
That's exactly my point.
This time you won't be
facing me across the aisle
but I'll be on the bench.
You're not the least
bit concerned?
No.
What?
It's just, we've battled
each other so many times
and I know
your playbook pretty well.
Hmm, well, I think I may have
a couple passes in my playbook
you haven't seen yet.
Won't stop me
from throwing a flag
if I think you're playing
the members.
Well, I'm sure you'll be fair.
Count on it.
MANZEREK:
As the organizer of the exercise
I have an interest
in seeing to it
that everyone gets their facts
right, Commander.
But I think it's
all pretty clear.
General West was
given op orders
for the exercise
and one by one, he chose
to ignore them.
Sir, the General claims
he was merely playing the game
and he was interpreting
the orders.
Yes, I've heard
General West's explanation.
But I was also here,
in the Blue Team command center
when he ignored
my directive to stand down.
And he can explain
that too, sir.
Commander, every exercise
has its parameters...
it's free play,
but within limits.
You're saying the Red Team
could've won, General?
I selected General West
to lead the opposition
because he's an expert
at Red Team play.
Do you really think that I
would've chosen him if I wanted
to rig the exercise?
The man you should
talk to is Colonel Haller--
General West's
Chief of Staff
on this exercise.
He's a good officer.
Served on my staff
as a lieutenant.
He can clarify the general's
factual interpretations.
( knock at door )
Enter!
Excuse me, Admiral.
Your car needs to go in
for service tomorrow, sir.
What time would you like
to leave here?
Well, actually, I've asked
Meredith to give me a lift.
We're going
to have lunch.
Are you sure you want
to do that, sir?
You want to drive me to the
dealership that bad, Tiner?
No, sir, it's
just that...
Well, Admiral,
from what you've mentioned
about Ms. Cavanaugh, sir
I just thought getting
into a car with her...
Sorry, sir, I was out of line.
No, no, Tiner, it's all right.
I've been trying
to work up the nerve
to confront her
about her penchant for danger
for about a week.
Doesn't sound easy, sir.
Shouldn't be
that hard, either.
RABB:
Thanks for meeting with me,
Colonel.
I understand you were
General West's gatekeeper
on this exercise.
I handled all
communication going
through his headquarters.
Generally, we avoided
radio traffic.
We used motorcycle
messengers and
field phones
to avoid electronic
eavesdropping.
Sounds more like
World War I.
It worked.
We had them
off balance
from day one.
Well, how did
you communicate
with the boats
launching the assault
of a battle carrier group?
Sent the attack order
over civilian radio.
It was buried as
a coded phrase
in a broadcast prayer
by a local Muslim cleric.
Brilliant.
Sounds like General West
had all the bases covered.
He's the best
tactician I've seen.
And I've served under quite a
few, General Manzarek included.
These joint ops must be
difficult, huh?
Divided loyalties.
When I was assigned
to General West's team
I'd heard the stories about
how he's a little crazy.
I learned.
Going into battle, you want
that kind of crazy leading you.
Oh, that kind of crazy can get
you into trouble too, Colonel.
General West told me
about the difficulties
communicating the cease-fire
order to the troops
assaulting the battle carrier
group: radio jamming.
That's right, Commander.
There were no other options?
RABB:
General, you had a way
to communicate
with your men:
dedicated
emergency frequency.
That frequency was for
Mayday calls only--
real world emergencies.
That's a tough sell
in the courtroom, sir.
As are a few choice words
you used to describe
General Manzarek.
In the heat of battle, Commander
you say things you regret.
Take it
you don't much like
the general, sir.
We've locked horns
over the years.
I sense your confidence in our
case is dissipating, Commander.
I'm going to be honest
with you, General.
At this point, sir,
it doesn't look good.
( sighs )
What's your advice?
We could go for a deal.
You agree to immediate
retirement
no disciplinary action
will be taken.
You retain your pension
and benefits.
Otherwise I go to court-martial
and I stand to lose it all.
I've never stood down
from a fight...
and I'm not starting now.
Excuse me, ma'am?
