From iain at iain-waddell.co.uk Thu Nov 20 05:20:26 2008 From: iain at iain-waddell.co.uk (Iain) Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:20:26 -0000 Subject: [War] Spain/Canada: "A Unified Front." Message-ID: <8E33B04BC66C4B0287FE12F3355B3563@iainw> "A Unified Front." ____________________ ____________________ Prime Minister Elena Rodriguez Prime Minister James McColl Madrid --------------- McColl had been to Spain twice in the past, the last time nearly twelve years ago, when Jennifer and himself had gone on a vacation to southern Spain after they married. However, he had not been to Madrid, and was looking forward to the experience, and to the meeting with the Spanish Prime Minister. Currently, that wasn't very far into the future, as the plane was coming into the Madrid airport. It was one of those huge airports where you could get lost and wander for hours. And if you were there at night, well, have fun. He'd heard as much from the various diplomats and people he kept in touch with these days. Elena was likewise looking forward to meeting the Canadian Prime Minister once again, and had been uncharacteristically pleasant whilst chatting to the press awaiting his arrival. She was not normally one for unscheduled dealings with the media and they had seemed surprised that they were getting answers to some of their questions. When her PA gave her the nod that the plane had landed she excused herself and left the building to meet her counterpart on the tarmac. There was an enjoyable cool breeze in the air that gave a bit of relief from the sun that had been pelting down on Madrid unceasingly for he past week. As McColl waited for the RCMP detail to leave the plane first, he wondered if his wife would like to do some cultural activities once the main business was done. He'd find out later. As he descended from the plane, he waved to the Spanish PM and the media. "Madam Prime Minister, great to see you again. How's Madrid been the last couple of months?" They shook hands and smiled. "Very warm and dry, Prime Minister, and busy for our government." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Too little time for enjoying oneself this time of year I think." McColl chuckled. As they walked off the tarmac to the vehicles, they chatted about nothing in particular. Jennifer asked if there was anything in Madrid that Rodriguez would recommend for sight-seeing and general tourist nonsense. "Oh Madrid holds a lot of hidden treasures of the Spanish heritage as well as some better-known attractions. My personal favourite, even after frequent visits for many years, is Retiro Park." Elena had spent a lot of 'thinking time' there as both a diplomat and junior politician, it was a bit public now but she occasionally still spent time there - with the mandatory 'protection'. "I'm sure my husband would be more than happy to show you some of the sights if you'd like?" Both McColls looked at each other, "Yea I think that would be great." They both said it at the same time. Then looked at each other and laughed. Elena gave a knowing smile and reached for her phone to ensure Diego was waiting at the other end. She and James could have a quiet tete a tete while Diego and Jennifer saw some of the sights. Hopefully that way the proper discussions could be a bit more relaxed tomorrow. "Actually, we'd like to go together, so why don't we plan that for the day after the meeting, so that there's no rush." McColl suggested. Elena closed over her mobile with a nod. "Of course, in that case I feel obliged to invite you to be subjected to some of my home cooking this evening once you are settled in?" "Well alright, if you don't mind." Both McColls looked at each other, thinking along the lines of: 'Sweet Deal!' ---------- The next day. As, James walked down the hallway to Elena's office, he was thinking about the amazing paella she had cooked the night before. Best he'd ever had, no if's, ands, or buts about it. He arrived at the Prime Minister's outer office where her secretary worked, and she rang into the office. Rodriguez was hanging her suit jacket behind the door when the buzzer went so she popped her head out into her secretary's office. "Ah, come in. Is it tea or coffee, Prime Minister?" She had only just arrived herself and was ready for her tea fix. "Tea please. I'll have whatever you're having." They got settled in, chit-chatted some, and then got down to business. McColl decided to open up the subject of the Chinese bid for the Spanish railway contract first. "So, what did you think of Shenyang's bid?" The smile that crept onto her features betold that she knew this topic would come up. "Personally I think it sounds rather attractive, but I believe our good friends at Bombardier are willing to match if not better any offers made by them. And as you must be aware we already have a good working relationship there. I just can't get over the irony of a Chinese and Canadian bid being the forefront competitors, I'm sure you don't keep up to date with our media but it has been suggested this was an indirect way of getting us to appear to be 'taking sides'." She handed McColl his tea and caught the look on his face. "A ridiculous notion, of course, but one that deserves a bit more thought put on this than would usually be put towards it." As he sipped his tea, McColl considered her words. "Indeed so. I don't follow European news closely, but I did hear of this, and I think that they are right in a way. It's all about the prestige, and inevitably, those who garner points are the ones people listen to. I'm not going to tell you what to do, I think I can understand your dilemma here. Of course I want you to go with the Canadian bid, but you already knew that." "I expect, although I have left the decision in the capable hands of the Ministry for Industry and Trade, that you may be happy with their decision. >From what I have been told of their negotiations so far Bombardier may come out of this with not only the construction contract but that of the running and maintaining of the rail system. I believe it is more a matter of.how would you say. 