Live From the Pentagon

[The Duke]

I am restarting the Pentagon thread here.  I will re-post all press releases now.

[The Duke]

I have three announcements to make.

The first, is that I am authorizing the US Air Force Air Mobility Command to begin evacuation procedures from the Lesser Antilles for any US citizen or citizen of a NATO country, South Korea, or Japan, who wishes to be evacuated before Hurricane Vanna hits.  For those visitors who could get commercial flights out, this is a non-issue, but there are many people who cannot get such transport due to the rush to buy up commercial tickets out of the islands.

Second, in response to security questions at American ports, I am authorizing Governor Wildcard in the Pacific, Governor htmldon in the Southeast, and Governor Andrew in the Northeast to call up their National Guard units to help alleviate the strain on port security workers until the demand for more security workers can be filled.  Think back to the Air National Guard providing temporary air traffic control services in 1981.**

Finally, we had an incident in the Persian Gulf.  Two ships collided with each other, a Frigate and a supply ship.  No injuries are rpeorted, and we expect both ships to be back in service soon.

Thank you.

**-Take note that the number of National Guard units called up will be quite small.  The National Guard has 350,000 members, and to beef up port security at the three ports in question will only require a few hundred people at most.  This is not a full scale mobilization by any stretch, and is meant to be temporary until permanent workers can be found.

[The Duke]

What about Gov. NickG in the Mideast? The Mideast region has some coastline in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginina.

Dear Secretary Nym90,

The reason that no National Guard call-up was made in the Mid Atlantic is that we received no complaints about delays from any major port in that region.  Only three ports, Boston, Long Beach, and Jacksonville, suffered delays.

Secretary Ford,

While I appreciate your prompt attention to our concerns, the major delays we are experiencing because of the new security measures stem from new measures to pre-screen ships before allowing them into port.  The failure to engage in prompt screenings is forcing ships to wait offshore before being allowed into port.  May I respectfully suggest that the call up of Coast Guard Reservists would do more to alleviate the problem than would the activation of National Guard units?

Michael Leone
Chairman, American Association of Port Authorities

Dear Mr. Leone,

In response to your letter, I have deployed a small contingent of Coast Guard cutters to aid with offshore searches of cargo ships.  Thank you for your expertise.

Secretary Ford,

I hope that the National Guardsmen you have called up will not be listening exclusively to the port authorities.  Some port authorities have been using the new credentialing system as excuse to harass our membership.  An excessive deference to management could be misinterpreted, especially in light of President Gustaf's unfortunate decision to not appoint a Secretary of Labor as an attempt by the government at union busting. If more port security personnel are required, why aren't the port authorities hiring professionals instead of asking for poorly paid guardsmen unfamiliar with port activities to do their responsibilities for them?

John Bowers
President, International Longshoremen's Association

Dear Mr. Bowers,

I am writing to inform you that the National Guard that were called up will do as their supervisors tell them, and have been told to be on their best behavior when interacting with any port worker.  We in the military pride ourselves on the discipline and honor with which are men and women conduct themselves.  I'd also like to say, as I have said many times before, that this call-up is temporary.  We are already beginning the hiring process to bring in more professional security personnel.  The National Guard was only meant to be a short-term solution.

Secretary Ford,

Judging by your actions concerning Hurricane Vanna, it appears that you have decided to assist only the foreign nationals of NATO countries and major non-NATO allies such as South Korea and Japan. in departing before a potential landfall.  However, what about the declaration made in October 2001 that our country was to be considered a major non-NATO ally?  In light of the assistance our country has provided yours over the years, I hope you will soon correct this oversight and assist any of our countrymen in the Lesser Antilles who would benefit from your aid, just as we will be aiding your distressed pair of ships in the Gulf.

Khalifa bin Ali bin Rashid al Khalifa
Ambassador to the United States of America
from the Kingdom of Bahrain

Dear Mr. Ambassador,

The list of nations who will be evacuated by US forces was compiled hastily because of time constraints and, was partly based on who we thought would have the greatest number of their citizens in harm's way.  I have added several non-NATO nations to list of eligible nationalities, including Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar.  I apologize for any inconvenience.

Secretary Ford,

I am most displeased by your precipitous actions.  Many of our member states are heavily dependent upon tourism for their economic well-being.  To begin mass evacuations over the entirety of the Lesser Antilles well over a week before Vanna might hit is most irresponsible, especially given the possibility that this minor storm could fall apart or change course well before hand.  Making preparations for needed assistance would have been prudent, but your actions are likely to cause more harm to our economy than Vanna will.

Edwin Carrington
Secretary-General, Caribbean Community and Common Market

Dear Mr. Carrington,

I understand your concerns.  First, I'd like to have everyone refrain from calling this an evacuation.  It spreads unnecessary panic.  We are only removing the foreign nationals who wish to be removed from the islands but could not get a commercial flight out.  This is a choice made by private citizens, not a forced evacuation.  Judging by what I know about your islands, you should have no trouble enticing people to come back in the future.

