Secret Service agents in return, devastating Katie, whilst Emerson expresses sorrow that Coddington was killed doing his duty. Despite Harvey's action, Emerson is still able to obtain the nuclear codes via phone from the Joint Chiefs, although this results in the resignation of Admiral Miller, a senior military officer who had been critical of Emerson's approach throughout the crisis. With time for Hussein to submit to Emerson's ultimatum having run out, Emerson authorizes the nuclear strike and speaks to the crew of the B-2 bomber who will carry it out before the strike occurs. The nuclear bomb, approximately 100 megatons in force, results in the complete destruction of Baghdad. Iraq's retaliation begins and the majority of their missiles are shot down by NATO missile defense systems. However, whilst some of Iraq's missiles successfully land on their targets, they do not detonate in nuclear explosions, meaning that Baghdad is the only city destroyed - a development that surprises Emerson's staff. As the snowstorm eases up, Emerson addresses the world once more via a TV broadcast. In the speech, Emerson reveals that it was actually the U.S. who secretly sold nuclear weapons to Iraq, using the French as intermediaries whilst pretending to know nothing about it. The plan was carried out in order to prevent Iraq from gaining an independent, fully functioning nuclear arsenal by instead selling them a deliberately sabotaged one that could never function properly as a nuclear capability. As to why he carried out the threat against Iraq, Emerson publicly justifies his actions as a firm display that the U.S. would be prepared to defend itself from military threats with nuclear weapons if necessary. Privately, Emerson also predicts that his use of nuclear weapons will coerce China and North Korea into conceding the Second Korean War within months. Just before Emerson and his entourage leave the diner, Redford and Thompson ask what he meant by a "significant announcement" from the White House when they return to Washington. Emerson reveals that he plans to withdraw from the presidential campaign and serve out the rest of his predecessor's term rather than run for one of his own. In this, Emerson still justifies his actions during the crisis but concedes someone else should be the one to carry on the job of leading the U.S. in the future. Cast Kevin Pollak as President Walter Emerson Timothy Hutton as White House Chief of