"The United States Director of Central Intelligence, William Webster, revealed in an interview before he resigned earlier this year that the United States has learned that the Soviet central government had begun “looking at what they need to do to be sure that the missiles do not fall into unfriendly hands, that they are moved if necessary, that the systems they have in place to prevent someone from engaging in unauthorized fire are intact and protected.” He added that this new Soviet concern “of course lowers the level of our confidence.”
— Senator Sam Nunn, statement on the Senate floor, November 13, 1991
During the collapse of the Soviet Union, there was a very real possibility that from somewhere amongst the country's vast nuclear stockpiles, something would disappear and end up in the wrong hands. What if some of those nuclear warheads - five, as a matter of fact - disappeared from one Soviet facility, and found themselves in the hands of the organization of one man in particular, a highly dangerous man with a virulent hatred of the United States?
That man's name?
Osama bin Laden.
A timeline on AlternateHistory.com, written by wolverinethad in the style of Icarus Falls, Rejection and Revenge: An alternate 9/11 timeline
initially follows a nuclear-armed al-Qaeda in The '90s, as they plot a terrorist attack of unprecedented proportions, the outside world completely unaware - until it is far too late.
This work provides examples of:
- Awakening the Sleeping Giant: The nuclear attacks on the US have turned an American public that was ready for a peaceful post-Cold War scene angry and vengeful. Clinton decides to drop nukes on the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
- Big Bad: Osama bin Laden.
- Death by Irony: Ronald Reagan, who had dealt with a number of nuclear crises during his presidency, is killed instantly in the Los Angeles blast.
- Disproportionate Retribution: Pakistan is using Russian scientists to help build their nuclear program, so in response Boris Yeltsin has the Russisn Air Force destroy said nuclear facilities.
- Entertainingly Wrong: Clinton and a good deal other officials believe Iran to be responsible. There's the border with the former Soviet Union, which is how they obtained the bomb, Iran's terrorist activities since the 1970s, and the Al Qaeda operative who was apprehended in Israel fingering Iran.
- Exactly What It Says on the Tin: At first played straight, then subverted. The attacks are initially planned for September 11, 1992, but bin Laden calls them off at the last minute, and instead occur five months later, making this a Non-Indicative Name, to a degree, though it is still historical 9/11, only on a much larger scale.
- Even Evil Has Standards: The Soviet scientists who sell Bin Laden weapons want assurances that they will not be used against Russia. Everywhere else, apparently, is fair game.
- Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: Despite thinking Iran nuked America, Clinton chooses to nuke military targets, and wants Iran to be a free country. Bin Laden thinks Bill Clinton was weak for not eliminating Tehran from the face of the Earth.
- From Bad to Worse: First the US has three cities destroyed by nuclear weapons, then they nuke Iran (almost starting a regional war), then the US realizes that Iran might not be responsible for the nuclear attacks following several attacks on US embassies in Africa.
- The '90s: The timeline begins in 1991, following the 1992 presidential election and the latter months of the Bush I administration somewhat closely, before the al-Qaeda attacks occur on February 11, 1993.
- Not Me This Time: Pretty much everyone looks at Iran as the culprit of the attack, after 14 years of Iranian extremism. The terrorist that tried to nuke Tel Aviv fuels suspicion by fingering Hezbollah.
- Nuclear Weapons Taboo: Broken throughly after al-Qaeda's nuclear terror attacks.
- Nuke 'em: The entire premise of the timeline involves this scenario, only carried out by al-Qaeda. Clinton, believing Hezbollah was responsible, uses this against the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
- Oh, Crap!: Everyone in America's response to three nuclear detonations. The head of an Israeli bomb squad has this same reaction when he discovers the exact nature of the weapon he just recovered.
- Rafsanjani after Warren Christopher asks him if he's responsible.
- The general reaction to Russia's attack on Pakistan's nuclear facilities.
- Plausible Deniability: Clinton and others believe this to be the case with President Rafsanjani. He denies Iranian involvement in the attack, but he could easily have been Locked Out of the Loop by Ali Khamenei, who could have orchestrated the attack through the Revolutionary Guards, which he alone controls.
- Rage Breaking Point: Several characters reach this point.
- After dealing with nuclear attacks, international criticism, rumors about losing his job, a regional war, violence in the Balkans, Warren Christopher snaps after dealing with NATO representatives. He suffers a stroke and goes into a coma.
- Yeltsin loses it after Western Europe cuts off credit to his country after radiating a Pakistani village. The food riots that breakout afterward push him to the breaking point, and he dies of a heart attack.
- Rivals Team Up: Clinton ends up receiving advice from Bush-41 and Richard Nixon in dealing with the crisis.
- Too Dumb to Live: Ali Khamenei, just after having has much of his armed forces completely wiped out by nuclear bombs, still tries to pick a fight with the US in Kuwait, rather than simply continue to deny the attack.
- Underestimating Badassery: Bin Laden looks down on Bill Clinton, and is relieved to see him defeat George Bush. He didn't foresee how angry any man occupying the White House would be if America were nuked, and is frightened by Bill Clinton's new found resolve and fury.
- Vice City / Wretched Hive: al-Qaeda's view of Las Vegas, and their reason for targeting it. To a lesser extent, their reason for targeting Los Angeles as well.
- What Could Have Been: In-universe. Four nuclear warheads went off, but a fifth one was planned for the Port of Tel Aviv. Israeli police stop and apprehend the suspicious-looking man wearing a military backpack before he can actually reach his target. The Israelis end up finding the bomb, and are the ones to discover that they were actually missing Soviet warheads, mere hours after the initial attacks.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Alan Simpson, a war veteran, explodes at Newt Gingrich for wanting to use a scandal involving American Apaches executing enemy soldiers for political gain, and in the process slinging mud at the armed forces.
- John Major gives Clinton one for dropping nukes on Iran without warning his embassy, after expending political capital to issue Article 5, aka the "you mess with one of us, you mess with all us," clause of NATO.
- King Fahd gives Clinton one for ordering him around like a dog on Israel and the Iranian defense forces moving into Kuwait.
- Where I Was Born and Razed: Bin Laden detonates a warhead at the US Embassy in Riyadh!
- Why We Are Bummed Communism Fell: The world didn't improve much after the Cold War, with nuclear terrorism having become a reality as a result of its end.
- Worthy Opponent: George H.W. Bush for Bin Laden. Clinton himself surprises Osama Bin Laden with his resolve.
