Live From the Pentagon

[12th Doctor]

Just a note-I don't know terribly much about ships

All I can say is that the fkleet will be focussed on two battleships with some limited missile abilities, and maybe a couple of Chinese/Russian/whatever variants of AEGIS cruisers.

The fleet will be very very moble, however, and whilst officially it is to ensure they control the sea routes into and out of China in the east Asian area, basically their aim is to control all the sea routes in the area and to ramp up their naval fleet in readiness for a possible war with the rogue province-not that that is on the cards at the moment.

John, you might have to determine the ships your enemy has-but remember, they have to be very mobile.

Battleships are not very mobile.  That is why Atlasia has decommisioned all of hers.  They make perfect targets.

[12th Doctor]

Let's cut thrugh the crap.  If our fleets do come into direct confrontation, what can we expect?

[12th Doctor]

Alright, now that we know the outcome of a conflict (if it stays small scale), how can we avoid one all-together.

And, how can we avoid a skirmish from escalating into a full-scale war?

[12th Doctor]

Our primary reliance is on the concept of deterrence, hence our re-orientation of our Navy to the Pacific.

We won't fire the first shot.  If there's a war, it won't be because of us.

If they're determined to have a war, knowing full well that they'll lose, they're going to do that.

I see your point, Mr. Secretary, but if we take this move, we better have more of a plan that just deterance.  If the Chinese take a move that we misinterpriet and we follow with an action that makes them fell as though they need to fire the first shot, then all this won't matter much.  We need to make sure that we have a clear protocal for this situation, that our Adms. can trust.