Yes?
You're coming
on Saturday?
The housewarming,
ma'am.
Oh, Harriet,
I'm so sorry.
I forgot to RSVP.
That's okay, ma'am.
Is there anything
I can do to help you?
No, I'm fine. I just...
I'm running late.
It's not like they're going
to start without you.
Sorry.
You must be excited.
Actually, I'm terrified.
Well, that's understandable.
It's a high-profile case,
all eyes are on you
watching every move.
I haven't seen that much
military brass...
I get the idea, Harriet.
You will do fine, ma'am.
I have to do
better than that.
You make a mistake as a lawyer,
you recover.
You knock one into the woods
as a judge
it's on your scorecard forever.
It's what the Court of Appeals
is for, ma'am
to fix judges' screw-ups.
Good luck, ma'am.
TURNER:
General Manzarek
when you drew up this exercise
you designed it as a "free-play"
scenario, correct?
There are always
some constraints.
Why is that,
General?
We're testing tactics,
technology.
We have to set some limits
to prevent people
from doing things that would
negate the value of the tests.
And do you believe
that General West
exceeded those limits, sir?
Yes. He also recklessly
endangered personnel
when he overflew
the carrier group
against orders.
Do you have any idea what
motivated his actions, sir?
Objection.
Calls for an opinion.
TURNER:
On the contrary,
it calls for
an assessment of a
subordinate's behavior
by his commanding officer.
Has probative value, Your Honor.
Nice try, Counselor.
I agree with the Government.
Objection overruled.
You've got to be kidding...
...Your Honor.
You may answer the question,
General.
General West assumes
that he has a monopoly
on the truth
when it comes to
how to prepare for a war.
I believe that he's less
motivated by preparedness
and more by ego.
Thank you,
General.
Your witness.
No cross at this time,
Your Honor.
But I reserve the right
to recall this witness
at a later date.
Your choice, Commander.
( tires squealing )
Ha.
Thanks for driving.
Oh, are you kidding?
I love the open road.
And you didn't know I went
to rally school, did you?
There's a lot
I don't know.
Oh. Do you want me
to give you a ride
later to pick
up your car?
No.
Um, I'll, uh...
I'll get, uh, Tiner
to give me a lift.
A.J....
A.J., is something wrong?
Well, Meredith
you know, at some point,
we need to...
...make plans for dinner
tomorrow night.
Yeah, great.
I have this incredible
inspiration.
You know those
Korean steak houses
where you get to grill
your own food?
Now, this doesn't involve
juggling knives and
pepper shakers, does it?
I'm sensing a little reluctance.
Let's play it by ear, huh?
Sure.
I'll call you.
Ciao.
( tires squealing )
Afternoon, sir.
Was that Ms. Cavanaugh,
Admiral?
Yeah.
She's quite a woman, sir.
( tires squealing
in distance )
Yeah.
TURNER:
Sir, do you believe
that General West
exceeded the op orders
for this exercise, sir?
In my judgment, yes.
How, Admiral?
Day One: He launched
a simulated missile attack.
Several plane sensors
recorded hits.
They were downed
along with a C-17
which was our experimental
aerial communication
headquarters.
How is this outside
the rules, sir?
General West
was supposed
to have disabled
his air defense systems.
Did the general employ
any other tactics that were
outside the bounds, sir?
He launched a simulated
chemical weapons attack
contrary to the Rules
of Engagement.
And he attacked our ships using
small boats and private planes
when civilian assets
were prohibited.
In your judgment, sir,
did the general's tactics
jeopardize the training goals
of this exercise?
We were testing battlefield
communications.
Communications is exactly
what General West targeted.
Thank you, Admiral.
Your witness.
Admiral, would you agree
that rules are open
to interpretation, sir?
Yes, Commander
within reason.
Now, you testified,
sir, that General West
shot down several of your planes
including your aerial
nerve center, correct?
Affirmative, Commander.
And weren't you
on that plane, sir?
Weren't you, in fact, "killed,"
Admiral, in simulation?
In simulation.