'spin'? Rather than of what the decision will be." McColl smiled at that. "I am glad to hear that." A sip of the tea, still lightly steaming. "I take it then, that you don't mind pissing off President Hong to a certain degree?" Raised eyebrows. "Never mind that, though. I think you'll be happy to hear that our project on refurbishing the pipeline from Alberta to the east coast is coming along nicely. It should be done right on schedule this coming spring barring nothing out of the ordinary happens. That will mean a guaranteed source of oil for Spain, and possibly more of Europe down the road." "President Hong will be.pleased at some of the other projects we have in the pipework I think. Excuse the pun. And I am very glad indeed to hear that although I'm sure some of our Middle Eastern and Russian counterparts may not be." The stability of a good supply of oil from a Western nation had been a coup for the Canadians, and that Spain had been quick to express desire had worked out well for them. "I take it you've not had any trouble?" It wasn't a secret that oil industries and sabotage came hand-in-hand, and had done for many years now. "Not so far, at any rate. We tried to include all the big domestic players and the provinces, so everyone has a stake in the good performance of the project. Or so we hope." He smiled sadly. "On that note, I think we may shovel some more cash at the companies to ensure their... cooperation. More specifically with the refinery refits. That didn't go as well as we'd hoped. "It's interesting that you mention the mid-east and Russia though. I am aware that Europe has been looking to decrease it's dependency on those respective suppliers for a long time now. What are your thoughts on a possibly larger European deal or even just with individual countries?" Elena shrugged a little. "I think like ourselves, most of the European market is concerned by recent strikes in Russia, and her government's unpredictable nature at times, and the Iran situation just served to highlight just how unstable that region is. I think you have timed perfectly for a Europe-wide approach if not for key allies of Canada's here. I have had discussions on the matter with some officials from several European governments whom I would be more than happy to put you in contact with." "That would be great, thank you. It's been one of my top goals to reduce our dependence on America to keep our economy going, and this will surely help. I've been driving the conversation. What did you want to discuss?" "It's funny you should mention the dependence on America, I have been having similar conversations this side of the Atlantic. Spain, whilst a supposedly 'important' member of the European Union, we can't help but feel that our voice gets lost amongst the bureaucracy at times. We have also been looking at ways of, if not being heard more clearly within Europe, then of having our voice stand alone on some matters. However, the same bureaucracy makes that difficult to do." "I sure can understand you there. But do go on, I don't think you quite finished your point." Another sip of the tea. There was a little helpless shrug. "With our strategic position, being a direct route between Africa and Europe, we can't help but feel if we were to either begin having more involvement with our Southern neighbours or even announce a separation from European policies we might get some attention and more national freedom than has been afforded us as of late. One can't help but marvel at the number of decisions that have to be taken to EU level." "I see..." A thoughtful silence descended for half a minute or so. "I've always rather wondered about the EU. It does seem pretty stifling from my side of the Atlantic, you know. But you do realize that what you just said could lead to a shakeup in international affairs?" "I admit, it was the Romania situation that brought about this whole discussion here, and look at the shockwaves that caused. The difference is we are not dropping out of international relations, on the contrary we are trying to strengthen our position internationally." Elena finished the tail end of her tea. "I don't want to sound too pompous, but without Spain there is a chance the EU could become dysfunctional for a time, and I cannot admit to being displeased about that. There are certainly good things about the Union, but the administrative drag holds us back at times. I would very much like to be able to make the point and have it cleared up rapidly, but I know that is not going to happen, it has been addressed over and over. This 'other' option would make quite a.firm point." Her eyebrows were raised pointedly, Spain had always been a steadfast supporter of the EU through thick and thin, but Rodriguez knew her government was not the only one disgruntled at the increasing bureaucracy. McColl raised his eyebrows too. "Well, I think you can have our diplomatic support on that question. It will defintely be interesting to see where it leads. But I also have a question of my own. Would Spain be willing to back us in our long-simmering border dispute with America in the Beaufort Sea and the Northwest Passage?" He handed Elena a dossier with the info inside. Elena nodded as she skim-read that documents in the dossier, it was not entirely new information to her but it wasn't something she had expected. In fact, it rather seemed to put her in a good bargaining position for her next point. "May I present to you a similar document," Elena pulled a file from her briefcase and handed it to McColl. "Our stance on the Gibraltar issue, which I'm sure you are aware of. Although I currently must concur that the Northwest Passage should perhaps remain an international strait, I propose that in return for support over claims to the Beaufort Sea, that we gain support over our proposals for Gibraltar. Whilst we would like to gain sovereignty over Gibraltar once more, we are aware that this position is not likely, therefore we wish to either be allowed to