When I was younger I binged a lot of Alistair MacLean. To continue the list with some of my other favourites:
The Satan Bug
The Golden Rendezvous
The Dark Crusader
The Last Frontier
Ice Station Zebra
Fair warning though: he’s quite formulaic and it is not recommended to finish one of his books then start another. Read a couple of books inbetween to give yourself a break.
War always favours the incumbent at election time, so the cynic in me thinks the US is dragging its feet quite purposely.