Yet you continued
to command troops, sir.
The legitimacy
of the kill
was a matter of debate!
So I was reconstituted,
Commander.
Like soup, Admiral?
Objection. Your Honor.
Counsel is editorializing.
More like playing to the crowd.
Sustained.
Careful, Commander.
Sorry, Your Honor.
I didn't realize
it was such a tough room.
Admiral, was your timely return
from the grave
within the rules, sir?
Not strictly.
But it was necessary
to keep the exercise going.
Well, it sounds to me like the
rules kept changing, Admiral.
We did what we did
because General West kept
disobeying orders.
According to your
interpretation, sir.
Objection.
Your Honor.
Commander seems to have
forgotten who's being tried.
I know. "Sustained."
No more questions.
( doorbell ringing )
( pop music playing softly )
Colonel!
Bud, please tell me
I'm not the last one here.
Nah, just getting
started, Colonel.
Can I take your jacket
and your purse?
Thanks.
You look great, Bud.
Oh, I'm feeling great.
And I hear
you're going to be
the next
Ruth Bader Ginsberg.
Right.
Come on in.
Harriet, wow,
quite a spread.
Welcome, Colonel.
Thanks.
Harm.
Mac.
Oh, you should really
try the crab cakes.
Oh, they look
dangerous.
Oh, is that a ruling
or an opinion?
Come on, Harm, can we just bury
the hatchet for one day?
Well, I'd love to, but
I'd have to pull it out
of my client's head
where you left it.
Shrimp roll, sir?
We're not having
this discussion.
Well, at least we agree
on one thing, huh?
Excuse me.
Hi, Mac.
Hi.
Great party.
Thank you.
Excuse me.
You must be
Colonel MacKenzie.
Colonel MacKenzie,
Corporal Sean Stiles.
I've heard a lot about you.
All bad, I hope.
What's going on
with the music,
Lieutenant?
What's wrong
with my music?
It's just a little
Jurassic, sir.
All right, Corporal,
Let's go digging, shall we?
Colonel.
Ma'am.
He's doing really well, Harriet.
Today.
We're not out of the woods yet,
though.
Hey, Lieutenant.
Tiner.
Sir, I still owe you
that house tour.
Lead on.
I, uh... I wanted a chance
to talk to you, sir.
About what's next?
Yes, sir.
I have been dying
to get back to work.
I'm waiting on a call
from your team
of physicians.
Uh, your return
to limited duty
is based on their
recommendation.
And yours, sir.
Well, you know
where I stand.
So it's up to the doctors, sir.
Yeah.
You just got to wait it out.
So let's see this house.
Yes, sir.
TURNER:
You received
the cease-fire order
from General Manzarek.
How did General West respond?
HALLER:
He said we couldn't
do anything.
Our radio frequencies
were jammed
so we couldn't
contact our men.
Was there no way
to reach them?
We had an emergency
frequency.
Why didn't you use that?
General West said
it wasn't an option.
What else did General West say?
General West said
he was only interested
in sending one message
to General Manzarek.
Thank you, Colonel.
Your witness.
Colonel, you said the general
wanted to send a message.
Was his intent merely
to push his own agenda?
Objection.
Calls for an opinion.
RABB:
On the contrary,
it's an assessment
of a superior's performance
by a subordinate.
I believe Commander Turner
used the term "probative value."
I'll allow it.
Colonel?
In my experience
I don't know a general
who doesn't push his agenda.
That said, I consider
General West
sincere in his desire
to prepare us for an enemy
that won't be following
any script.
Thank you, Colonel.
That'll be all.
MacKENZIE:
This court is in recess
until 0900 tomorrow.
Admiral.
Good afternoon, sir.
Your morale seems better.
Well, I finally deciphered
the colonel, sir.
Things are looking up.
Well, you might want
to look up at this.
Scripting an exercise
is no way to find out
if we're prepared for war.
Look, I've known
General Lucas West
since we were young officers
in Vietnam.
When I got this e-mail,
I hit the roof.
You don't stage a war game
then tie the enemy team's hands
to ensure
that the good guys win.
