The Warfare of Genghis Khan 4777289 223420921 2008-07-04T00:18:54Z 149.101.1.130 {{Infobox Television episode | Title = The Warfare of Genghis Khan | Series = [[The West Wing (TV series)|The West Wing]] | Image = | Caption = | Season = 5 | Episode = 101 | Airdate = [[February 11]][[2004]] | Production = 176063 | Writer = [[Peter Noah]] | Director = [[Bill D'Elia]] | Guests = [[Armin Mueller-Stahl]]<br>[[Gary Cole]]<br>[[Jay Mohr]]<br>[[Anna Deavere Smith]]<br>[[Terry O'Quinn]]<br>[[Steve Ryan]]<br>[[Christina Chang]]<br>[[Renee Estevez]]<br>[[Thomas Kopache]]<br>[[Ryan Cutrona]]<br>[[Christopher Maher]] | Episode list = [[List of The West Wing episodes|List of ''The West Wing'' episodes]] | Season list = {{Infobox The West Wing season 5 episode list}} | Prev = | Next = }} "'''The Warfare of Genghis Khan'''" is the 101st ''[[The West Wing (TV series)|The West Wing]]'' episode and 13th of the fifth season. It originally aired on [[NBC]] [[February 1]], [[2004]].<ref name="NBC">{{cite web|url= http://www.nbc.com/The_West_Wing/episode_guide/107.shtml|title= The Warfare of Genghis Khan|accessdate=2007-05-26|publisher=NBC.com}}</ref> Events circle around the detection of a nuclear detonation over the Indian Ocean. Written by [[Peter Noah]] and directed by [[Bill D'Elia]], the episode contains guest appearances by [[Christopher Maher]] and [[Christina Chang]]. It also introduces to the series [[Armin Mueller-Stahl]] as Israeli Prime Minister Efraim 'Eli' Zahavy, and gives a first, short glimpse of [[Jay Mohr]] as conservative talk-show host Taylor Reid.<ref name="EG">{{cite web|url= http://www.westwingepguide.com/S5/Episodes/103_TWOGK.html|title= The Warfare of Genghis Khan|accessdate=2007-05-26|publisher=The West Wing Episode Guide}}</ref> ==Plot== When the flash of a secret nuclear detonation is detected over the [[Indian Ocean]], [[Josiah Bartlet|President Bartlet]] calls upon his people to investigate which nation now has the atomic bomb — and since conventional thinking favors [[Iran]], Bartlet orders bombers into the air to destroy that nation's most likely uranium-enriched targets. Once it becomes clear that Iran didn't do the nuclear test, President Bartlet has the Prime Minister of Israel fly to D.C. for a chat, but no further action is taken. This storyline also establishes the President's palpable disdain for the current CIA Director. Meanwhile, [[Josh Lyman|Josh]] chides [[NASA]] personnel on the recent failures and embarrassments in their programs for space exploration — until he is introduced to an attractive female administrator who shows him the values of astrology. [[C. J. Cregg|C.J.]] fumes when a combative television talk-show host, Taylor Reid, denigrates her on the air, and [[Will Bailey|Will]] discloses to Vice President [[Bob Russell (The West Wing)|Russell]] that Russell is considered a buffoon by the White House staff. However, it is Russell whose smarts come to keep the President from bombing Iran. In light of the international situation, [[Toby Ziegler|Toby]] wonders why they don't utilize the [[United Nations|U.N.]] in times like this.<ref name="NBC" /><ref name="EG" /><ref name="TWP">{{cite web|url=http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/articles/content/a2235/|title=The Warfare of Genghis Khan|accessdate=2007-05-26|publisher=Television Without Pity}}</ref> ==Social and cultural references== The nuclear test plotline may be based on the 1979 [[Vela Incident]], in which a flash was detected in the South Atlantic Ocean that was suspected to be an Israeli or a South African nuclear test.<ref>Jeffrey Richelson, ''Spying on the Bomb: American Nuclear Intelligence from Nazi Germany to Iran and North Korea'' (New York: W. W. Norton, 2006), chapter seven, "The Double Flash: The Vela Incidence, September 1979", pp. 283-316.</ref> ==Reception== [[TV.com]] gives the episode a rating of 7.8;<ref name="TV.com">{{cite web|url= http://www.tv.com/the-west-wing/the-warfare-of-genghis-khan/episode/289368/summary.html|title= The Warfare of Genghis Khan|accessdate=2007-05-26|publisher=TV.com}}</ref> which is about average for season five.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.tv.com/the-west-wing/the-warfare-of-genghis-khan/episode/289368/summary.html | title = Season 5 | publisher = TV.com | accessdate = 2008-01-15}}</ref> On [[Television Without Pity]] it has been given a grade "''A-''".<ref name="TWP" /> As of [[May 26]], [[2007]], [[IMDb]] rates the episode 7.1 with twenty-three votes.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0745714/ | title = The Warfare of Genghis Khan | publisher = IMDb | accessdate = 2007-05-26}}</ref> ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *[http://www.nbc.com/The_West_Wing/episode_guide/107.shtml The Warfare of Genghis Khan] at [[NBC]].com *[http://www.westwingepguide.com/S5/Episodes/103_TWOGK.html The Warfare of Genghis Khan] at The West Wing Episode Guide *[http://westwing.bewarne.com/fifth/513khan.html The Warfare of Genghis Khan] at The West Wing Continuity Guide *[http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/articles/content/a2235/ The Warfare of Genghis Khan] recap at [[Television Without Pity]] *[http://www.tv.com/the-west-wing/the-warfare-of-genghis-khan/episode/289368/summary.html The Warfare of Genghis Khan] at [[TV.com]] *[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0745714/ The Warfare of Genghis Khan] at the [[Internet Movie Database]] [[Category:The West Wing episodes|Warfare of Genghis Khan]]