The President of the United States and Prime Minister of England want to start up a nice war in the Middle East. Close advisors are not so enthusiastic about the idea as US General George Miller (James Gandolfini) disagrees, along with British Secretary of State Simon Foster (Tom Hollander). Unfortunately for Foster he accidentally makes a statement backing war on television, and now everyone is his best friend in Washington D. C. Working the system with his new friends and allies in Washington, Foster hopes to be able to stop the Prime Minister's spin doctor Malcolm Tucker (Peter Capaldi) along with other proponents of the war and bring it to a stop.