maintain a Spanish Garrison there similar to that maintained by the UK, and joint Sovereignty or that neither be allowed military occupation." "I would be more than happy to support you on Gibraltar, if you support us on the Northwest Passage. That is our more pressing concern." He raised his eyebrows. McColl was clearly a skilled negotiator, Rodriguez made a mental note to check into what he did before politics. "Mr. McColl, I think that this government's main concern with Canada declaring sovereignty over the Northwest Passages is that we have several tourism and research companies that operate vessels in the area at times. If we could come to some sort of agreement - a guarantee of sorts I suppose, that this could continue indefinitely then I'm sure our support could probably be given." "That is very sensible suggestion, and one which I think you find Canadians will willingly explore with anyone who so wishes to go down that avenue." He smiled widely, and then continued. "The Northwest Passage is Canadian internal waters. If people want to dispute that with us, then let them. But, I and we are happy to accommodates differing needs, and we have no problems with shipping using the area to transit through. Undoubtedly you feel similarly towards Gibraltar, it was once a Spanish possession, taken from you in war by the British. Why should you not feel like that is a core Spanish area also? You need only look on a map to tell the same with the Northwest Passage." He stated it matter-of-factly. "You make a good point, Prime Minister." Elena smirked, she was enjoying a good old fashioned tit-for-tat negotiation, it had been some time. "I think you can count on our support. Are we thinking a joint announcement or just simultaneously from our respective press offices?" "Might as well do a joint announcement since we're here, no?" "Sounds like a sensible idea to me," Elena nodded her agreement. "I can arrange to have a press conference set up later this afternoon if you like?" "Alright, I'll see you later today then. Thanks for such a productive meeting, I always enjoy working with you." McColl smiled, and they shook hands as they stood. Actions: 1) Development of relationship between McColl and Rodriguez 2) Announcement that Bombardier to win contract to build and operate Spanish railways giving already stable working relationship 3) Update on oil from Canada situation 4) Rodriguez to arrange to have European government representatives get in touch with McColl government regarding possible intention to obtain oil 5) Expression of growing discontentment at Euro-Beaurocracy 6) Make it known that Spain is willing to take drastic measures over same 7) Expression of intention to work more closely with African 'neighbours' 8) Joint statement from McColl and Rodriguez to International Press: a) Canada sees Northwest passage as internal waters, Spain agrees and reassures Spanish businesses that agreement will be reached to ensure continued use b) Canada to reaffirm claims over Beaufort Sea, Spain gives full backing c) Spain issues protest over British Sovereignty over Spanish 'territory' or Gibraltar, formally calls for either withdrawal of British forces or for a Spanish Garrison to be maintained. Canada fully supports calls. d) Spain demands return of Gibraltar, if not under full Spanish Sovereignty then under a joint Sovereignty. Canada fully supports plan. OOC: It's been a bit quiet so thought we'd stir things up a bit ;-) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://esteroic.com/pipermail/war_esteroic.com/attachments/20081120/c7f02f56/attachment-0001.html From michael.michaeldowney at gmail.com Fri Nov 21 15:44:30 2008 From: michael.michaeldowney at gmail.com (Michael Downey) Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:14:30 -0330 Subject: [War] Russia: "Continued Efforts" Message-ID: <6b6ab8a70811211244o5c36fb6bvf4392872a83bf5df@mail.gmail.com> "Continued Efforts" President Leonid Nemerenko Russian Federation 21 November 2014 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- OOC: Just something quick and simple until I can write a more substantial post. A strong military was the core of any nation. This was a very old train of thought, and not simply in Russia. Nemerenko himself had only briefly served in the Air Force, and without much distinction either, but he realized the importance of having a military that was well equipped, well trained, motivated and loyal. The Europeans and Americans to the West, the Chinese to the East, and now there was growing concern about the increasingly brazen and reckless Canadians in the far North. Technically Russia had peaceful, maybe even friendly, relations with all of these states but all of them were notorious for being egomaniacal, unpredictable and pathetically short sighted when it came to deciding when to go to war. Not that Russia had a better track record by any stretch of the imagination, but Nemerenko did consider himself one of the more reasonable world leaders, which said a lot about just how much a strong military was needed. "We've invested a great deal of time, money and effort into the armed forces, Comrades," Nemerenko said to the General Staff as he went over the latest readyness reports. "New equipment, new uniforms, new aircraft, guns and boats. Better pay, better benefits, better training. And a dedicated effort to weed out the corrupt and the incompetent. This has I hope brought us some results." "I am personally pleased by our progress, Comrade President," spoke up General Rezakaev, the Chief of the General Staff. "Especially when it comes to the moral of the men. The substantial increases in pay, family benefits, housing, medical care and almost every aspect of the average soldier's life is perhaps the most beneficial outcome of the Initiative 18 Program. Of course our reforms are not planned to be fully completed for another three years, but I can attest that significant progress has been made." "The world is as chaotic now as it was twenty years ago," murmured Nemerenko. Most of it, predictably, was