General West used exactly
the tactics the Iraqis
or Al Qaeda are going to use...
( turns down volume )
Apparently,
the general sent an e-mail
stating his case
to a few "professional friends."
I just finished moving
the Members off of the view
of General West as an egomaniac
who'll stop at nothing
to prove a point.
And now he... he pushes
the "send Ollie" key.
He's got a history of saying
what he thinks
career be damned.
He must feel it's worth it.
Yeah, maybe it's time
for an insanity plea.
RABB:
I picked up some newspapers
on the way in, sir.
"General Calls Exercise a Sham."
"Ready or not,
General Says Not."
This is my personal favorite,
sir:
"General on Scripted War Game--
The Fix Was In."
The truth prevails, Commander.
Sir, you're being
court-martialed
for exceeding orders
in a war game you conducted
as though it were your own
personal training demonstration.
Now you're courting the media.
I have my reasons, Commander.
Like sticking it
to General Manzarek
on the front page, sir?
This is not
a pissing contest
between the Army
and the Marine Corps.
My only objective here
is to prepare
our troops for war.
And I am trying
to keep
you in uniform, sir
so you'll be there to lead them.
( sighs )
So...
What's the plan?
We answer the charges, sir.
We put your field commanders
on the stand.
Have them testify
to the fact
that you played
the game smart, not dirty.
Think that'll work?
Well, if they can't
speak eloquently
to your leadership
and your character, sir
we still have
one card left to play.
What's that?
We put you on the stand, sir.
According
to targeting sensor data
you recorded 12 Blue Team
aircraft kills. How?
We used passive radar, then
visually acquired the targets
and took them down
with stinger missiles.
Was this
within the rules?
The Op orders required
that we disable
only the primary radar,
not secondary systems.
We just went off
the script, Commander.
I know people say
these exercises
aren't about winning and losing
but we're preparing
for war.
If it's not about that,
then what is it about?
RABB:
Commander Moseley,
you were in charge
of General West's Naval Ops?
That's correct.
When you launched the attack
on a carrier group, Commander
did you employ civilian assets?
We used private boats
and planes.
But we applied Red Team flags
and markers.
I believe that made them
military assets
in compliance with Op orders.
Thank you, Commander.
Your witness.
Commander, the zodiac boats
were launched
from fishing trawlers.
Were the trawlers
flying Red Team flags?
No, Commander.
They sound like
civilian assets to me.
Weren't you stretching
the rules?
I don't know, Commander
but maybe you should
ask the men and women
who survived the attack
on the Cole
if they were hit
by civilian assets.
Al Qaeda has their own
definition
for Rules of Engagement.
RABB:
Colonel Swift,
you launched
a simulated chemical
weapons attack
on Blue Team forces, correct?
That's correct.
We hit them with tear gas
as soon as they hit the beach.
Simulated chem-tipped artillery.
The Op orders
banned the use
of weapons of mass destruction,
Colonel.
Weren't you violating the rules?
Not as I defined weapons
of mass destruction.
These weren't SCUDs
dropped on a city.
There was a limited tactical
delivery on a military target.
Thank you, Colonel.
Your witness.
Now, surely, Colonel,
you can see why the Blue Team
might dispute your definition
of weapons of mass destruction.
Objection.
Argumentative.
Overruled.
Unbelievable.
MacKENZIE:
You may answer
the question, Colonel.
In war, disputes are settled
on the battlefield.
The bully makes the rules,
right?
Now, that's argumentative.
Sustained.
The Geneva Convention
prohibits chemical weapons.
Wasn't the Red Team
required to follow
the International
Rules of War?
The Geneva Convention
wasn't exactly
giving me my orders, Commander.
No, General West was.
And he ordered you
to gas the enemy, correct?
Objection.
Overruled.
Answer the question.
The general gave the order
to attack
if that's what you're asking.
But you ask any squad leader,
and they'll tell you
that the biggest threat on the
battlefield is chemical weapons.
Now, we need to be ready.
General West understands that.
Thank you, Colonel.
