Uvarov paused when the door opened and his secretary entered the room carrying a tray with two cups, a pitcher of tea, and bowls with sugar and cream. Vorishnov watched the secretary as she moved with the ease and lightness of a cloud. Despite his best efforts, he could not take his eyes off her. When she served him his cup of tea, she looked into his eyes and smiled. Vorishnov, overwhelmed by the woman's beauty and presence, was flustered and unable to utter a simple "thank you" as he took the cup from her. As if she knew how he felt, she simply smiled, nodded her head, and turned away. Even while she was leaving the room, Vorishnov's eyes remained locked on her, as if he were tracking a target.
When the door closed, Uvarov waited a second until Vorishnov turned around to face him. "Yes, Anna is quite stunning. Her father commanded an airborne regiment in Iran. He was killed in action during the final push to the gulf." Uvarov let out a sigh. "I shall miss her when I go to Libya. Fortunately, she will be able to stay on here and serve my replacement." Chuckling, Uvarov winked. "And I hope she serves him as well as she did me."
Vorishnov did not catch Uvarov's last comment. He was still sorting out his thoughts as he suddenly realized what Uvarov had said. "Excuse me, Comrade General — you said when you go to Libya. I do not understand?"
"Understand, Anatol Ivanovich? There is nothing to understand. The Politburo has decided that we will — correction, we must — match the introduction of American forces in the Middle East. I have been selected to organize and command the combined independent tank corps manned by Soviet troops and a combined arms army consisting of two Cuban and two Libyan divisions. Your plan for Winter Tempest, using forces currently stationed in Ethiopia, Angola, Mozambique, and our other client states, supplemented with personnel from a few additional units, is not only workable but will be quite effective. The use of excess equipment that the Libyans have purchased but cannot man, as your study points out, will allow us to converge the personnel necessary to form the tank corps and Cuban divisions rapidly and without drawing too much attention to a single source or along a single line of communications. Aeroflot, a civilian airline, will have little difficulty with overflights. Using the bulk of the Libyan army as a covering force to screen our deployment, we will be able to form the corps and divisions, deploy them, and tell the whole world that we, unlike the Americans, are abiding by the Helsinki Accord.
And finally, the use of the airfield at A1 Fasher in the Sudan is brilliant. The premier likes that part of the plan. By doing so, we honor the desire of our friends in Libya by not establishing anything that looks like permanent facility in Libya. Aircraft can do all their refueling at Al Fasher, away from the long arm of the U.S. 6th Fleet. Fighters operating from Al Fasher will be able to cover the air corridor. Best of all in the eyes of the premier, we will be able to remind the Sudanese government of their vulnerable position. Our national interests will have been served by demonstrating that we are willing and able to stand by our commitments, that the Red Army is capable of striking anywhere, anytime, and that we are the dominant power in the Horn of Africa."
Vorishnov sat and looked at the general. For a moment, the two men stared at each other, each waiting for the other to talk. Finally, Vorishnov had to speak. "Comrade General, I hope that you have read the entire study. Yes, I do believe that we can muster the necessary manpower in Libya to form a Soviet independent tank corps and two Cuban divisions. And yes, I did point out that, given the current deployment of Egyptian forces and their national policy, only three divisions would be available to oppose a Libyan operation."
Vorishnov paused for a moment. Up to this point what he had said was reasonable and acceptable. What he wanted to say, what he had to say, however, might not be acceptable. But he had to say it. After all, he had already stated his reservations in his study. If he were to be condemned for an unacceptable position, there was ample evidence against him in the paper the general was now thumbing through.
Vorishnov drew in a deep breath, then continued. "While the maneuver units can be formed from the prepositioned equipment, combat service support equipment, units, and materiel will be insufficient. In the area of trucks alone, the entire inventory of trucks in Libya is insufficient to sustain any additional divisions in combat in the Western Desert. Even if there were sufficient trucks to haul the supplies necessary to sustain combat operations, the ammunition they would need to haul is limited. At best, there is sufficient ammunition in country to support eight days of offensive operations. Trucks and ammunition are only the beginning. Properly equipped maintenance units will be lacking. Even if we manage to form them, the stockage of spare parts that will be needed to repair what breaks down through normal wear and tear and battle damage is insufficient." Vorishnov stopped for a minute to let what he said sink in, then decided to finish. "In short, our deployment exercise would be seen for what it is — a paper tiger. The Western Alliance knows we could not win a protracted conflict in Libya."
Uvarov sat at his desk, slightly slumped down, looking at Vorishnov's study. Without looking up, Uvarov slowly muttered, "Yes, I have read the entire study and, for the most part, I concur with your conclusions. If there was a war in Libya, we would face major problems. The operational plan, drawn up by STAVKA and supported by your deployment plan, however, provides the basis for nothing more than a military tour de force, a demonstration that the news media of the world will record and report on. The pacifist movement in America and Europe is quite strong. They will see Russians in Libya and Americans in Egypt and ask themselves, 'What's the point?' Fears of another confrontation between the superpowers could very well cause the governments of both Europe and the Middle East to think twice before they trust American military power. The threat does not have to be real — it only needs to appear real."
Vorishnov looked down at the floor. He heaved a slight sigh. Softly he mused, "Then it is already decided. We will go into Libya." Sensing that Uvarov himself did not support the plan, Vorishnov looked up at him. "Is there no way to change their minds?"
Shaking his head from side to side, he indicated that there was not.
After several minutes of a cold and strained silence, Uvarov stood up and walked to the window and looked out. "Don't be so depressed. Remember, this is only a simple peacetime maneuver, not the end of the world. In the end, the worst that will come of this is a couple of hundred cases of sunburn, a thousand of diarrhea, and four or five bumed-out jet engines."
Uvarov stopped and looked at Vorishnov. "Besides, this is an important day for you. Though I shouldn't tell you this, when you return to your office you will find orders reassigning you to Group of Soviet Forces in Germany. There you will assume command of the 2nd Tank Battalion of the 2nd Guards Tank Regiment stationed in Stendal. Congratulations on your assignment."
Vorishnov was floored. When he had been assigned to the African desk of STAVKA's plans section, Vorishnov thought his career was over. To be selected to command a guards tank battalion in Germany was an award, a step up the promotion ladder. As Vorishnov sat there, mulling over the news just given him, Uvarov turned away from him, then paused. Almost as an afterthought, he called over his shoulder, "You have twenty-four hours to complete the troop list for Winter Tempest. M day is 29 November. Our first units will arrive in Libya by M plus three, and all personnel will be in country by M plus ten. We must be ready for commitment to battle by M plus fifteen. Once you have turned that over to Colonel Gaponenko, my chief of staff, and it is deemed acceptable, you will be told that you have seven days in order to report to your new assignment."