the fault of the Americans. And of course the Chinese, who had in the eyes of the West come to replace the defunct Soviet Union as the new menace to the 'free world.' Of course Nemerenko was one of the first people to declare that a Second Cold War had already begun. Russia had to remain out of the petty squabbling occurring between the two superpowers, but the Motherland also had to be prepared for the worst. "Good, good. We will continue our military reforms and modernization as per the outlined plan. For the moment there have been no major alterations to our timetable." "If I may make a suggestion," spoke up Defence Minister Yoselev. "Logistics are a priority of course, but practice is also an important strength for any armed force. Our wargame with the Americans in Siberia was extremely beneficial and helped the Army identify a number of our shortcomings. I think now is a time for another wargame, this time a soley Rusian Affairs." "Go on." "A contest between the Leningrad and Moscow Military districts," said Yoselev. "Not the entire districts mind you, just a few select brigades and divisions. One will act as the attacking force, another as the defensive force. These two commands represent some of our most elite formations and where the bulk of our reforms have been implemented. It would be an excellent way to see how far we have come." Nemerenko nodded. It seemed like a logical idea. They'd have to send a statement to NATO as a courtesy, he didn't want the Americans or the EU getting paranoid and starting accusing Russia of strong arming its neighboring states with threatening war game exercises. "Very well Minister, you have my consent. Begin organizing the exercise and inform all concerned agencies and ministries. I want you and General Rezakaev to personally oversee the event. If we are doing this to assess the progress of our military reforms then I want the two of you to take careful note of any problems so they can be fixed or strengths so they can be expanded upon." --- Actions: 1) Russia continues on scheduale with its military reforms. 2) Stage a wargame exercise between the Moscow and Leningrad Military Districts 3) Inform NATO and make sure the EU knows this is a routine exercise, not a veiled threat in any way 4) Defence Minister Yoselev and General Rezakaev will personally oversee the exercise and observe all trends of importance From Chazenesq2b at aol.com Sat Nov 22 00:12:14 2008 From: Chazenesq2b at aol.com (Chazenesq2b at aol.com) Date: Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:12:14 EST Subject: [War] China: "Taking a Trip"- A Domestic Tour Message-ID: OOC: Just like everyone else, something short and simple to get back into the swing of things. "Beijing Tech-Expo"- A Domestic Tour President Xia Hong The People's Republic of China 21 November 2014 ========================================= (The Executive Residence, Beijing) The Executive Estate was in the midst of yet another normal working day. The offices were abound with activities as information passed from analyst to analyst, manager to manager, department to department. Even when the President wasn't in her office, the work of the People's Republic continued, particularly with the experimental wave of PNC elections about to hit. For the first time ever, fully half of the PNC would be standing for election... that number determined simply because of the need to keep 1/2 a Congress in session should an emergency arise that Hong could not deal with alone... a peculiarity in Chinese politics which, although rare, was within the realm of possibility now that the Executive was slowly conceding powers to it's Legislative and Judicial counterparts. Slowly and deliberately, that was the Chinese way. And to the outsider without access, one would never have known the kind of Earthquake that shook China's political world in August ever occurred, let alone that the 'clean-up' had yielded considerable political fruit and influence... as well as other benefits. Without having to worry about political rivals, Xia was free to, for a short while, actually enjoy some of the benefits of being the most powerful 'woman' on God's green Earth. ====================================================== (Airborne and Air Assault Warfare Training Center- Lanzhou, a while ago) Unlike the West, up until the North Korean Stabilization Operation (now known in the Chinese media and MoD as NKSO or 'neekso'), China had never used Airborne forces in a major way. They were largely used for ceremonial purposes, the existence of small, elite, highly trained and specialized units completely antithetical to the mass-wave and heavily armor reliant tactics and strategies that had been the mainstay of Soviet style forces such as China's... yet the Chinese Airborne troops had a history of their own. It was rumored that a USMC officer, discussing things with British and South Korean counterparts once said "the only thing that keeps me up at night is the possibility that, if I wake up, I'll find myself stuck in Seoul and surrounded by Chinese paratroopers." High praise to be sure from an officer in one of the worlds most elite military forces. Whether the statement was said or not, there was good reason for the sentiment. China had built up a Rapid Response Force policy dating from the mid 90's, of which the Airborne was a considerable component. They had distinguished themselves in combat, be it restoring order in Tibet after certain CNP officials overstepped their bounds, or leading the way into North Korea or Iran. In North Korea they battled terrain and hostile forces to secure and shut down the 8,000 plus artillery pieces aimed at Seoul before they could be turned on North Koreans by North Koreans... a feat even the Americans never thought possible. In Iran, they were part of the Special Operations Forces that captured dozens of top-level Iranian officials now standing trial at an international court... and stunned the world with their speed, proficiency, and efficiency. And just as the Americans looked on their soldiers