The West Wing
S2E13
· Bartlet's Third State of the Union

Leo Overrides Diplomacy, Orders Unilateral Strike Plans

In the Situation Room, amid verification of the captured DEA agents, Secretary Mickey proposes opening negotiations with CRF commander Nelson Guerra. Leo demands full intel on Guerra, assesses limited assets—only 19 operatives at Tres Encinas against 500-600 guards—and decisively rejects a diplomatic path by ordering Special Operations Command to deliver three unilateral strike plans within an hour. He then mandates alerting those operatives, exiting abruptly. This turning point pivots the crisis from negotiation to aggressive military preparation, underscoring Leo's pragmatic resolve and escalating the administration's high-stakes response.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

2

Leo dismisses Mickey's negotiation approach and orders Special Operations Command to prepare three unilateral strike plans within an hour.

debate to decisive action ['Puente Mayo']

Leo exits after commanding his team to alert the 19 operatives at Tres Encinas, sealing the shift toward military intervention.

command to resolution

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

7
DEA Agent
primary

Captured and imperiled.

DEA agents collectively frame the abduction crisis, with two verified but others pending, driving verification urgency.

Goals in this moment
  • • N/A (abducted)
  • • N/A (abducted)
Active beliefs
  • • N/A (off-screen)
  • • N/A (off-screen)
Character traits
vulnerable operational
Follow DEA Agent's journey
Nelson Guerra
primary

Neutral, as off-screen antagonist figure.

Nelson Guerra invoked by Mickey as prime negotiation target and Jeffe's ally, prompting Leo's intel demand, positioning him as pivotal rebel bridge in the standoff.

Goals in this moment
  • • N/A (mentioned only)
  • • N/A (mentioned only)
Active beliefs
  • • Leverage captives for rebel gains
  • • Personal networks enable deals
Character traits
strategic connected
Follow Nelson Guerra's journey
Mickey Troop
primary

Cautiously optimistic for dialog, tempered by grim realities.

Mickey enters purposefully, sits, contextualizes Puente Mayo as Affronte turf and top lab site, proposes targeted dialog via CRF commander Nelson Guerra (Jeffe's friend), estimates 500-600 guards, tacitly concedes poor odds for assault.

Goals in this moment
  • • Initiate backchannel negotiations through accessible commander
  • • Supply precise threat assessment to guide decisions
Active beliefs
  • • Personal ties like Jeffe-Guerra enable breakthroughs
  • • Diplomatic leverage outperforms suicidal assaults
Character traits
diplomatic informed cautious measured
Follow Mickey Troop's journey
Robbie
primary

Focused intensity, ready for execution.

Robbie pinpoints Tres Encinas as nearest ground assets, affirms low troop count alongside Colonel's breakdown, crisply acknowledges Leo's order to Special Operations Command for urgent strike plans.

Goals in this moment
  • • Deliver accurate asset inventory
  • • Relay orders to military command chain
Active beliefs
  • • Scant forces demand specialized unilateral ops
  • • Rapid planning counters time-sensitive threats
Character traits
precise professional responsive operational
Follow Robbie's journey
McGraff and Nunn
primary

Endangered, fate uncertain (implied).

McGraff and Nunn confirmed as verified captives by DEA Rep, anchoring the crisis's human stakes amid three unconfirmed colleagues.

Goals in this moment
  • • N/A (captives, off-screen)
  • • N/A (captives, off-screen)
Active beliefs
  • • N/A (off-screen)
  • • N/A (off-screen)
Character traits
resilient frontline
Follow McGraff and …'s journey
Jeffe
primary

N/A (referenced tie).

Jeffe surfaced as Nelson Guerra's close friend, fueling Mickey's negotiation pitch as relational leverage.

Goals in this moment
  • • N/A (mentioned only)
  • • N/A (mentioned only)
Active beliefs
  • • N/A (off-screen)
  • • N/A (off-screen)
Character traits
connected influential
Follow Jeffe's journey
Unnamed Capitol Beat Congressman
primary

Reports 6 commanders and 13 support personnel at Tres Encinas.

Goals in this moment
  • • Provide precise count of personnel at Tres Encinas
Follow Unnamed Capitol …'s journey

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

5
White House Situation Room

The Situation Room confines the crisis principals around its scarred table, fluorescent hum underscoring barked orders and intel clashes, forging the pivot from diplomacy to force in shadowed intensity that mirrors White House power's cold precision.