Given the hour, we'll recess
and reconvene tomorrow at 0930.
MEREDITH:
The pièce
de résistance.
( gasps slightly )
Go ahead.
So, how do you like it?
( exhales )
This is truly amazing.
I mean, Meredith,
the whole dinner--
the... the tuna sashimi,
the... the risotto, the veal.
I-I can't believe it.
You must have been
cooking all afternoon.
I have a confession to make.
I got home late.
This all came from Le Jardin.
I hope you're
not disappointed.
Oh, a good dinner's
a welcome change.
You know...
( chuckles )
believe or not...
there was a time when
I couldn't cook at all.
When-when was that?
High school.
I remember one day
in Home Ec
I had an accident.
I was julienning potatoes,
and-and the knife slipped.
It took the ER doc 30 stitches.
You seem to have
come through it okay.
Oh, no, no, not me!
M-My cooking partner.
Oh, poor Dennis, he was
the only boy in class.
Well, he learned to play
tennis with his left hand.
But I still feel bad
about the scholarship.
A.J.?
What's the matter?
I feel as though you're
not telling me something.
It's about work,
isn't it?
Um, the commander and the
colonel are going at it again.
And you feel responsible?
Well...
You are not
their father, A.J.
They're adults.
And as soon
as they realize
that all of this passion
is coming from a place that
is not work-related, then...
well, then all the Sturm
and Drang will go away.
To be replaced
by more of the same.
Talk about two people
that are candidates
for couples therapy.
Well, maybe they're not alone.
( phone rings )
Roberts.
Good afternoon, sir.
Yes, sir, I will.
Thank you.
Who was it, sweetie?
It was the admiral.
He wants to see me on Thursday.
How did he sound?
Same as always.
Gruff?
Ill-tempered.
Impatient?
Pretty much all that, yeah.
Harriet, I've been through
the worst of it.
Everything else is...
just what it is.
RABB:
General West, as Red Team
leader, what was your mission
in this exercise, sir?
To present the U.S. Forces
with an aggressive
and determined foe.
And to that end, sir, you used
tactics you deemed appropriate?
I believe so, Commander.
Within Op orders, sir?
As I understood them.
I have a different view
of training
from some of my superiors.
I don't believe
in scripted games.
I think we should be ready
for all comers.
And with this mindset, sir
you approached this exercise,
correct?
I was in the
Gulf War in '91.
I led my battalion
into a town where
Shia villagers
had been gassed to death.
I saw the bodies of men,
women and children
twisted and contorted.
I didn't just see
civilians murdered
I saw my men; saw
what could happen.
I vowed then to make sure
we were prepared
for the evil we were facing.
The evil we face now.
Thank you, General.
Your witness.
You referred to your service
in the Gulf War, sir.
Do you remember an incident
that happened on a road
ten miles west of Basra?
May we approach?
I'm familiar with this incident.
It happened ten years ago
and has no bearing here.
I disagree, Your Honor.
It goes to pattern of behavior.
The issues are
unrelated, Your Honor.
The defense opened
this avenue, Your Honor
when the general used his war
record to justify his actions.
I'll allow it for now.
Do you recall
the incident, sir?
Yes. My battalion attacked
a column of Iraqi
Republican Guard.
As they were retreating,
isn't that true, sir?
They'd fired on my men.
This attack happened 12 hours
after a cease fire
had been declared
isn't that right, General?
Yes, I hadn't received word.
Your C.O. said
that the order had been sent.
But not received,
Commander.
An inquiry, sir, found that
you had your forces
20 miles from where
they were supposed to be.
You took out 80 tanks
and armored vehicles
and killed over
200 Republican Guard.
A reporter later called it:
"A turkey shoot."
Am I right, sir?
Those were his words.
Let me get this straight,
General.
You were deep behind enemy
lines-- against orders
attacking an enemy
that was retreating
under a flag of truce.
I guess that's what happens
when you play fast and loose
with the rules, sir.
Objection.
TURNER:
Withdrawn.
Thank you, General.
Morning, General.