with pride as the valiant defenders of freedom, the Chinese had come to look upon their soldiers as the heroic avenging angels of justice... always doing what was right, whether it was popular or not. The Airborne proved it could do more than just scare the shit out of just about any military force out there... they were the first troops redeployed to the Yalu area of operations following the natural disaster there, rescuing North Korean and Chinese citizens from the rubble of ruined cities, and bringing in water, food, and shelter for the survivors. Troops like China's Airborne forces were often used to criticize the country as a whole. Their existence seen as 'threatening' or 'ominous' or 'foreboding' somehow... despite the fact NATO and Warsaw Pact Nations, and many 3rd world countries, all had airborne troops of their own. And like the Americans did when their troops were criticized, the Chinese seemed to take 'pride' in being 'the bad guys'. Xia had long given up trying to prove she wasn't the villain she was often made out to be. If they were going to talk about China, China was determined to give them something to talk about. So her month long tour of the nation started out by joining China's elite forces at the relatively new Airborne and Air Assault Warfare Training Center in Lanzhou. Under Xia, the Airborne had begun to be reorganized from it's battalion centered structure. China now retained 75,000 Airborne troops, including 2 full Airborne Divisions (1st and 10th) under the Sino Airborne Corps (SAC) of the PLA. Additionally, every Province and independent zone had Independent Airborne Regiments (IARs) at the beck and call of the military regional command. There was also the Airborne Training Brigade (ATB) based here in Lanzhou, and the National Rapid Reaction Force... an even more elite Brigade of 5,000 stationed in Nanjing... this was the unit US Intelligence followed as a sign that invasion of Taiwan might be imminent, since they were expected to be the first ones in. She joined them just in time for the Airborne Survival Training Regimen. Following basic training, those recruits that distinguished themselves sufficiently were offered the opportunity to elect into Airborne training, the first step towards entering China's Special Operations or Special Forces communities. Airborne training was an additional 6 months above and beyond what the normal soldier had to endure, and culminated with (often) brutal hazing rituals. Rumors of what was required became so prevalent that even Jane's, the military publishing think tank, began picking some of them up. Not all of them were accurate, but then not every rumor was. As it stood though, the training was ferocious... considered 'strenuously difficult' under the best of circumstances, and 'brutally inhumane' by some... though most agreed it was severe enough as to be virtually intolerable if not unconscionable by Western standards. It's goal was to 'adapt' the normal soldier, used to strict regimentation and reaction, to be far more independent, far smarter, and far more capable than his opponent, or even fellow soldiers. This included a 6 week Survival program, 2 weeks in the jungle, 2 weeks in the desert, and 2 weeks in the Alpine and mountains. Xia was fortunate enough to join them in the mountains. Bitter cold, frozen ground, unforgiving terrain, heavy burdens... trapping live animals for food, starting fires by hand, building shelters, land navigation and situational exercises... it was 'hell' to put it bluntly. The fact that military photographers had taken kind to catching her in less than 'photogenic' positions, clad in dirty fatigues with frazzled hair eating a rabbit she had to skin herself, didn't exactly help things either. It did feel good, finding out she was tough enough to bear a pack that weighed pretty close to half of what she did... and living out in nature for a bit did help her relax mentally, if not physically. ====================================================== (National Convention Center- Beijing, also a while ago) For coolness, few things equaled opening a 4 month-long festival in one of the world's greatest cities. Since 2010, Beijing had hosted a world class Technology Expo, and this year Xia joined Beijing's mayor in the opening ceremony. Companies from all over the world, in hopes of soliciting interest (and thusly, sales) showed up with all kinds of goodies ranging from the bizarre and futuristic (such as a R2D2 like robot with a flat head called 'serve-bot' and showed off by Beijing Technical University) to the near-future modernity of more advanced versions of currently existing technology (such as Shanghai Rail's 'Hyper Maglev' which promised to reach speeds between 600 and 800 km/h.) The Hyper Maglev was the star of the opening ceremony, a demonstration being arranged in which the train made fairly short work of the Shenyang, Qinhuangdao, Beijing commuter line at a relatively 'low' cruising speed of 650 km/h... faster than any current train in the world. Shanghai Maglev's CEO marveled, speaking of the possibility of a trans-national line which could literally move people from East to West in hours... and maybe even a link to go from Beijing to Moscow in a day. Xia didn't know about any of that, and while the CEOs were busy showing the international media team around, she decided to take the time out to sit down with Cai Qinghua, one of the leading news personalities. "Madame President, thank you for your time." The reporter started with a smile. "It's my pleasure, Cai." "First of all, allow me to express my, and I'm sure the nation's, gratitude for your service despite well publicized personal problems, not the least of which was the revelation of your husband's infidelity and death. That must be a traumatic experience." "Not one you'd want to have, no." Xia gave a weak smile. "How is it you've perceivered?" "I am fortunate to be blessed with a loving family, and the support of a great many people. Wen's death was not easy, nor were the revelations of his many... infidelities. It