few days after Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, I called General Michael Loh, Air Force vice chief of staff, and told him that I could have three Blackbirds ready and operational in ninety days to overfly the region. I also could supply qualified pilots. The last three Blackbirds were being used by NASA for high-altitude flight tests. My idea was to provide the blue-suiters with a total package—airplanes, pilots, and ground crews—for a cost of about $100 million. The airplanes would be indispensable providing surveillance over Iraq, and I had another idea, too. “General,” I said, “We could fly
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