One night, an American special forces team invades Saddam Hussein's (Haleva) palace and a nearby prison camp to rescue captured soldiers from Operation Desert Storm and to eliminate Saddam, but they find the Iraqis prepared for them, and the entire rescue team is captured. This failed operation turns out to be the latest in a series of rescue attempts which were foiled by the Iraqis, and consequently the advisors of President of the United States Benson (Admiral Benson in the Hot Shots!, played by Lloyd Bridges) suspect sabotage in their own ranks. Colonel Denton Walters (Richard Crenna) suggests to gain the aid of war hero Topper Harley (Charlie Sheen) for the next mission, but Topper has retired from the United States Navy and become a Buddhist in a small Thailand village. Walters and Michelle Huddleston (Brenda Bakke), Central Intelligence Agency, arrive and try to persuade him to come out of retirement in order to rescue the imprisoned soldiers and the previous rescue parties.