was deeply painful, but you have to be able to move beyond these personal tragedies for the good of the people, as well as for your own sanity. It was deeply touching to have so many representatives, from so many nations, attend his services. I've thanked all those who've attended, and will always remember their kindness." Cai nodded. "Do you feel that experience has impacted the way you've lead as President?" Xia took a sip of tea and thought. "I believe it may have changed the way I accept things, but not the decisions I make." "How so?" "You can't live through something like that, without being forever changed." Xia clarified. "If you're asking me how what I've experienced would alter the decisions I've already made if I had to make them again, all I can say is it would not." "Even knowing the international backlash for decisions such as North Korea, Iran, or Tibet?" "North Korea was a necessity. Other nations of the world were quick to judge our actions, but would America not send troops to restore order in Mexico should a coup devolve into a Civil War? Would the Europeans be blamed for sending troops to Yugoslavia when that nation fell apart? The fact of the matter is all nations on this planet mind their neighbors because that which effects their neighbors inevitably effects them. That is an inescapable truth of history, and although I regret the loss of lives of innocent, and not so innocent, in Korea... however I am grateful that things were not worse for the Koreans and for our southern countrymen, which is what the rest of the world seems to have desired. I would be remiss in my duties as President to protect my people if I did not act." "What of Iran, or Tibet?" "Tibet was a tragedy for China, a self-inflicted one. It was created by a failure of training and preparedness on the part of our police forces, and by the zealous disregard for human life and public order demonstrated by the protestors. I make this statement clear and unambiguously, Tibet is a province of China. People who live in Tibet, are Chinese. Separatists will be tolerated so long as their protests remain peaceful. When people are hurt, when buildings are burned and police attacked, that is unacceptable and will be responded to. I am sorry that so many people were wounded, that some were killed, and my government has taken drastic steps to assure there will be no reoccurrences. I can not change the past, but we can guarantee the future for China is brighter, and that's what my reforms to the CNP and the military are intended to do. As far as Iran goes, I was not willing to let the Americans and their allies invade a sovereign nation without mandate nor cause. Chinese troops are in Iran to protect Iranians, and to provide a buffer between the belligerent parties in Iran." "Those being the west and the insurgents?" "Correct." She sighed. "President Williams, before the invasion, while we met in America had promised to me, personally and directly, that the fate of Iran should be determined by the Iranians. I agreed, and China upheld it's side of the bargain. Unfortunately President Williams and his allies did not. That is the reason that we were forced to establish the safe zone... to prevent a humanitarian disaster in a strategically critical area of the world. Oil may be important, but I believe Iranians deserve better than to be mugged by the West for oil." "Is it your belief that President Williams and his allies as you put it, instigated this war for oil?" "Yes." "Madame President, some here in China criticize you for 'bowing' to the West, particularly after Canada's attack on China. How do you respond?" "I certainly was not 'bowing' to the west. Canada's actions were horrendous and illegal. They killed one of our citizens to accomplish their criminal task, and in turn freed dozens of criminals now on their shores. Those criminals were not worth starting a third World War over, though should such an event occur again you can rest assured we have the military means to retaliate." "Are there any plans to retaliate militarily against Canada?" "I will not speak on possible military plans or actions." "Very well madame President. Your son Chan is a member of the PLAF stationed in North Korea. Recently your administration announced plans to withdraw all but 50,000 troops from North Korea, 25,000 of which will be combatant. Is your son's presence in a war zone a motivating factor behind that decision?" "I love my children deeply, but the plan for the next phased withdrawal was not mine alone. The Minister of Defense believed the security situation in North Korea sufficiently stable for us to put faith in North Korean authorities and return their country completely to them. The 50,000 to remain in North Korea are keeping in line with our recently signed mutual defense pact, and will be there to provide training, technical assistance, and to continue the relief mission. Active Chinese combat operations in North Korea are essentially over, and despite publicly exposed foreign efforts to the contrary, we've emerged victorious." It was a milestone that wasn't lost on the upper echelons of Chinese society. They'd essentially defeated the United States, albeit by proxy, in a new age war. If there was anyone alive who still doubted China's ability to effectively counter US leverage, they changed their minds today. "Your critics and supporters alike opine openly on the constantly reversing fortunes you and Prime Minister Sato of Japan seem to have. On one day you're allies for a greater Asia, on the next you're split by allegiances. Has Wen's relationship with Prime Minister Sato's daughter contributed to this ebb and flow?" Xia blinked, as if she was having trouble catching up with those words. "Excuse me?" "Well a North Korean combat photojournalist has reported on their time together in North Korea, complete with photographic evidence..." There was an announcement over the intercomm. "Ladies and gentleman, this train is now approaching Beijing central terminal. The current time is 13:26. Please remain