Cast the next Hollywood Blockbuster

Did you enjoy the book?

Just for fun, you can now cast the story Most Wanted at http://www.storycasting.com/work.aspx?id=b0a48ace-be77-4ba9-8994-d07972a2f5ab.

See if you can do better than my casting … then send it to your favorite film producer!

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Nobody is winning the War on Terror

Most Wanted is fast paced thriller set against the background of the War on Terror. A critical issue for all of us sane individuals, who look forward to victory against the terrorists, is whether or not we are actually winning this war? But before we can answer the question, we must reach a common understanding on the extent of the conflict and who are the true opponents. Many wrongly perceive the US alliance to be fighting al-Qaeda and it’s sympathizers, part of a single homogeneous organization; when in fact it faces a global, radical Islamic insurgency. During the Bush years the war on terror was narrowly equated firstly to the campaign in Afghanistan and then later to Iraq. Undoubtedly, the focus in Afghanistan is more closely aligned to the objective of fighting terror, with its aim to put al-Qaeda and the Taliban out of business. Arguably though, the war in Iraq has had very little to do with combating terrorism on a global scale. Yet, no matter how you define the war victory appears elusive.

Somali Terrorists

Radical Islam is much more insidious than just al Qaeda—comprising a whole range of loosely knit networks and organizations that are united only in their opposition to long standing Western policies. In most cases there is no obvious connection to al Qaeda—take for example the perpetrators of the 7/7 London bombings or the 2008 attackers in Mumbai. These groups are antagonized by geo-political issues such as the unquestioning US support for Israel; America’s continuing presence on the Arabian Peninsula; and Western support for regimes perceived as oppressing Muslims; and at the same time most factions have their own regional agendas superimposed.

President Obama is attempting to move the goal posts, with the withdrawal from Iraq; the renewed focus on Afghanistan/Pakistan and a rapprochement with the Arab and Muslim world. And although they would appear to be moves in the right direction it is questionable whether it is just too little too late. There seems to be never ending numbers of new jihadists prepared fight for their cause. And while Western policies continue to alienate Arabs and Muslims in general, it provides fertile ground for those who manipulate in the name of religion. If the US and their allies are ever going to win the War on Terror it is critical to recognize what victory really looks like. The capture or demise of bin Laden would certainly be a milestone, but in no way can be considered as a complete victory. Moreover, this could become a double edged sword for the US alliance, particularly if his death were to be interpreted by his supporters as martyrdom. On the other hand, would a triumph in Afghanistan be enough to declare the West winners? NATO forces seem to be bogged down like the Russians before them, so it is difficult to foresee this outcome. Moreover, it is debatable whether there will ever be peace without tackling some of the root causes of  Arab and Muslim discontent. Whether US politicians like it or not, among the many intractable problems that somehow need to be addressed are: some resolution of the Palestine question and changes in policy towards Israeli. Despite the persistent failure of the West’s peace efforts; positive change must be part of the solution or we risk a continuing cycle of violence over the coming decades. Right now it is impossible to say that anyone is winning the War on Terror.

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One of the Greatest Mysteries of our time…

Most Wanted – Press Release Jun 30, 2009

A fast paced spy thriller in pursuit of the world’s most wanted terrorist.

Where is he? Where did he go after Afghanistan? How did the world’s most wanted terrorist vanish without a trace? Despite the reward of twenty-five million dollars and an exhaustive global manhunt, he has remained in hiding ever since the terrifying events of 9/11 … Even more puzzling is how he resurfaces in audio and video recordings with such uncanny timing, just when we are all beginning to wonder if he has finally been eliminated by the security forces or died from chronic kidney failure. US Intelligence has been after him for such a long time that it brings into question their effectiveness, or do they have a darker and more sinister agenda?

Most Wanted is an epic story written in the style of the great Cold War spy novels, the adventure starts with a tip-off by a Yemeni government official. Two MI6 agents embark on a dramatic chase across the Arabian Peninsula. Hot on the heels of their high profile target, they quickly discover that nothing is what it seems. The CIA, the Yemenis, the Cubans, the Israelis and Iranian intelligence all pursue competing interests.

The suspense is heightened, as treacherous alliances lead to innocent lives being threatened. The hunters become the hunted. The plot follows their heroic escapes through the Arabian Desert, the warm waters of the Caribbean and the steamy Amazon jungle.

Most Wanted is an impressive debut for Mark McHugh as a thriller writer and has already won the coveted Editors’ Choice award from the publisher—iUniverse—the on demand publishing arm of Barnes and Noble.

