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.

[Reaganfan]

Ford as Liaison to the Vice president let me ask for real... What is Hurricane Vanna?

[The Duke]

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

[Reaganfan]

Mr. Ford, the waters are warm and the shear has backed off. Hurricane Vanna may be able to become a major hurricane. The forecast takes it to 120 mph, but that may be too little.

[ilikeverin]

Err, y'guys, it's only a Category I right now... you really don't need to panic too much...

[Reaganfan]

I am hearing this from a guy with an Edwards/Kerry sign.

[YRABNNRM]

I am hearing this from a guy with an Edwards/Kerry sign.

...What does that have to do with anything?

[Reaganfan]

It was a light joke.

[ilikeverin]

Err...

[JohnFKennedy]

It was a light joke.

Is light a metaphor for bad? I can see how it could be, for example when saying light beer.

[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.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

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.

Secretary Ford,
Considering that your assistance was neither asked for, nor necessary, there was nothing that our government felt the need to thank you for.  The Citizens of our Departments of Guadeloupe and Martinique face the threat of hurricanes every year and we have made suffiicient preparations to care for their safety and the safety of any visitors to our overseas departments.  All you have manged to do is play to the cameras and caused tourists to leave sooner than they otherwise would have, thus hurting the fragile economies of the region.

Jean-David Levitte
Ambassador of the French Republic to the United States of America

[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.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Secretary Ford,
I sincerely hope you will consider visiting Cairo in your travels.  The ties of mutual history give us insight into the situation facing our Sudanese cousins, that may prove helpful in resloving the problems in Darfur .  Let me also express wishes for the swift recovery of Secretary Nyman's father and our hopes that you will not need to do double duty much longer.

M. Nabil Fahmy
Ambassador to the United States of America
from the Arab Republic of Egypt

[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.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

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.

Actually it has been noticed and has affected actions taken by both North Korea and Taiwan so as to be different from what they otherwise would have done had the program been continued.

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Yes on the time compression, but I'll be using the usual 1 year reality = 1 month fantasy that tends to apply here, so they won't be ready until near the end of August.  Will this be a change from 10 active and 10 NG divisions to 12 active and 10 NG or to 12 active and 8 NG divisions?

[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.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

$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.)

[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)?

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

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)?

Yes, but absent action by the Atlasian givernment that affects Iraq, it will not be any better or worse than the situation in Iraq in reality.  I'd prefer to keep things as close to reality as possible just simply because it makes it easier for new people to figure out what is going on.

[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.