seated until the train has slowed to less than 50 km/h, a speed indicator is located on the digital board in every car..." "Thank you for your time, Madame President." Cai smiled, taking the stunned woman's hand. "Please send my regards to Chan and Mei Lu." Xia was left in shock. He 'had' mentioned someone named Akemi... but it wasn't until now that she thought of the possibility that it could be 'Akemi Sato'... that was just... wrong, on 'so' many levels. As she was accustomed to though, Xia put on a stoic front and actually ended up enjoying herself at the Expo, where her daughter Mei Lu met up with her after the maglev sliced through the ceremonial red tape. There were games and exhibits for everyone, from the next generation video game consoles to fully automated automobiles that were expected to be viable consumer products in the next 5 to 10 years. Green was the color of the Expo, with almost every gadget there optimized for minimal ecological impact. Many of the automobiles, boats, planes, etc. on display were powered by ethanol, or electricity, or hydrogen, or some other clean power source. The exhibits included Law Enforcement, and even some military contractors... though the main events were predominated by civilian fairs. The Expo was expected to bring some $2 billion to the Beijing economy in tourism alone, forget about the revenues from prospective sales. ====================================================== (Sanya Executive Retreat- Yalong Bay, Hainan China) One never knew it given the popular images of China, but it's geographical features were quite diverse. That diversity included some of the finest beaches in the world, the equal of anything you'd find in Hawaii or Europe. The most popular was in Sanya on the island of Hainan, just off the mainland and overlooking scenic Yalong Bay. If you were to set Sanya akin to any world famous beach resort, it would be unlikely you could differentiate between the two. The massive environmental clean up efforts of the last 20 years had paid off on Hainan. The skies were beautifully blue, the wind wonderfully refreshing, the water warm and inviting, the beaches clean and the nature breathtaking. The people were likewise kind and accommodating, leading to a great deal of FDI and domestic investment. A great deal of the southern coast of the island had become a massive resort paradise... it was actually where Wen and she had their honeymoon. In a more secluded part, a few kilometers away from the utopian vacation spot and well off the beaten path, was the Sanya Executive Retreat... the 'Sino Camp David' as some called it The 8th Independent Airborne Regiment had it's base only 25 kilometers away, a hop and skip for a heliborne force. The Chinese Marines had an Expeditionary Unit about 20 minutes away by helicopter, and an elite Special Security Garrison (SSG) maintained nominal security of the facility. The CNP had some of their best precincts on Hainan, and as always the ESS bore actual responsibility for the President's security. The Retreat included a central Dacha, support facilities for the SSG, ESS contingent, and staffers, an ESS security building, office space, a vehicle depot, a hotel for special staff, about a dozen independent houses for extremely high-level guests, a golf-course, wooded areas for hunting or picnicking (or horse-riding in Xia's case), an observatory, an aquarium, a zoo, and recreational and sports facilities. It ranked favorably with Camp David, and like the famed American installation was one of 'the' most secured places on the planet. It was also the only place on the planet one could spot Xia and her daughter in two piece bathing suits, taking in the sun, swimming, and otherwise enjoying themselves. The perfect way to end a trip. ====================================================== ACTIONS 1. Introduce some more background information about China's military reforms, specifically about the Airborne revisions and their recent, distinguishing service. For those who are interested, SAC consists of... 2 Airborne Divisions (1st and 10th), 20,000 Troops Each 28 Independent Airborne Regiments, 1,000 Troops Each 1 Airborne Training Brigade, 2,000 Troops 1 Rapid Reaction Force, 5,000 Troops 2. Xia to complete the 2 week 'Alpine and Mountain' survival training course with a class of Airborne troops. Military photographers likely to get a bit of change for forking over photographs to Xinhua and the West, but it is okay. 3. After getting a clean bill of medical health, Xia to return to Beijing and open the Beijing Tech Expo- 2014. Showcase all the new goodies from all over the world in the National Convention Center. A. Xia gives a brief, personal interview with a reporter from Xinhua. A few questions over tea and danishes. B. China shows off it's new fancy civilian goods. We're not all about developing weapons like some think we are :-p C. Have Xia get blind-sided over the Chan/Akemi relationship. No way better to find out than from a reporter :-p 4. Finally, a nice break! ====================================================== SOURCES _http://www.strategypage.com/militaryforums/69-29424.aspx_ (http://www.strategypage.com/militaryforums/69-29424.aspx) _http://www.china-defense.com/pla/brigade_reform/brigade_reform04.html_ (http://www.china-defense.com/pla/brigade_reform/brigade_reform04.html) _http://www.strategypage.com/militaryforums/69-29424.aspx_ (http://www.strategypage.com/militaryforums/69-29424.aspx) _http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_Transrapid_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_Transrapid) _http://www.smtdc.com/en/gycf3.asp_ (http://www.smtdc.com/en/gycf3.asp) _http://www.bwmaglev.com/technology/default.htm_ (http://www.bwmaglev.com/technology/default.htm) _http://en.invest.china.cn/english/travel/219436.htm_ (http://en.invest.china.cn/english/travel/219436.htm) **************One site has it all. Your email accounts, your social networks, and the things you love. Try the new AOL.com today!