Live From the Pentagon

[ilikeverin]

Mr. Secretary!  Mr. Secreatry!  Bella Goth here from the ILVNS!  Were there any casualties on shore?

Bella Goth eh?  Have you hired Bob Newbie also

Yes, we have Bella, Mortimer, Bob, Betty, and of course little Cassandra

[The Duke]

An update on Boston.  In spite of the size of the blast, we now know that it was not nuclear, but rather that the ship had been coverted into a floating fuel air bomb.

An investigation on who did this and why is ongoing.  The reason you all have that feeling in the pit of your stomach that we know more than we're letting on is because we do.

[The Duke]

Two announcements.

The first is the signing of a formal Status Of Forces Agreement with Iraq.  The miscommunication that led to the recent standoff can be avoided in the future because we now have formalized protocol.

Second, we are drawing down forces in Chad per request of that government.  Our facilities there are going to be used only for aiding the humanitarian operation in Darfur and not for offensive operations.  Bases in Eritrea are remaining open to offensive operations and the engineers that worked on building those facilities in Chad are going to be moved to Eritrea to improve basing capabilities there.  The following Marine fighter squadrons have been deployed/are deploying to Eritrea:

From the 2nd MAW, 31st MAG

VMFA-115
VMFA-122
VMFA-224
VMFA-251
VMFA-312
VMFA-332
VMFA-533

Each squadron has 20-24 F-18 Hornet all purpose fighters/attack jets.

Support elements are being based in Oman, a solid ally in the War on Terrorism.

[The Duke]

The Lincoln and Vinson battle groups are now moving out of the Arabian Sea and into the Red Sea, into better position to hit Sudan.

[The Duke]

With US warplanes in place, AU peacekeepers in Darfur, and a Senate Resolution empowering me to take action, I'd take this opportunity to suggest that Mr. Bashir find a political solution that we find acceptable (like disbanding his militias and giving autonomy to the South).

[The Duke]

IRL, the US is dramatically repositioning its forces in Europe.  Here, the US will be doing the same thing.  With no GM, I can't get approval from European governments for things like this but since we are getting away with it IRL, I think there will be few objections to us doing this here.

1st Armored Division, 1st Infnatry Division, and the 173rd Airborne Brigade will be looking for new homes once Gustaf approves this officially.  Governors, start your engines.

[The Duke]

I'd just like to take this opportunity to try and calm folks down around the country.  The damage at the SPR will not affect the amount of oil in circulation.  The US will actually be increasing the oil that can enter the marketplace because we will no longer be filling the SPR until the damage is fixed.

I assure you, the longer you let psychological factors bring oil to $65 a barrel the worse the problem will be.  The impact on the market is all in the heads of investors.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I will be using this opportunity to acquire a large number of put contracts in petroleum options.  If the situation gets resolved as I hope it will be, I'll make a lot of money; if it doesn't, we'll all be broke anyway, so it won't matter how bankrupt I be.  

[Niles Caulder]

I will be using this opportunity to acquire a large number of put contracts in petroleum options.  If the situation gets resolved as I hope it will be, I'll make a lot of money; if it doesn't, we'll all be broke anyway, so it won't matter how bankrupt I be.  

lol...living the American dream.

Although Atlasian newswatchers can always rely on Secretary Ford to address the nation first on just about any subject on the globe...(and at least that staying the same is a little reassuring on a day like today)...announcements from the Defense Department are unlikely to wholey assuage this situation in the eyes of the worldwide investment community.

Should other Federal Departments fail to show up to work, Ernest will go bankrupt.  (And going broke won't be the worst thing happening to Atlasians after that.)

[The Duke]

I'd like to make an announcemnet that the Atalsian government is going to begin pouring reconstruction money into Kurdistan as a reward for their cooperation in the postbellum period.

[The Duke]

In addition to the $2 billion slated for Kurdistan, we can announce that $5 billion will be sent to Shia areas that are quiet, namely Basra and Um Qasr.

[The Duke]

The Sheriff is back in town.

(groans emanate from Tehran, Damascus, and Tripoli)

I have three items with which to open my second term.

The first is to provide a preliminary report from Khost on our operations there.  We have achieved a decisive victory over anti-democracy elements in Eastern Afghanistan.  More information will be forthcoming when we recieve it.

The second item is the F-22 fighter.  In the last Senate session, we had a bill on the floor to expand the existing F-22 program, but after 4 votes were cast (with approval of spending leading 3-1) the bill fell off the front page and was lost in the shuffle.  I will bump the old thread and I ask the new Senate to consider the measure.

The last is to give a great thank you to the servicemen and women of this country, who I have been priviledged to lead these past few months.  They deserve every inch of praise they get.  I include the police officers and fire fighters and first responders as well when I say that, because in this new war they are the first line of defense we have, and they were among the first to die for their country in this war.  So many of our best have given the last full measure of devotion, and I would ask that today and tommorrow you keep them in mind and try to behave in such a way as to help repay that debt we owe them.  Live a life that would make them proud.

Thank you, and its good to be back.

[Hermit]

It's good to have you back, sir.

[StevenNick]

Glad to see we still have a SecDef that knows what he's doing.  I'm glad you're back, John.

