UK | Defence & Security Conference

[Jamie]

DEFENCE & SECURITY CONFERENCE
Security Classification: TOP SECRET

To: Prime Minister of Sweden, Stefan Löfven Connor ;President of the United States of America, Albert Arnold Gore Jr Odinson
Cc: andrew.evans@parliament.uk
Subject: Defence & Security Conference

Good Afternoon,

We would like to invite you to a multi-day Defence and Security Conference in London on the 1st June, 2000.

This comes as a result of Turkish aggression that saw the establishment of the United Coalition that consisted of our combined arms working together in southern Turkey with the conference expected to cover the following agendas:

• Review of the conflict with Turkey and how we, together, can seek to prevent this and what could have been done.
• Discussions for bilateral and multilateral agreements to support each other in defence and security.
• Framework for further cooperation and plans to work together more closely.

We welcome any agendas that wish to be added. Whilst we appreciate other nations were involved in the UNited Coalition, the United Kingdom had solely worked with the United States and Sweden at closer capacities, we believe it makes sense that such a conference would focus on those we initially worked with. There are opportunities for us to invite others for future conferences depending on whether we see a positive outcome.

Please confirm if and who will be attending, representing the United Kingdom shall be Prime Minister Andrew Evans, Defence Secretary Jason Green and State Secretary Emma Ryan.

Accommodation shall be provided by Her Majesty's Government.

Kindest Regards,
Martin

Martin Whitehall | Private Secretary to the Prime Minister | 10 Downing Street, London, SW1A 2AA |

 

[Connor]

Government of Sweden
Löfven Administration​

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Dear Martin,

Thank you for your correspondence in relation to the Defence & Security Conference, I certainly echo the opinion of this administration when I say that the last decade has been a tense and troubling period but nonetheless we have seen ourselves growing ever closer to the United Kingdom and the United States of America as we see our fundamental focus on the preservation of life unite us.

You will be pleased to hear that following consultation with the Prime Minister, he would be happy to attend in the company of Secretary of Defence Peter Hultqvist (whom will represent the Swedish Armed Forces and subsidiary administrations/agencies within the Department of Defence) and Secretary of Home Affairs Gustaf Quist (whom will represent domestic security and intelligence services). We expect the high-profile deliverance of officials to show our commitment to ongoing development of western capabilities, especially in conjunction with the parties of the United Coalition.

Our presence will naturally enact Operation Scimitar; an operation headed by the National Security Office to ensure adequate security provisions are in place in the wake of the Cape Town and Stockholm terror attacks seeing to the unfortunate death of foreign dignitaries. At this stage this purely for information purposes. I expect that a substantial security operation will be conducted by your own services but I would appreciate your response in relation to the deployment of National Security Officers authorised firearms officers with firearms in a covert carry capacity; should this breach domestic law/policies, we would expect a contingency to be in place. We will be travelling by air and supplying our own vehicles for ground transportation. I will forward all security arrangements received by you onwards to the National Security Office.

On behalf of the Executive Office of the Prime Minister - we look forward to the upcoming conference and thank you again for your invitation.

Regards,
Carmen Dahl
Assistant to the Prime Minister
Executive Office of the Prime Minister

Jamie

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TOP SECRET
Crown Copyright © Kingdom of Sweden
All information is subject to the Swedish Document Classification and Security Act 1995​

 

[Odinson]

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THE WHITE HOUSE​

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TOP SECRET​

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TO: Martin Whitehall, Private Secretary to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom ( Jamie )​

FROM: Duncan Nicholas, Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff

Mister Whitehall,

Thank you for inviting President Gore and other American delegates to London for the upcoming security conference. President Gore has expressed that the recent cooperation between the United States and the United Kingdom in the Mediterranean underscores the success of the Treaty of Washington. He believes that there should be further formal diplomatic and military agreements between the United States and the United Kingdom. Furthermore, the successful cooperation between the Kingdom of Sweden, the United States, and the United Kingdom make it abundantly clear that there are diplomatic and security/defense-related avenues between our three countries that have yet to be explored.

I would like to request that the following be added to the agenda, "Limiting the export of offensive and defensive weaponry/vehicles/systems to countries who may pose a threat." The White House and the Defense Department feel that this item is important because of the challenges we faced in the Mediterranean. If you find this addition acceptable, I recommend that it be added as a subpoint under "Review of the conflict with Turkey and how we, together, can seek to prevent this and what could have been done.".