A rousing spy thriller; with great moments of adventure, exoticism, intrigue, and romance … it evokes the style of le Carre and Fleming

iUniverse Editorial Board

Mark McHugh is a British businessman who lives with his Brazilian wife, and young family at their beach house in North-East Brazil. During his extensive international career, he has worked in seventy different countries and lived on four continents. In Most Wanted he draws resourcefully from his experiences. He offers many unique insights into the different cultures depicted in the book and vividly describes the settings from first hand knowledge.

For further information please contact the author at markmchuge@aol.com or on his international direct line +1 832 632 4423

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We Must Preserve the Amazon’s Hidden Treasure

Part of the book  Most Wanted is set in the heart of Amazonia. Like many of us, it was my childhood dream to visit and I came away with a lasting impression of vastness and unimaginable scale. It is difficult to describe, unlike any other river on the planet. Yet my enthusiasm was tainted by mixed feelings about the destruction of the surrounding habitat, a true wonder of nature. We have all read about the continuing tragedy of deforestation in the Amazon basin and the loss of some of the world’s most valuable natural resources. The Amazon is an eco system with the widest variety of species on the planet, which many speculate contain undiscovered “biological” resources—perhaps the cure for cancer or an anti-aging element that will prolong human life. This is before we even consider the impact on global warming and the irreversible damage being done to the “lungs of the planet.”

And there is yet another even greater source of future wealth often overlooked… The Earth is covered 75% with water and 25% with land, which sometimes makes it difficult to believe the world is facing widespread water shortages. However, many pundits predict that water is now set to replace oil as the world’s most profitable commodity. 

The facts are that 97.5% of our water here on earth is saltwater, leaving only 2.5% as usable fresh water. Moreover, 79% of this fresh water is perpetually frozen in the form of polar ice caps and glaciers, making it inaccessible, even at high costs. Another 20% is groundwater accessible through aquifers, which are becoming increasingly depleted, which leaves only a precious 1% of freshwater in surface water contained in lakes, rivers and streams around the globe. You see, freshwater is becoming a scarce commodity and we are making a bad situation worse… we’ve constantly polluted the tiny fraction of surface water we have for years with the dumping of chemicals, fertilizers, sewage and other pollutants.

 The Amazon is the greatest river in the world by so many measures; the area of land that drains into it, and its length and width. It is one of the longest rivers in the world and, depending upon who you talk to, is anywhere between 6,259km / 3,903 miles and 6,712 km / 4,195 miles long. Meanwhile, there is one statistic which is indisputable; the volume of water it carries to the sea, which is approximately 20% of all the freshwater discharged into the oceans worldwide. The Amazon’s freshwater resources are an invaluable treasure for the future of mankind. We all have a responsibility to our children and grandchildren to preserve this inheritance and prevent unscrupulous exploitation by commercial interests, now that many are looking to water as the next profit opportunity, when they switch the lights out on the oil industry later this century.

Despite all the cynicism that exists in the world, I have one cause for celebration … there is a glimmer of light. I believe it will not change over night and it all starts with awareness. I am proud to say that my daughter, who is educated in Brazil, like most of her classmates has become an enthusiastic and resolute supporter of preserving the environment. Perhaps the errors of our generation will not be repeated by the next…

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What’s in a Name?

Many ask if the “Circus,” as MI6 has commonly been referred to in books and film (including Most Wanted), has ever been real slang for the MI6—the UK Secret Intelligence Service—or is it just a invention of John le Carré in his famous Smiley trilogy?

Despite the fact that the writer’s imagery is extremely powerful; the sad truth is MI6 has never actually had its home near Cambridge Circus, the reason given behind le Carré’s naming. At the time his novels were written, the actual HQ was Century House, a modern office block in Lambeth, now converted into an apartment building; which incidentally barely resembles the original drab sixties concrete tower block. Prior to that MI6 was housed for nearly forty years on Broadway—the one near St James’ Park that is…

And just as the CIA is known internally as “The Company,” MI6 is rather unimaginatively nicknamed as “The Firm.” It is also referred to colloquially by other agencies as “The Friends”. Currently the Firm is housed at Vauxhall Cross in London, in an avant-garde building designed by architect Terry Farrell and branded as “Legoland” by those who work there. It is almost impossible to imagine a more conspicuous building along the Thames and it remains a bizarre choice for a secret service who presumably should want to keep a low profile.