Atmosphere Charged with urgency and fluorescent tension, voices sharp against low hum.
Function High-stakes command center for real-time crisis adjudication.
Symbolism Crucible of executive resolve, where triumph yields to brinkmanship.
Access Exclusive to White House principals, secretaries, and military reps.
Clustered suits and uniforms around conference table Nighttime seclusion amplifying isolation
Bogota

Bogotá cited in timestamped briefing as abduction origin during joint police raid, rooting the crisis in urban narco fringes.

Atmosphere Treachery-laced streets (referenced).
Function Incident epicenter for timeline.
Symbolism Gateway to jungle insurgency.
Access N/A (contextual).
2:00 P.M. local time Road to Puente Mayo
Punta Maya

Puente Mayo referenced as Affronte cocaine lab stronghold where agents were seized, its guarded isolation framing the rescue's daunting scale.

Atmosphere Jungle-choked peril, chemical reek (implied).
Function Hostile capture site under discussion.
Symbolism Narco heartland embodying drug war's jaws.
Access Rebel-dominated, impenetrable without force.
Top-producing cocaine lab Dust-whipped roads approach
Tres Encinas

Tres Encinas spotlighted as perilously thin U.S. lifeline—19 personnel now alerted for imminent action—its remoteness amplifying the asymmetry against hordes of guards, catalyzing Leo's mobilization.

Atmosphere Remote vulnerability, coiled for sudden thrust (implied).
Function Nearest forward base, now on high alert.
Symbolism Beacon of scant American reach in hostile turf.
Access U.S. military only, deep in contested Colombia.
Sparse garrison implied Crackling radios (contextual)
Fort Bragg

Ft. Bragg tasked directly with crafting three strike blueprints in 60 minutes, its planners now racing under Leo's deadline to counter Colombia's odds.

Atmosphere Bunker frenzy, machinery priming (implied).
Function Special Ops nerve center for plan delivery.
Symbolism Arsenal of American precision strike.
Access Secure military command.
Command bunkers Helipads throbbing

Organizations Involved

Institutional presence and influence

4
Drug Enforcement Administration

DEA's rep verifies McGraff and Nunn while flagging three unconfirmed agents, injecting field precision into the intel vacuum and underscoring family notification perils that humanize the crisis.

Representation Through on-site representative reporting verifications.
Power Dynamics Subordinate to White House, providing essential operational data.
Impact Exposes federal drug ops' vulnerability in narco zones.
Internal Dynamics null
Confirm captive identities to enable response Mitigate risks of erroneous family contacts Field verification expertise Direct agency intel feed
C.R.F.

CRF cast as abductors holding agents at guarded site, with Nelson Guerra floated for talks, framing them as wily antagonists whose dialog Mickey courts before Leo's rejection.

Representation Via named commander and ambush action.
Power Dynamics Antagonistic captors dictating terms remotely.
Impact Forces U.S. from domestic wins to global retaliation.
Internal Dynamics Command ties like Guerra-Jeffe enable outreach.
Exploit hostages for leverage Fortify lab strongholds Hostage seizure pressure Insurgent manpower superiority
Affronte

Affronte defined via Puente Mayo stronghold and elite cocaine lab, their defenses (500-600 guards) dooming assault hopes and steeling Leo's pivot.

Representation As territorial overlords referenced in intel.
Power Dynamics Overwhelming local force challenging U.S. incursion.
Impact Underscores narco impunity fueling U.S. resolve.
Internal Dynamics null
Secure narco production sites Weaponize captures against raids Guard-heavy fortifications Rebel-cartel fusion strength
Special Operations Command

Special Operations Command at Ft. Bragg hit with Leo's hour-long mandate for three unilateral plans, embodying rapid elite response to bridge leadership orders and battlefield execution.

Representation Through Robbie's relay and Robbie/Captain acknowledgments.
Power Dynamics Activated under White House directive, poised for dominance.
Impact Elevates crisis to full-spectrum military engagement.
Internal Dynamics Chain of command snaps to urgent deadlines.
Generate executable rescue blueprints Overcome numerical disadvantages via precision Specialized tactical planning Rapid mobilization resources

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

No narrative connections mapped yet

This event is currently isolated in the narrative graph

Key Dialogue

"MICKEY: I'm gonna open a dialog... we're gonna do it with one of their own commanders."
"LEO: Tell Special Operations Command at Ft. Bragg to submit three plans for a unilateral op. They have an hour."
"LEO: We should let these 19 guys at Tres Encinas know they're in it now too."