[War] United Kingdom: "COBRA"

[Michael Brittain]

PM Patricia Young
United Kingdom
29 June, 2014
--------------------

[Cabinet Office Briefing Room A]

It seemed that no one wanted the Prime Minister to have a quiet first few
weeks
in office. She was, literally, pulled out of the Home Office select
committee to hear the news that two suicide bombers had struck Canary Wharf;
at the heart of London. Fortunately, casualties were low, but that did not
ease her pain by much.

Young sat chairing a meeting of COBRA in the Cabinet Office; a secure,
secret coordination facility used at times of national emergency. Sat before
her were senior government ministers, members of the Joint Intelligence
Committee and senior representatives from the Metropolitan Police. The group
had been briefed on the situation in London and around the world. The only
breaks the PM would allow herself to have were to receive updated Intel and
diplomatic correspondence.

"Ladies and gentleman, thank you for your time this afternoon," the PM
looked tired; they had been at the meeting for hours. "You have my thanks."

Young turned to the commissioner. "Thank you Sir Gordon for the help of the
police service, I would very much like to meet your officers at some point
today or tomorrow, as well as visit the hospitals and those affected by the
bombings." She turned to her cabinet secretary. "Can you see that it is
arranged please, Stephen." The PM was acknowledged with a nod.

"If we may reconvene tomorrow afternoon," she drew the first part of the
meeting to a close. "I wish to speak with the JIC, so I would kindly
appreciate it if those not authorised please take a much needed rest," Young
smiled politely, watching as half the table emptied. The situation had been
discussed and a response put in place, but many at the meeting knew that
they were treading water until the PM brought up the discussion on Iran.

Once all the members of the police and a few ministers had left, leaving the
PM, senior cabinet ministers and the JIC, Young stood up. She walked toward
a cabinet in the corner pulling out a bottle of brandy and a few glasses.
Placing it down she poured Brandy into the glasses. Although a secure
facility, COBRA was still lavishly decorated and furnished like all of the
cabinet office - an unnoticeable drinks cabinet representative of the big
drinkers that some former PM's had been.

"There is no doubt in my mind," she sat back down, drink in hand. "That the
Iranians orchestrated this perfectly." She paused taking a sip. "I read the
initial intel report from MI6. It is deeply worrying."

"Sir Richard," She turned to the head of the Joint Intelligence Committee.
"Open up all channels with all countries affected by the attacks. Do what
you have to - gather the evidence that we need.
MI5 are already investigating the bombings with the Met, but this goes
further than a simple terrorist cell. If the Iranians are funding and
organising terrorism on British territory I want to know every detail." She
griped her pen tapping it on the desk. "I don't wish to put pressure unto
your shoulders, but I intend on moving quickly. Present me with the evidence
I need."

"Of course Prime Minister," Sir Richard replied. "We have already uncovered
links with Iranian issued army equipment found at the house of one of the
suicide bombers within the past hour - but Iran will make it hard for any
connection to be found. Arguably any such equipment could have been picked
up on the black market. But we're moving quickly on this one, if Iran is
behind this, whomever they hired didn't cover their tracks all too well.
Suggests to me it was a rushed job. But alas, no immediate connection."

"The Canadians have given us the most useful Intelligence - I'm confident
that we
will find similar links with the bombings on Canary Wharf." He continued. "I
think it important to note that it is only a matter of time before hard
evidence comes to light. We're keeping hush hush with the press though, as
usual."

"Evidence that can be used in the house to support an invasion?" Frances
Urquart, the foreign secretary asked.

"Yes - essentially, but nothing sensitive could be released to MPs you
understand."

"Do what you have to do," Young interjected.

"I can't fully understand why Iran would do this - a last throw of the
 dice?" Mr Urquart said, taking a sip of his drink to appease the PM.

"They want us to know that they can hit us where it hurts." Young paused in
thought for a minute, leaning back in her chair, her legs crossed and hands
in her lap cupping her drink. "Killing innocent people. I would be inclined
to agree that this was a 'rushed job', the casualties so far have been
somewhat low." She hated thinking in terms of numbers, but at a time like
this and during a meeting such as this, it was the only way to think.

She placed her drink down and looked around the table. "Let us send them a
message of our own." Young turned to face Admiral West. "Dispatch the Queen
Mary battle group, and place the Prince of Wales on alert. Notify the RAF to
increase their presence in the area to cope with an additional 6,000
troops - we're doubling our presence around Iran in preparation for
operations."

Admiral West nodded. "Understood," the Admiral drew a deep breath. "HMS
Vigilant and Vanguard have been deployed to the area, as per standard
Admiralty policy in situations such as these."

The room took a moments silence. The Vigilant and Vanguard were submarines
that were part of Britain's SSBN fleet, or more simply, her nuclear
deterrent at sea.

The PM nodded, understanding the severity of the situation she now faced.
Opinion polls would shoot through the roof in favour of military action
after today's events, god knows how but the press had already been batting
around the idea of Iranian involvement, but she did not want to appear a
callous leader determined for a blood bath. Military action had been on the
table for weeks, but today's events accelerated and probably sealed its
fate.

"The UK will remain on the highest possible alert for the next 72 hours, and
I will place Her Majesty's Armed Forces on full alert for deployment
immediately. I will make a statement outside Downing Street straight after
this meeting."

"What of China?" Jonathon Spence, the Home Secretary asked.

"What of China indeed," Young took a deep breath. "The Chinese position is
giving me a headache. Washington has warned Prime Minister Decker to back
off, and it wasn't like the Chinese were going to listen. They tend to have
trouble with that."

Young looked at her military staff. "Whatever conflict occurs between Iran
and China, any operation undertaken by the UK and her allies has to be
efficient and coordinated. China can have their own blood bath."

"Also, offer any support we can to the Canadians with regard to military
transport and infrastructure, and assist the Australians wherever possible
as well. If they prefer, they can slot into our forces in the middle east."

The military staff nodded and reeled off about the combat readiness of
British forces in the Middle East. The PM also received assurances that
operational planning was in the fine-tuning stage, even when taking into
consideration the Chinese.

Young looked around the room at the faces, all of them knowing what was most
likely going to happen. Iran had sealed her fate - all Young needed to do
now was sit and wait. Iran was very much on borrowed time.

Bringing the initial meeting to an end, the Prime Minister paused for a half
an hour break to make a statement to the press. After which, the COBRA
meeting would reconvene to speak to
the leader of the opposition Labour Party, and the Liberal Democrats. Young
wasn't prepared to leave them in the dark - this was too big an issue to
keep within the government. The UK needed national unity and a national
consensus. She couldn't offer them much information at the moment, but for
the sake of the government they needed to be kept in the loop, particularly
if she asked for their support over military action.

Actions:

1. Open up all intelligence channels with all affected countries - let us
pull together the evidence we need against Iran.
2. Thank the Canadians for their Intel, most appreciated.
3. Increase UK presence in the Middle East.
4. Offer military support to the Canadians and Australians (transportation
etc).
5. Bring in the leaders of the Labour and Liberal Democrat Parties



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