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Bin Laden – Answers to Yesterday’s Quiz

Find out how much you really know about the hunt for the world’s most wanted terrorist…

Quiz Answers

Score 5 for each correct answer

ANSWER 1: B—36 tapes, the last one was received on June, 3 2009. All are believed genuine by the security services.

ANSWER 2: C—13 months between December 2004 and January 2006

ANSWER 3: B—Colin Powell, on Sept, 23 2001.

ANSWER 4: D—U$52 million— on July 13, 2007, this original figure of U$25 million was doubled to $50 million and the Airline Pilots Association and the Air Transport Association have offered an additional $2 million reward.

ANSWER 5: C—Geography Professor Thomas Gillespie of UCLA employed a technique typically used for tracking endangered species in order to pinpoint the most likely location of the world’s most wanted terrorist.

ANSWER 6: B—Although nobody seems to have a clue and experts claim it’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack; northwestern Pakistan’s impenetrable Hindu Kush mountains in the Chitral region—which boast some of the world’s tallest climbs—have been eyed as bin Laden’s hideout since 2006 by Usama hunters

ANSWER 7: A—CIA Director Leon Panetta. Although, it begs the question who he is asking and what type of response he gets on a daily basis.

ANSWER 8: A—U$ 300 million. Usama inherited most of his wealth from his father’s multi-billion dollar construction business in Saudi. This is before taking into account donations from radical organizations around the world.

ANSWER 9: D—1980, Afghanistan—The U.S., Pakistan, China, Iran and Saudi Arabia supplied money and arms to anti-Soviet forces. Funneling the funds through the CIA, the U.S. gave about $10 billion to Afghan fighters. Among those who fought was Osama bin Laden.

 

How did you do?

Score 0-14: So you don’t have a clue! Small wonder bin Laden has remained undiscovered for eight years.

Score 15-24: You are getting warmer—but finding bin Laden is like searching for a needle in a haystack according to Donald Rumsfeld. Close is still not good enough.

Score 25-34: You know enough to be dangerous. Bin Laden will need to keep on the move to avoid being detected.

Score 35- 45: CIA Director Leon Panetta is getting worried about his job; with good reason it seems. We will be arranging a briefing for you with the commander of Task Force 121.

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Most Wanted now available on Kindle

For the truly wired Most Wanted is now available on Amazon Kindle at 20% discount, only $4.80; perfect for those with busy lives that like to do everything on the run.

Excerpt from Chapter 8 – A Moving Target

Tom led at a fast pace. They circled the outcrop and came around by the generator shed. There was about fifteen minutes before the Harrier strike and the timers on the Semtex would go off. They needed a fast escape route. Tom breathed a sigh of relief when he spied a Toyota pick-up just behind the generator. It was locked, but Khalid was in the vehicle in less than sixty seconds. Tom watched open mouthed as he broke open the plastic cradle surrounding the steering column and hotwired the vehicle in another thirty seconds.

“Goddamn!” Khalid screamed. “It’s almost out of fuel.”

Tom grabbed a hose from the generator day-tank and siphoned off fuel into the pick-up—another precious five minutes wasted. Just as they were about to get in the truck to take off, they heard the unmistakable chatter of automatic weapons and suddenly bullets started flying all around them. By instinct, Tom and Khalid hit the deck and then systematically scanned the field of view to determine the source of the attack. Using sign language, Tom indicated that crossfire was coming from one of the gun emplacements down the hill to their left and from the observatory behind them. The rapid fire clunked and clanged as it ricocheted off the generator.

“We’ll never get past that emplacement,” Tom yelled at Khalid.

Before Tom could say anything more, Khalid had rolled away to the left and shouted, “Cover me!”

Tom was nervous and sweating, as he emptied a magazine from his AK-47 in the direction of the emplacement. This made his enemies put their heads down for a few seconds, but he was still vastly outgunned. Their reply was a volley of machinegun fire that ripped through the cladding on the roof of the generator shed. He flipped over on his side to reload and pumped a few extra rounds at the gun emplacement and then at the observatory door. Two minutes later, the gun emplacement went silent, and Tom turned his attention to the observatory. Khalid slipped back out of the shadows into the shed. Tom saw him with a grin on his face, wiping and sheathing his blade.

“Okay, boss, we’ve got about two minutes and thirty seconds to get the hell out of here!”

They mounted the truck, Khalid driving, Tom aiming his AK-47 at the observatory hanging half out of the pick-up door. They rattled around the corner in a four-wheel skid.

“Man, that was close,” Tom shouted, with a mixture of exhilaration and relief.

He pulled himself into the truck, closing the door. “Go! Go! Go!”