Terrorism

Terrorism is a major theme of the book. Count Heinrich Hagenmiller is assassinated because he supplied weapons to the Iraqi government. The American government is particularly sensitive about this because only a year before, terrorists attacked the white house, killing dozens of secret agents and several civilians.

Flynn does not present terrorism as a new threat. Mitch Rapp was initially recruited into the CIA when his girlfriend died in the Pan Am flight over Lockerbie. At that time, both Hank Clark and President Hayes supported a counter terrorism team that fought to keep the terrorists away, yet was also kept secret from the UN. What became known as the Orion Team was lead by Dr. Irene Kennedy and included Mitch Rapp, Mario Lukas and Gus Villaume. Together they fought and killed such threats to national security as Rafique Aziz, the man behind the Lockerbie bombing.

In the story...