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Reciprocity - Clear and Present Danger

AClear and Present Danger was a political thriller written by Tom Clancy in 1989. In the book, CIA analyst Jack Ryan discovers that U.S. government officials are secretly waging a war against a Colombian drug cartel. The novel was adapted into a 1994 film starring Harrison Ford as Jack Ryan. The movie was a critical and financial success and followed the general plot of the book.

Jack Ryan is back and this time the bad guys are in his own government. When Admiral James Greer becomes sick with cancer, Ryan is appointed acting CIA Deputy Director of Intelligence. Almost before he can draw a breath in his new position, one of the president's closest friends and his family are murdered in their sleep by what appears to be drug cartels. Ryan is called in to investigate, but unknown to him the CIA has already sent a secret field operative to lead an illegal paramilitary force in Colombia against the cartels. Things get even more complicated when his team is set up and he loses an agent in the field and a friend of his wife's, who was the murdered agent's secretary, is murdered that same day. Ryan must then risk not only his career, but his life to expose the truth behind the mystery.

The "clear and present danger" test was a judicial doctrine used to determine under what circumstances the government could limit the First Amendment right to free speech. The phrase was first used by Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., in the unanimous Supreme Court decision for the 1919 case Schenck v. United States. The ruling upheld the conviction of a socialist activist who had distributed leaflets opposing the WWI draft. The Court reasoned that the government can restrict speech if it creates a "clear and present danger of bringing about the substantive evils that Congress has a right to prevent". In the famous analogy, Justice Holmes argued that the most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man in falsely shouting "fire" in a crowded theater and causing a panic.

While this test was used for decades, it was ultimately replaced in the 1969 case Brandenburg v. Ohio. The new standard, known as the "imminent lawless action" test, provides stronger protections for free speech, stating that the government can only limit speech if it is "directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action and is likely to incite or produce such action".

Based on the 1989 Tom Clancy novel, the 1994 film Clear and Present Danger is a political action thriller that follows CIA analyst Jack Ryan as he becomes embroiled in a covert and illegal war waged by the US government against a Colombian drug cartel. Directed by Phillip Noyce and starring Harrison Ford as Ryan, the movie is a complex story of political corruption, betrayal, and a lone voice of integrity fighting for the truth.

The plot begins when a close friend of the US President, a businessman named Peter Hardin, is murdered with his family aboard his yacht, seemingly by a Colombian drug cartel. Following Hardin's death, President Bennett (Donald Moffat) secretly authorizes his National Security Advisor, James Cutter (Harris Yulin), to initiate a black ops mission to take down the Colombian cartel.

Meanwhile, CIA analyst Jack Ryan is appointed as the acting Deputy Director of Intelligence, filling in for Admiral James Greer (James Earl Jones), who is undergoing cancer treatment. Unaware of the President's illegal mission, Ryan is sent to Colombia to negotiate with the government to seize the cartel's assets.

The black ops mission, codenamed "RECIPROCITY," is run by CIA operative John Clark (Willem Dafoe), who commands a team of US Army special forces. The operation is financed using off-the-books funds that Ryan unknowingly assured Congress would not be used for military intervention. The mission is complicated by a power struggle within the cartel itself, led by intelligence officer Colonel Félix Cortez (Joaquim de Almeida). Cortez learns of the US operation and brokers a deal with Cutter to eliminate his own boss, Ernesto Escobedo (Miguel Sandoval), in exchange for the US abandoning its special forces team. Cutter accepts, leaving Clark's team stranded and under attack by Cortez's forces.

The primary objective of the mission, executed by a team of U.S. Special Forces led by CIA operative John Clark, is to carry out clandestine search-and-destroy missions against the cartel's drug operations in Colombia. The operation is ultimately motivated by a desire for political capital. By appearing tough on drugs and taking down a major cartel, President Bennett hopes to influence public opinion and bolster his image for his reelection campaign.

The operation is kept "off the books" to avoid Congressional oversight and legal repercussions. The President, Cutter, and Deputy Director of Operations Robert Ritter ensure that officials like Jack Ryan are left out of the loop. The operation is funded by diverting money that Jack Ryan had secured from Congress under the false pretense that it would be used for legitimate CIA-advisory purposes in Colombia, not for direct military action.

To maintain a low profile, the operation uses a team of Spanish-speaking special forces who are deployed into the Colombian jungle to carry out their missions without being easily identified as American military personnel.

The operation is compromised when Colonel Felix Cortez, an intelligence officer for the cartel, discovers the presence of the American special forces. He brokers a deal with Cutter to sacrifice the troops in exchange for political concessions, revealing the deep corruption at the heart of the operation. After being ordered to shut down all covert operations by the President, a panicked Cutter double-crosses the special forces team and gives their location to Cortez's mercenaries. The team is ambushed, and many are killed, though some, including team sniper Domingo Chavez, survive.

When Ryan and his delegation are ambushed in Colombia, his suspicions are heightened. He realizes he is being kept in the dark and pieces together the conspiracy involving the President, Cutter, and Cortez. Risking his career and his life, Ryan flies to Colombia to rescue the surviving soldiers. There, he exposes Cortez's betrayal to Escobedo, leading to a deadly internal conflict within the cartel. Ryan, with the help of Clark, successfully rescues the captured soldiers. Upon returning to the US, Ryan confronts the President and testifies before Congress, exposing the entire illegal operation.

The film serves as a cynical examination of US government corruption, reflecting the real-world Iran-Contra affair that was a major issue when the novel was published. The story portrays high-level officials prioritizing political gain over human lives and constitutional law. A central theme is the conflict between Jack Ryan's steadfast integrity and the cynical pragmatism of the corrupt government officials. Ryan's belief in doing what is right, regardless of the personal cost, contrasts with those who manipulate and betray others for power. The movie explores how the "War on Drugs," and the covert actions taken in its name, lead to brutal violence and the corruption of law enforcement and government institutions.

The film was a commercial and critical success, with praise for its direction, screenplay, and Harrison Ford's performance. It's widely regarded as one of the better Jack Ryan movie adaptations, praised for its tight plotting and serious tone. The movie is noted for its tense action sequences, including a memorable urban ambush scene, as well as a bit of comic relief.

		  
[Jack needs a helicopter]
Jack Ryan: I'm here to rent the Huey.
Helicopter owner: We don't rent it anymore, but it is for sale.
Jack Ryan: How much?
Helicopter owner: Two million dollars.
Jack Ryan: Uh, my pilot and I will have to take it for a test drive.
Helicopter owner: Of course, you just have to leave a deposit.
Jack Ryan: How much is that?
Helicopter owner: Two million dollars.
Jack Ryan: Umm...
[Shows a CIA business card]
Jack Ryan: Would you take a company check?