Clear and Present Danger

“Get it in Writing”

Google Movie Synopsis:
Agent Jack Ryan (Harrison Ford) becomes acting deputy director of the CIA when Admiral Greer (James Earl Jones) is diagnosed with cancer. When an American businessman, and friend of the president, is murdered on a yacht, Ryan starts discovering links between the man and drug dealers. As CIA agent John Clark (Willem Dafoe) is sent to Colombia to kill drug kingpins in retaliation, Ryan must fight through multiple cover-ups to figure out what happened and who's responsible.

Scenario:

Jack Ryan barges into CIA, Deputy Director of Operations, Robert Ritter’s office wanting to find out who has been making the decisions so he can hold them accountable for their actions.  Unfortunately, he finds out more than he expected.

Selected Scene:

Jack Ryan:       I never lied to Congress
Robert Ritter:  You told them no troops, there are troops, Jack
Jack Ryan:       I didn’t know that, you know I didn’t know that
Robert Ritter:  Nope, I have no recollection of that, that’s the term you have to learn
Jack Ryan:       Who authorized this?
Robert Ritter:  I’m sure they’ll ask you that
Jack Ryan:       Who authorized this?
Robert Ritter:  I have no recollection, Senator.
Jack Ryan:       I did not sign up for this. This is somebody’s bullshit political agenda. Who authorized this? Cutter?
Robert Ritter:  Cutter couldn't tie his shoes without permission.
Jack Ryan:       If I go down you're going with me.
Robert Ritter:  Wrong again. I have an autographed get-out-of-jail-free card! "The President authorizes the Deputy Director CIA Robert Ritter, to conduct operation reciprocity including all support necessary to such activity, this operation is deemed important to the national security to the United States, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera." You don't have one of these do you Jack? Gray! The world is gray Jack!

Business Tip:

Documentation of conversations or any verbal communication should be treated in the same way you look at car or home insurance.  In many cases, individuals will not put anything in writing solely for the purpose that if something came back to them at a later time, they would be able to say “I have no recollection” or even flatly deny the truth. We are all familiar with the game in which a group of people get into a circle and whisper a message in the person’s ear next to them and so on, until the last person reveals how much the initial message has changed.  This is true with verbal communication, each individuals interpretation remains unique to the individual.  This is why it is important to document anything worth saving, whether it is to prevent any potential disagreements or possibly keep you from going to jail!