[The Duke]

Let me briefly address the China issue.  China will not push the United States around.  Our Army may be stretched out, but the Navy is in a good position to respond to a crisis.  If there is a crisis, make no mistake, we will respond.

Mr Hu would be well advised to ignore any radical elements of his government urging him to do something he'll regret.

[Keystone Phil]

Let me briefly address the China issue.  China will not push the United States around. 

I am glad to see Mr. Hu will not be pushing the U.S. around but what about Atlasia?

[The Duke]

Let me briefly address the China issue.  China will not push the United States around. 

I am glad to see Mr. Hu will not be pushing the U.S. around but what about Atlasia?

[The Duke]

The USS John C. Stennis aircraft carrier and its battle group is being deplyed to the Western Pacific.  China can make of this move what they wish.

[The Duke]

In response to complaints about insufficient armor kits for Humbees, I'd like to explain te causes of this problem to the press and explain our solution to it.

The US Army designed the Humvee for a very different operating environment than the one we actually find ourselves in today.  The Humvee was designed as a scout vehicle and light troop transport for wars agains tSoviet Russia, it now finds itself in a more guerilla style war.  Against the Soviets, with cler battle lines, its mobility was a tremendous asset, and its lack of heavy armor not an overwhelming drawback.  In guerilla environents, ambushes are common, and durable vehicles are more important than fast ones.  The guerillas get the first shot off, our vehicles need to be able to survive that shot and live long enough to shoot back.

In response to the new environment in the post cold war era, we developed an add on armor kit for Humvees to increase their survivability.  The US did not anticipate that the guerilla environment in Iraq would be as intense or as prolonged as it has turned out to be.  There are many reasons for this, most of which have to do with political mistakes made in the early part of occupation period which sewd the seeds of many of our current problems.  Hence, we did not have sufficient capacity for producing the quantity of add on armor kits for Humvees, never epecting to need as many as it turns out we needed.

In the interveneing months, private companies, particularly ArmorWorks in Arizona, have developed greater capacity to produce this add-on armor for Humvees.  The Pentagon is going to increase the orders for armor from ArmorWorks from 300 units per month to 600 units per month, which is the capacity they now claim to posess.

[The Duke]

In response to the Chinese fleet expansion, we are moving the USS Theodore Roosevelt Battle Group out of the Atlantic Fleet and into the Pacific Fleet.  The TR and the six surface warfae ships that accompanied her on her last voyage (as well as the necessary support ships) will be relocated to a permanent home in Pearl Harbor, HI, and will priamrily operate in the Western Pacific AO.

Also relocating are our four best attack sbmarines.  The USS Seawolf and USS Connecticut, both Seawolf class subs, and the USS Virginia, the first of the new Virginia class subs, will be relocated from the Atlantic Fleet base in Groton, Connecticut to our subamrine base in Guam.  They will occupy the space vacated by our much reduced balistic missile submarine fleet.  The tird move will be the move of the third and final Seawolf Class sub, the USS Jimmy Carter, this one from Bangor, ME to Guam, and will be renamed, lest our enemies presume the submarine to be as feckless as its namesake.  The rechristened USS Maine, named for its old homestate, will assume its new post in the Atlantic Fleet in February of 2005.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I hate it when traditions are broken because of politics.  Traditionally, the only acceptable excuse for renaming a commissioned ship has been to reuse the name on a better and newer ship.  So tell me, Secretary Ford, when will the keel be laid on CVN 78  USS Jimmy Carter?

[Bono]

In response to the Chinese fleet expansion, we are moving the USS Theodore Roosevelt Battle Group out of the Atlantic Fleet and into the Pacific Fleet.  The TR and the six surface warfae ships that accompanied her on her last voyage (as well as the necessary support ships) will be relocated to a permanent home in Pearl Harbor, HI, and will priamrily operate in the Western Pacific AO.

Also relocating are our four best attack sbmarines.  The USS Seawolf and USS Connecticut, both Seawolf class subs, and the USS Virginia, the first of the new Virginia class subs, will be relocated from the Atlantic Fleet base in Groton, Connecticut to our subamrine base in Guam.  They will occupy the space vacated by our much reduced balistic missile submarine fleet.  The tird move will be the move of the third and final Seawolf Class sub, the USS Jimmy Carter, this one from Bangor, ME to Guam, and will be renamed, lest our enemies presume the submarine to be as feckless as its namesake.  The rechristened USS Maine, named for its old homestate, will assume its new post in the Atlantic Fleet in February of 2005.

And the Cartoon Network turns into the news

[The Duke]

I hate it when traditions are broken because of politics.  Traditionally, the only acceptable excuse for renaming a commissioned ship has been to reuse the name on a better and newer ship.  So tell me, Secretary Ford, when will the keel be laid on CVN 78  USS Jimmy Carter?

When Carter apologizes for putting Michael Moore in his luxury box at the convention.

[Jake]

Sec Ford, any word on the type of battleships/battlecruisers the Chinese are constructing?

[The Duke]

Sec Ford, any word on the type of battleships/battlecruisers the Chinese are constructing?

We know they have one Aircraft Carrier, a redone Varyang class from Russia, and the rest will likely be Russian or Russian based designs of surface warfare ships (Destroyers have come up repeatedly in intelligence reprots.