[The Duke]

Check "The Region".  Vanna is a hurricane that is headed for the southern part of the Carribean.

[The Duke]

Another Hurricane update.  The storm is yet to make landfall, but all foreign nationals that want out of the lesser Antilles have gotten out.

The French government has issued their own hurricane warning as the storm uprgrades in severity.  The French Ambassador is yet to thank our President for his actions in evacuating their citizens from the danger area.

One of my life's goals was achieved to day when I was the subject of a protest.  I never imagined that evacuating people from a hurricane zone would actually be viewed negatively in some quarters.  Oh well.  Those folks can still count on the Red Cross and all of the US backed NGOs coming down to help rebuild.

Then there is the growing problem with North Korea's nuclear program.  It remains the policy of the United States to work towards a nuclear free Korean Peninsula, and I believe we can reach that goal.

[The Duke]

The Secreetary will not be in Washington until Thursday Night, as he will be visiting Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Kenya, Uganda, and Chad.  He is leaving this afternoon.  His intention is to rally support for ending the genocide in Sudan among regional players.

[The Duke]

Update: The Defense Secretary has decided to add Egypt to his list of visits and looks forward to meeting with representatives of the Mubarak government.  He will meet with them on Thursday, the last day of his trip.

[The Duke]

Announcement on a new force structure plan:

In spite of having gone largely unnoticed, the Defense Department has indeed cancelled (for now) deployment of a missile defense system, one reason being that it is not ready to be deployed.  Now, I will tell you the other reason we cancelled.

We need the $10 billion a year that was spent on NMD to bring the 7th Light Infantry Division and the 24th Heavy Infantry Division into the force structure.  Right now, these are training units.  they already have all the equipment, now we just need to staff them with full time soldiers.

These units will be ready for operations when Ernest tells me they are ready.  I am assuming it will be soon, and am assumng that there is an element of time compression built into the fantasy government.

We are also going to cancel the two silliest weapons programs in the DoD, the Stryker armed vehicle and the FCS vehicle.  With these monies, we will revive the Commanche Helicopter and the Crusader Artillery piece.

[The Duke]

Ernest,

Yes, it was noticed by you and became evident in the scenario, but I didn't get a big rubarb from most voters.  I actualy expected the decision to be more controversial.

We are going to 12 Active and 10 NG.  I don't think I'd need $10 billion a year to move two divisions from the NG to active service.

[The Duke]

$10 billion would be a bit on the low side, but not impossible in my opinion.  If you were proposing to buy the new divisions new equipment, it would be impossible, but switching the existing NG equipment to the new active duty divisions and breaking out older equipment for the NG units is quite doable.  However, if you actually make use of these new divisions, the costs will increase fairly rapidly.  (As it is, you get a break because the 7th and 24th divisions already have some Active army personel in them.)

This is why I picked them

I intend to continue increasing the size of the army as we get the deficit down, but this is a start.

One other question, given that most people here assume some form of time compression and we are assuming that we start in the same position as the US, can I expect to have any forces freed up as Iraq improves (if it improves)?

[The Duke]

Just to notify everyone, the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Carl Vinson battle groups have arrived in the Arabian Sea.  They await the consent of the Senate and possibly UN to enter the Red Sea and begin their attack on Khartoum.

With them are the USS Tarawa and USS Iwo Jima amphibious assault groups, containing elements of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force.

[The Duke]

The 2nd Marine Air Wing and the 3rd Marine Air Wing have been given the green light to deploy in Chad and Eritrea respectively.  They will pass through Nigerian air space to get to Chad.  We hope to get basing right from Uganda, but are not relying on that.

The Eigth Air Force has been mobilized and will deploy to Diego Garcia as soon as we are given approval by Great Britain to use that base.

Mr. Bashir, you are running out of time to call off your militias.

[The Duke]

The UK indicates that it has no problems with you using Deigo  Garcia as you propose as it clearly falls within the terms of the US lease.

The Commandant of the Marine Corps respectfully points out to the Secretary of Defense that the 2nd MAW and 3rd MAW are not equivalent units and that the 2nd MAW contains the Marine air units best capable of establishing forward air bases where existing suitable facilities are not already present.  In addition, the units of the 3rd MAW (other than MAG-39) are unlikely to contribute significantly to the carrying out of the Secretary's stated plans for Sudan as he has indicated them to be.

I should be more specific.  The elements of 3rd MAW are the 11th and 13th MAG and the elements of 2nd MAW are the 14th and 31st MAG, all fixed wing fighters-bombers (F-18s and Harriers).  We are also deploying the tankers and countermeasures aircraft associated with the two air wings.

I am not deploying our helicopters, since they are vulnerable to ground fire.  Resupply of munitions will be done by cargo ships and cargo planes.

I don't quite see how deploying aircraft and pilots that specialize in CAS will not help me achieve my goals.  I don't need to build my own facilities, since Chad and Eritrea have already promised to provide suitable bases.

