“As to your first question, regarding the PLA’s nuclear weapons, right now, we’re identifying where they all are. As we get those locations locked down, we’ll come up with a plan for how to deal with them. I suspect it’s going to involve us using a lot of Special Forces to carry out deep raids behind enemy lines and a series of precision airstrikes by our bombers. What we have to make sure of beyond a doubt is not only exactly where they are, but how many they have. If we attack their nukes and we miss any, they may go ahead and launch whatever they have left. We’re still at least four months away from having another two hundred missile interceptors operationally ready, and as you’ll recall, we spent most of our interceptors at the start of this war. Until they’re replenished, I’m reluctant to recommend an attack at this time and risk a retaliatory attack that we’re not prepared to defend against.”
The President’s brow furrowed, and then he ran his fingers through his hair. “All right, I can see the value in waiting on going after their nuclear capability, but we need to be ready to do so if we even catch a whiff that they may use them. With the walls continuing to close in, you can bet they’re going to seriously consider it. As to the B-21, do what you can to get one of them into the fight. Have it carry out strikes in support of our ground forces or something, where it doesn’t look like it may be in grave danger until we’re more certain of its capabilities. We have a war to win and we need these aircraft operational ASAP, not two years from now when the war will be over. If Northrop can’t meet the production deadline, then threaten to have another company take over the project. I want these bombers yesterday!” He smacked the table in frustration. Then he paused for a second and sighed. “By the time this war is over, we’re going to need a lot of B-21s to replenish our bomber force. But first we need to win this war.”
“Yes, Sir,” Castle responded.
Foss took a swig of water. “OK, changing subjects — what’s going on with our second landing that’s supposed to capture Shanghai? Are we nearly ready to start?”
Admiral Meyers took this one. “We’re still a month out, but, yes, we’re nearly ready. Once the brunt of our forces is ashore in Guangdong Province, we’ll shift our sealift capability back to Taiwan to begin preparation for the next amphibious assault.”
The other service commanders nodded.
Josh Morgan, the President’s Chief of Staff, asked, “What Allied forces are participating in this assault?”
“This assault will largely consist of our European forces that have relocated to the Pacific,” Admiral Meyers explained. “The British will have several divisions involved, along with the French, Germans, Polish and other Allies. The Japanese will also have a couple of divisions participating, and for the first time since the Global Defense Force was formed, we’ll have a brigade of soldiers from Brazil, one from Colombia and three brigades from the Israelis. The Israeli 35th Paratroopers Brigade will participate in the initial airborne attack, the 188th Armored Brigade will come ashore with our armored forces, and the 89th Commando Brigade — their Special Forces brigade — will largely augment our own Special Forces teams already fighting in various areas in China. In all likelihood, we’ll probably have the Israelis focus heavily on being ready to go after the PLA’s nuclear capability if that becomes necessary.”
President Foss asked, “Have tensions with Iran receded enough that the Israelis feel they can deploy a large part of their army to fight with us in Asia?”
“They have, Mr. President,” answered SecDef Castle. “The Saudis, Jordanians, Egyptians, Kuwaitis, and the rest of the Gulf States have pretty much told the Iranians that if they try to stir any trouble up within Iraq and Syria or attempt to attack Israel, then the Arab Alliance would go to war with Iran. For the time being, they’ve backed off their threats of war and have largely gone silent. I believe they’re hoping to avoid incurring the ire of the Global Defense Force.”
Several people snickered.
“OK, fair enough,” said the President. “As long as they know that once these forces are committed, they’re committed until we defeat the PLA. We can’t evac their troops back to Israel for some national emergency.”
Castle nodded.
The President stood. “I think we should break for the moment,” he announced. “I’ve got a ton of domestic issues that are going to need to be dealt with now that the world’s satellite infrastructure has been decimated.” He paused. “I’m going to go ahead and cancel tomorrow’s update and push our next war update to three days from now. Please continue with the plans we have in place. If anything major changes, then of course loop me in, but otherwise, run things through Tom and Josh for the time being.”
The others in the room stood out of respect as the President left, and then they got to work issuing a few remaining orders and tasks before the night shift took over to keep things running.
Chapter 13
Why Isn’t Google Working?
Water glasses were either half-empty, or mostly-empty within the first thirty minutes of the cabinet meeting. The black tablecloth had already shifted a few times as various members moved their notepads around in front of them. As was their usual Thursday custom, each side of the table was taking their customary few minutes to rant or brief the Prime Minister.
Prime Minister Rosie Hoyle continued to sit patiently in her chair. The clock indicated they were now forty-five minutes into their weekly meeting. Noah Grayling, the Secretary of State for Transportation, was railing against the Americans for not sharing in advance what the Chinese were planning to do to the global satellite infrastructure.
When MP Grayling stopped long enough to catch his breath, Greg Hancock, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, jumped in. “This is ludicrous!” he exclaimed. “The Americans have once again blindsided us and the rest of Europe by not telling us in advance what was going to happen. Now the world’s entire satellite infrastructure has been destroyed without so much as a warning. Had they at least informed us, we could have taken steps to prepare the economy and the people for what was about to happen. The loss of our satellites is wreaking havoc on an already-fragile economy. My daughter asked me last night why Google wasn’t working…my own daughter! You need to do something about this, Prime Minister!”
Raising her hands, PM Hoyle signaled for them to calm down and allow her to speak. It took a couple of minutes for the raucous group to silence themselves. “I spoke with President Foss three hours ago about this very issue. He informed me that at the time they discovered this nefarious plot, Prime Minister Chattem was the current PM. As such, they didn’t feel that they should share this information with him out of fear that he would leak it to the Russians or the Chinese.”
MP Damien Mundell, the Home Secretary, asserted, “Then why did President Foss not make us aware of this once PM Chattem had been removed from office? It doesn’t seem right that the Americans should have withheld something so vitally important to us. This goes against the ‘special relationship’ the UK and America are supposed to have had.”
They weren’t alone in their sentiments. The mood on the street with the average British citizen was even more vitriolic toward the Chinese for what they had done and the Americans for not warning Britain in advance of what might be headed toward them.