AUTHOR’S NOTE

I wrote Rule of Law in 2016 to address some critical issues lurking on the horizon. Is the president above the law in matters of foreign policy? Should the CIA be fighting shadow wars with drones and Special Forces in countries where we have not declared war? And what happens when the lives of service members are sacrificed for political gain?

To avoid getting bogged down in the political polarization that has gripped our country, I created a president, a cabinet, and a Supreme Court composed of characters who bear little resemblance to the current occupants of those positions. It’s fiction, after all, though it’s hard to match the entertainment value of the real world. But to at least anchor the story in reality, all historical references—political, military, and legal—are based on actual events. And if that all makes sense, you should probably start writing your own novels.

Most of my stories are inspired by real life. I set part of the story in Yemen because, as a lawyer, I have filed counterterrorism lawsuits on behalf of clients who were kidnapped and tortured by the Houthis. I centered the action around a SEAL team mission because I live in Virginia Beach, the home base for several teams, and have the utmost respect for these elite warriors. Some are my friends and, as a pastor, members of my congregation. I’ve seen the tragedy of promising lives cut short and the resolve of the SEAL families to carry on. My hope is that this book might reflect the depth of that heroism.

I did not know when I wrote this story that its premise would soon unfold in real life. In January 2017, a SEAL team raid in Yemen resulted in a tragic loss of life. There were reports that the raid may have been compromised.

Though this is a work of fiction, the issues in this book are real. We owe it to our brothers and sisters in the military to think deeply about these topics.