[The Duke]

*These comments are off the record, you civilians without clearance never saw this*

Ernest,

I misunderstood, I thought Chad and Eritrea had offered up sufficient facilities for me to operate straight away.  I'll scrounge up some support units to put some quality facilities together (Marine Wing Support Group 27 of the 2nd MAW, and Marine Wing Support Group 47 of the 4th MAW can do this).  Until then, the Marines will be on alert and preparing to go, but not going yet.

It is going to be a lot like Afghanistan, with local fighters recieving air support from the US.  Kosovo was more of a Chinese water torture strategic bombing campaign to get Milosevic to surrender.

A place to station tankers, eh?  Would the always helpful Oman be willing to stage tankers?  They've been very ccooperative in the past with the war on terror.  I like those guys.

[The Duke]

All Coast Guard, NYPD,and port Authority officials have been put on red alert, the highest possible alert level in the terror warning system, in response to the terror attack this morning.  The attack was minor, and will certainly not damage our country in the long run.  It does however remind us that the enemy in this war is reckless, determined, and resourceful, and has no intention of changing its ways.

I await further reports from the scene myself, and will relay them to you when I recieve them.  Local police and Homeland Security personnel are capable of handling what is going on, but the increased alert level was important, given the wave of new information, the number of cells being broken up, and now this attack showing that Al Qaeda is quite determind to hit us again soon, and its possible that the next attack will be worse.

[The Duke]

First of all, we have not taken a gamble because we have not done anything yet.

Second, it is inaccurate to say the Sudan is not relevant to the war on terror.  They harbored bin Laden and their government's guiding philosophy is that of the Muslim Brotherhood.  I'd recommend reading Chapter 2 of the 9/11 Commission report for background.

Lastly, the resources used if we do act in Sudan will be entirely different than those required to defend New York from mortar attacks.

[The Duke]

1st and 3rd Army Ranger Brigades will be practicing parachuting into hostile and disputed areas this weekend.  Wink wink.

[The Duke]

In response to the Sadr uprising in Najaf, I have now ordered the coalition commanders in the field to target Muqtada Al-Sadr himself.  Sadr is the leader of an anti-democratic, anti-US uprising and needs to be killed.

For any Iraqi that brings Sadr to us, there will be a significant financial reward.

[The Duke]

I want Sadr to be killed, and I want the US commander in the area to call in airpower or artillery, whichever gives him the best chance at the time with the fewest civilian deaths, to kill Muqtada Al-Sadr.

I'm sure he's hiding to some extent, but if we find out where he is, the commander should call in an air strike to kill him.  We are actively hunting Sadr.

[The Duke]

I will not kill Sadr until this is sorted out, but the interim Iraqi Government doesn't have the power to call of the Marines off since we have no status of forces aggreement.  The Marines are under American command, which means that the only person who can tell those Marines to leave Najaf is the President of the United States and myself, and not Iyad Allawi.

The United States Marines remain in Najaf, and shall continue killing Mehdi militiamen at a rate of 100 for every Marine killed.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=5898679&pageNumber=0

[The Duke]

We're not treating him like a lapdog.  But he does not control US forces in the field.  We don't deploy troops under foreign command.

[The Duke]

We believe that the root cause of this Sadr issue is not about substance, but process.  The root cause of the collapse of process is the lack of a status of forces agreement.  I am going to Baghdad to negotiate one, so that these kinds of disputes can be avoided in the future.

Biden was right, we need a SOFA.

And for the record, I don't think I should have to formally contact the interim iraqi authority since there isn't one to contact.  For all intents and purposes, this whole thing is a figment of our imaginations anyway.

[The Duke]

I just re-read this thread and it seems there is a misunderstanding.  The first post I made, the one announcing that Sadr was a target, was ambiguously worded on purpose.  The second post, which caused all the trouble whereas the first caused only speculation and questions, was not meant to be on the record.  I was simply clarifying for the GM exactly what we were planning to do.  If the IIG is angry about the second post and not the first one, they should know that the second post was not meant to be an on the record statement.

I still think the whole notification thing is crap, since there is no Allawi to contact.

[The Duke]

I am announcing the second phase of the restructuring of the armd forces, aimed at moving away from the previous administrations focus on light vehicles and moving back to traditional legacy systems and heavy forces.

We are cancelling the manned ground vehicle portion of the Future Combat System project and cancelling any further deployment of the Stryker vehicle.  This decision frees up just shy of $2 billion a year.

This money will be redirected to the Crusader program.  The Crusader will begin deploying to replace the old Paladin in the next fiscal year.

[The Duke]

Good morning, members of the media.  I have some information on the explosion off Cape Cod.

The ship Hamburg Trinidad, of the Hamburg Arabia Line and an Antiguan flagged ship, was intercepted by a Coast Guard Cutter off the coast on Boston for inspection.  This is part of the program we strated not long ago to help with understaffing at three ports, Long Beach, Boston, and Jacksonville.

Once intercepted, the ship exploded with a nuclear-size blast.  The cutter and the Hamburg Trinidad are lost, as are all crew of both ships.

Other information will be released as it is declassified.  A sketchy picture of what is going on has emerged.