(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1212962939x1200825291/aol?redir=http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp %26icid=aolcom40vanity%26ncid=emlcntaolcom00000001) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://esteroic.com/pipermail/war_esteroic.com/attachments/20081122/8c4ec828/attachment-0001.html From michael.michaeldowney at gmail.com Sat Nov 22 11:18:31 2008 From: michael.michaeldowney at gmail.com (Michael Downey) Date: Sat, 22 Nov 2008 12:48:31 -0330 Subject: [War] Russia: "This Old Game All Over Again" Message-ID: <6b6ab8a70811220818t55648114x7b85d097d60f15bf@mail.gmail.com> "This Old Game All Over Again" President Leonid Nemerenko Russian Federation 22 November 2014 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Intelligence had always been a critical component of Russian security, both foreign and domestic. The old KGB had become the largest, most powerful, and some would argue mos successful espionage organization in history. Many historians asserted that the Russians had won the intelligence aspect of the Cold War, though only just barley. Then the Soviet Union had collapsed and the KGB hacked into constituent pieces and many of its tens of thousands of agents RIFed. Which of course had led to the creation of the Russian Mafia, a criminal group that made Al-Qaeda look like boy scouts, as all those former spies needed a new line of work. But that was neither here nor there. The mob was still a problem for Russia but a declining one and President Nemerenko was now concerned with a different problem. Mainly the descent of the planet into a Second Cold War between China and the United States. "All the signs are there," said Nemerenko to the gathered intelligence chiefs. The heads of the SVR, FSB and FAPSI. "The American funding of North Korean terrorists, the Canadian raid, China's occupation of half of Iran. It has come to the point that we can no longer deny the state of world affairs. Hong and WIlliams are too caught up in their own egotism and petty, self-righteous vanity to take a look back at history and see how pointless and unproductive the last Cold War was. For the moment we are merely sideline observers but how long will that last? We are a major exporter of oil and arm to China but also a growing trade partner of the United States thanks to our free trade pact and the main oil supplier to their European allies. If hostilities between these two nations increase, they may pressure us to take sides." "Both Williams and Hong know we wish to remain neutral in their squabbling and it would be foolish to provoke us. Russia is not the sick old man it used to be, our military is rebuilding and we still have the largest nuclear stockpile in the world," observed Eva Sobyanin, director of the SVR. Never before had a woman been head of a Russian intelligence organization. Oh, the KGB had employed quite a few female agents. 'Sparrows' they were called, selected for their intelligence and their beauty. Sex had been a weapon since the age of Babylon and the Soviets, never squeamish about exploiting a person's humanity for any possible advantage, had vigorously recruited such agents. Sobyanin was not, as far as Nemerenko knew, a former Sparrow but she was once an aide to both Chebrikov and Kryuchkov themselves and possessed both an intellect and a streak of cold ruthlessness that even Kalugin was sometimes intimidated by. "We could still become a clandestine battleground between the two States as Europe was during the First Cold War," said Ivan Kamachikev, head of the FSB. Less callous and more jovial than his SVR counterpart, Kamachikev was the more cynical (even by Russian standards) and paranoid of the two. "Maybe the Americans will move against us to disrupt arms sales to China. Maybe China will move against us to disrupt oils supply to the West. We just don't know, but we must be prepared." "And preparation is half the battle," agreed Nemerenko with a nod. "We need to ensure that if the Chinese, Americans or any of their vassals attempt to infiltrate and disrupt the Motherland from within that we are prepared." "Human operatives are not our only concern," said Imram Gorenova, head of FAPSI. His agency was the Russian version of the American NSA, which it was very heavily modeled after. FAPSI had been briefly merged with the FSB in 2003 but made a separate agency once again by President Severov a few years later. "Electronic warfare, disruption of a nation's economy and even their military by computer hacking, is become a very real threat in the world. Take into mind how our own problem with rogue hackers here in Russia has caused problems for the Baltic states." Nemernko nodded. Williams, in his typical American recklessness, had once suggested to Nemerenko that Russia recruit such cyber vandals and release them upon China's electronic front door. "We must begin developing more effective means to counter such an attack." "I want everyone to begin drafting proposals and plans of action for the future internal security of Russia," said Nemerenko. "In particular I want the FSB to begin thinking about increased domestic counter-intelligence activities and a dedicated program from FAPSI to protect Russia's computer networks from any sort of cyber attack by a foreign government and securing our own government computer systems from electronic snooping. Furthermore, I am going to ask the Assembly to increase the budgets of all of your agencies by 15%. Ten percent I leave to you, the individual directors, to use as you see fit but the remaining five percent is to be used for recruitment and pay increase among your personnel." ---- Actions: 1) Russia begins a serious enhancement of its domestic counter-intelligence efforts 2) FAPSI, Russia's version of the NSA, will begin an intense program designed to secure both Russia's public networks and government computer system from electronic attacks by foreign governments 3) Increase the budgets of the SVR, FSB and FAPSI by 15%: ten percent to be used as the individual directors see fit, five percent for recruitment and employee pay hikes.