If Prime Minister Evans and Prime Minister Löfven will be in attendance, I can confirm that the following Americans will attend the conference:
President Al Gore, Secretary of State Jackson Fitzgerald, and Secretary of Defense John Glass (as well as various assistants, staffers, and security). In the event of the President's absence for unforeseen reasons, Vice President Sinclair has confirmed that he would be willing to attend the conference.

As I'm sure you are aware, the safety of the President and members of his cabinet are the chief concern of the federal government when he travels abroad. I imagine that the Secret Service will want to gather more details and organize the protection of the President and the secretaries while they are in England. I will contact the Secret Service shortly so that they can reach out to your office/MI5/Scotland Yard as soon as possible.

Thank you again for your invitation.

Best regards,

Duncan Nicholas
Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff
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[Odinson]

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OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE SECRET SERVICE​

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ENCRYPTED MESSAGE​

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TO: Martin Whitehall, Private Secretary to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom ( Jamie )​

CC: Director General of the Security Service, MI5

FROM: Robert Carter, Director of the United States Secret Service

Good evening,

The White House has informed me that the President and the secretaries of State and Defense intend to travel to the United Kingdom for a conference with the prime ministers of the United Kingdom and Sweden, along with other people. As I'm sure you aware, this will be President Gore's first trip abroad as President of the United States. Since the attack on Washington in 1997 the Secret Service has had to take a new perspective at how it protects the President and what measures and redundancies need to be taken. Some of these measures will seem excessive however you will note that most of these steps were the same or similar as to the precautions taken during President Clinton's visit in 1994. We are now at an even more heightened state of alert due to the attack on the Thai peace conference.

With all of that being said, there is one non-negotiable term that we are required to stand by in accordance with federal law: the Secret Service must be participating in the direct protection of the President at all times. At a minimum, there must always be at least two armed agents in the same room, or just outside of any room, that the President is in. While the Secret Service must always be able to reach the President within a matter of moments, we can make exceptions for having armed agents in rare occasions (and only if deemed necessary). Examples would include at 10 Downing Street or Buckingham Palace. These exceptions are exclusive to the United Kingdom, however events involving large numbers of people or other countries complicate these matters.

Below are the details we have currently arranged with the information we have (please feel free to correct any of it if necessary):

• Special agents primarily from the Secret Service (with supporting agents from the FBI and Diplomatic Security Service) will be flown to London, along with a limited number of Air Force Security Forces who will be used to directly guard American aircraft while they are in England. Possible travel routes of the President over and through London will be planned out with MI5 and Scotland Yard - the use of the Metropolitan Police to assist in escorting the President's motorcade and blocking streets will be crucial.
  
• U.S. Special forces will be secretly flown to RAF Mildenhall. They, and their equipment, will be on standby in the event that an emergency extraction of the President is required. A military attaché will be available at RAF Mildenhall to directly communicate with the Ministry of Defense in such a situation.
  
• The President's motorcade and other vehicles will be flown in to London. Also Marine 1, accompanying helicopters, and accompanying personnel will be flown in to the appropriate airport.
  
• The Special Agent in Charge for the protection of the American delegation will make the final decision if the security detail is ready for the President to come to London. If the answer is "yes" then the following steps will happen.
  
• The American delegation will be flown to Great Britain via Air Force 1 (AF1) to either Heathrow or Gatwick airport. The airport that is used must have all departures and arrivals delayed once AF1 is T-minus fifteen minutes from landing - in total, this will likely cause delays from 45 minutes to one hour. Air Force 1 will not fly through Irish airspace and will enter British airspace at an approximate time and approximate location.
  
• The Air Force will fly in several other inconspicuous aircraft to surrounding airports that can be used to transport the President and the rest of the delegation in the event that Air Force 1 is grounded in England, or if an incident occurs.
  
• The American delegation will be flown to (or near) the meeting place. Then, the prepositioned presidential motorcade will take the delegation the rest of the way to the meeting place. Afterwards, the President and the rest of the delegation will stay at the American Ambassador's residence in London unless there are other arrangements that your government has prepared.

If there are any questions or issues with these measures, please let me know. I would be happy to address them.

