You are the President of the United States. Dozens of astronomers have spotted a meteor that is headed towards the earth. They have calculated that it will strike France in three days, at approximately 3:30 a.m. EST.
The meteor is large enough to wipe France from the face of the earth. France and the UN have requested that the United States immediately send all available ships and aircraft to evacuate the French population.
Hundreds of thousands of French people are gathered on Omaha Beach at Normandy hoping for U. S. ships to appear on the horizon.
The ships and planes you could send are being used to fight the war on terror overseas. As President, you must decide:
1. Do you stay up that night to watch live coverage of the impact,
or
2. Do you tape it and watch it the next day?
SHOULD THIS BE THE RESPONSE TO FRANCE'S REQUEST?
The U.S. "needs more time" to consider the request for evacuation. We need absolute proof that there is a meteor. The alleged meteor is not visible to the naked eye.
UN meteor inspectors should be sent to astronomical observatories next month to spend 90 days carefully examining photographic evidence of the alleged meteor, and then present their findings to the Security Council.
The reason for the request should be carefully evaluated, and the U.N. should be asked to fully debate the subject and then give UNANIMOUS consent to a resolution showing that the whole world supports the request. The U.S. should not act unilaterally, hastily, precipitously, nor preemptively. EVERY member nation should contribute ships to the effort before the U.S. takes any action whatsoever.
WHAT? You say it would then be too late? Gee, what a shame. Please pass the popcorn.