You know that
the five separate inquiries
cleared me of all charges.
I know that now.
Did you say we should have gone
all the way to Baghdad, General?
I'm trained
to see military solutions
not political ones.
That's the big difference
between General Manzarek and me.
RABB:
I did some research, sir.
General Manzarek served
in the Gulf War, too.
He testified against you
in the initial inquiry
into the incident in '91.
He was there that day.
Is it true, General?
You mean, did I fire
on innocent men
retreating under a white flag?
The Iraqis had fired
on my troops, Commander.
I was going to make damn sure
they didn't do it again.
Can I help you, sir?
Oh, I... I know the way,
Petty Officer.
Thank you.
( exhales deeply )
Oh... I...
should have knocked.
You must be
Lieutenant Roberts.
Yeah, what's left of him.
Lieutenant Commander
Tracy Manetti.
This was your office before it
was Lieutenant Singer's office.
Before it was your office.
And you didn't know?
It's all right,
Commander.
It's a heck of way to find out.
Well, my life has been
full of surprises recently.
Nice to meet you, ma'am.
Now I see what they mean.
You're a kind
of a legend around here.
To that, I'd add: the very
picture of a northern gentleman.
Thank you, ma'am.
Sir, Lieutenant Roberts
reporting as ordered, sir.
Sorry, Lieutenant, I forgot
to mention Commander Manetti.
Sure space is getting quite
short around here, Admiral.
Should we talk in my office?
You have news, sir?
My office.
Hey.
Putting your life
in Tiner's hands, huh?
No, I made this fresh.
You want some?
I promise you won't
taste the poison.
Tough day in court yesterday.
Oh, you noticed.
Excuse me.
You know, I wasn't
expecting any favors.
With any other judge,
I'd have won this case days ago.
I'm sorry I'm not complying
with your schedule.
Every time I work in
an advantage, you slap me down.
Because you ask for it.
You're relentless,
you know that?
Mmm... so I've heard.
I'm the hanging judge.
The source of all
your problems, right?
That's right.
But... though it pains me
to admit it, you're good.
You don't let me
get away with the stuff
I pull on other judges.
You really do
know my playbook.
Most of all though, Mac
you know the law...
and I hate you for it.
I'll take that as a compliment.
Good. Just remember
this magnanimity when
I'm on the bench, okay?
Excuse me, Colonel,
Commander.
The admiral's called a meeting
in the conference room.
Thanks, Tiner.
CHEGWIDDEN:
As you all know
given the severity of
Lieutenant Roberts' injuries
and resulting complications
there's been a delay in
the disposition of his case.
So, I got on a conference call
with his team of physicians
at Bethesda this morning
and they approved his return
to JAG on limited duty.
He'll be rejoining us
in two weeks.
MacKENZIE:
That's great
news, Admiral.
I second that.
Limited duty is not
permanent reinstatement, sir.
No. If Lieutenant Roberts wants
to return to full duty
he's going to have to get by
the Physical Evaluation Board.
The doctors inform me
that 85% of the
disabled personnel
that go before the Board
are found unfit.
They're given disability
discharges, sir?
I'm assuming
you told the lieutenant
all this, Admiral.
About an hour ago.
How did he take it, sir?
Guardedly optimistic...
as I think we all should be.
TURNER:
Bud's a lawyer.
A missing leg shouldn't
slow him down.
Not here, but if he was billeted
to a ship or a war zone...
Full duty is
full duty, Sturgis.
Commander Rabb.
Excuse me, sir.
You have a visitor.
Thank you.
Look, Sturgis,
we need to talk.
General West?
Deal's not going to be
easy now, huh?
Give me a moment,
will you?
I'll, I'll come
and see you.
Good to see you again,
Commander.
Colonel Haller.
Have a seat.
I heard about what happened
with General West.
Well... it's not
the first time
past acts have come back
to haunt an officer.
I know. That's why I'm here.
I have information
I think will cast
this whole matter
in a different
light, Commander.
I delivered that to
General Manzarek myself.
At the time, I
thought it was the
right thing to do.
