In impoverished Baghdad under Saddam's dictatorship, 16-year-old Amal hopes to regain her social status at school by volunteering to find a book as a class gift for the departing literature teacher. Meanwhile, her emotionally fragile little brother becomes obsessed with the notion that a visiting uncle from America--whom he confuses with Santa Claus--will bring him toys. Ashamed never to have been able to give his son a toy, the child's father sells some more prized family possessions and buys a model car for him.

During a training exercise Frank White and his team are ambushed by former Soviet soldiers. Frank is kidnapped and a North Korean scientist attempts to brainwash him while his team tries to locate him. Later Frank has to go undercover with a group of eco terrorists to protect his commanders daughter who has joined the group. Frank realizes that there is a traitor in the group and must try to find out who it is, while finding the group is suspecting him.