That General West
was a loose cannon...
dangerous, they all said.
I believed it.
I don't believe it anymore.
Your timing is a little off,
Colonel.
I screwed up,
Commander.
It's a hard
thing to admit.
And General Manzarek has had
a lot to do with my advancement.
But a good officer--
a good man--
is being crucified in that
courtroom and it's got to stop.
This will put a bullet
in your career.
I hope you realize that.
I do.
There's a statue of MacArthur
at West Point
I walked by every day
for four years.
Below, there's a quote:
"Your mission remains fixed,
determined, inviolable.
"It is to win our wars.
"All other public purposes
"will find others
for their accomplishment.
"Yours is the profession
of arms-- the will to win.
"The sure knowledge that in war
"there is no substitute
for victory
"that the very obsession
of your public service
must be duty, honor, country."
I put on this uniform
for a reason, Commander.
For a while I forgot.
General West reminded me.
MANZAREK:
I chose General West
despite his reputation
for "freelancing"
because he's an effective
OPFOR commander.
General, you had described
his Red Team tactics
in previous war games as
"disruptive and corrosive
to the maintenance
of good order and discipline."
Isn't that right, sir?
I may have said that.
Your Honor...
this is a copy
of a report
outlining, in broad strokes
the Red Team battle plan
for this exercise.
It was provided
to General Manzarek
by General West's Chief
of Staff, Colonel Haller
five months before
the exercise began.
I would like it entered
into evidence and marked
for identification
as Defense exhibit E.
Objection, Your Honor.
The Government
hasn't seen this.
It recently came to light.
Approach, Counselor.
Eleventh-hour disclosure
doesn't sit well with me.
You should know that, Commander.
I had no alternative.
I'm sure if you look,
Your Honor
you'll see the probative value
far outweighs any
procedural problem.
Colonel, you're not going
to allow this.
I'm afraid I am.
You may proceed,
Commander.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Colonel Haller has
made a statement
he delivered this report
to you personally.
Do you recognize it?
Yes, Commander,
I've seen it.
Sir, five months prior
to these war games
you had a copy of a report
briefly outlining General West's
proposed tactics.
The passive radar, the chemical
weapons, the civilian assets...
isn't that right, sir?
That's correct, Commander.
In broad strokes,
not specifics.
Now, sir, knowing
what General West had planned
if you had a problem
with his tactics
why didn't you do
something about it
in the five months
prior to the game?
Because, sir,
the game was rigged, wasn't it?
The plan was to give
General West enough rope
to hang himself.
To get rid of an officer
you had branded
as disruptive and corrosive.
Isn't that right, sir?
Like rules in a war game,
I guess evidence, too
is open to interpretation,
Commander.
Training, tactics, technology.
They all matter
when it comes to
preparing us for war
and those who
don't acknowledge it
are as great a threat to us
as our enemies.
( sighs )
Thank you, General.
That will be all.
Will the accused and counsel
please rise?
MacKENZIE:
You may publish your findings.
"Major General Lucas West,
United States Marine Corps
"on the charge and specification
of Reckless Endangerment
"this court finds you
not guilty.
"On the charge
and the specification
of Willful Disobedience of a
Superior Commissioned Officer
this court finds you
not guilty."
Court is adjourned.
Thank you, Commander.
I'm really not the one
to thank, sir.
Colonel Haller's a good man.
Service needs
more like him.
Congratulations, General.
Once in a while it feels good
to see the other side win.
Let's hope the real victory,
Commander
is reserved for the battlefield.
Yes, sir.
If you two will excuse me,
I owe a good man a drink.
Gentlemen.
Sir.
Glad this one's over.
Yeah, you and I both.
An appeal before this judge
would be murder.
You two seem okay
with the verdict.
Well, we restrict our
differences to the workplace.
I'll remember that
next time I patch one of you up
after a basketball game.
I was going to grab
some dinner.
You two care to join me?
Depends who's buying.
I'm feeling rich.
What, You get extra
pay for being a judge?
I should look into this.
Don't.
Don't.