Next, I had a few questions I would like to ask:

1. What airport would HM's government prefer the American delegation arrive at?
2. Where would HM's government prefer the American delegation to stay at? We can accommodate a situation where President Gore would stay the night somewhere different from the rest of the delegation.
3. Will HM's armed forces take special measures to protect the conference from air and missile attacks? If needed, we can provide assistance in this area.
4. In the event that the President has to be evacuated from London, but is unable to leave England, we would like to use Neist Point Lighthouse in Scotland as a safe-house for American VIPs until they could be evacuated. Would this be acceptable? If so, we will temporarily send a limited number of agents there in case they are needed.
5. Is there anything that the Secret Service, the Federal Government, or U.S. armed forces can do to assist in security for this conference?

I look forward to hearing back from you.


Very respectfully,

Robert Carter
Director of the Secret Service
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[Jamie]

DEFENCE & SECURITY CONFERENCE
Security Classification: TOP SECRET

To: Assistant to the Prime Minister, Carmen Dahl Connor
Cc: andrew.evans@parliament.uk
Subject: Re: Defence & Security Conference

Good Afternoon,

Thank you for your confirmation of attendance which is as follows:

• Prime Minister, Stefan Löfven
• Secretary of Defence, Peter Hultqvist
• Secretary of Home Affairs, Gustaf Quist

You are requested to arrive in the United Kingdom of the 1st June, 2000, arriving at 0400 local time at RAF Brize Norton.

Upon arrival, a security check will be conducted of all members of the delegate and due to heightened tensions in the region, are able to authorize a maximum of four armed security officers to be present provided their weapons are concealed. Additional armed security would be provided accommodation at RAF Brize Norton.

Following security checks, you will be taken via helicopter to your accommodation which will be at Buckingham Palace. This includes that of the security presence you provide. Please see the Security Arrangements section for more information. If, as per your own procedures, you would like transit to take place through your own helicopter (E.g. Marine One), we will accommodate this and ask that the aircraft be transported a few days prior to the 1st June to RAF Brize Norton, noting that any aircraft must be unarmed.

The morning will consist of settling in followed by a meeting with Her Majesty who has invited you to lunch at 1200. Concluding that, all delegates shall be taken for the first part of the conference via Royal Air Force helicopters to The Grove, Watford. Discussions for the afternoon will consist of:

• Review of the conflict with Turkey and how we, together, can seek to prevent this and what could have been done. Submitted by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
• Limiting the export of offensive and defensive weaponry/vehicles/systems to countries who may pose a threat. Submitted by the United States of America.

Subject to the discussions, we would aim for the conference to conclude for the day by 1800 prior to a return to Buckingham Palace for supper.

The following morning will commence at 0900, allowing all guests time for breakfast before departing for The Grove, Watford, where discussions will continue with broader agendas:

• Discussions for bilateral and multilateral agreements to support each other in defence and security. Submitted by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
• Framework for further cooperation and plans to work together more closely. Submitted by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
• Any additional agendas and points that wish to be raised at the time.

Whilst the focus would be a discussion as a collective, we warmly welcome this as an opportunity for not just multilateral, but bilateral agreements to form as it provides an excellent opportunity for officials from all three countries to communicate about different aspects.

Depending on your availability, you would be welcome to leave at the end of the conference on Day two. Alternatively, the accommodation at Buckingham Palace is available for a second night that would allow you to stay for an additional night and depart by midday on the third day.

Security Arrangements
The arrival of all delegates will be at RAF Brize Norton, an active military base which will see more armed guards on the fence line and gates as a precaution. The visit and conference itself will be conducted with as much secrecy as possible to minimize any risks and the arrival time will see traffic minimized to reduce the probability of detection.

Any security introduced to the United Kingdom from any of the delegates, a maximum of four officers can be armed provided their weapons are concealed. Any other armed protection officers will be provided with accommodation at RAF Brize Norton. The armed guards are a secondary response to any threat with the UK law enforcement and military, the first responders. This means that in the event of an attack, unless fired upon first, it is the responsibility for the UK Police and Armed Forces to retaliate.

In order to minimize any threats against, there will be no travel that consists of grounded vehicles and all commuting will be done via aircraft. The Royal Air Force's Quick Reaction Alert, the closest base at RAF Coningsby, will be responsible for intercepting any air-to-air threat made against the representatives aircraft during flight for which, routes shall be unpredictable and other aircraft diverted away via air traffic controllers.

There will be a larger police presence at Buckingham Palace consisting of Firearms Officers and an enlarged patrol detail in proximity managed by the Metropolitan Police. Supporting this will see a greater number of Queens Guards present, with the local barracks keeping an additional 100 soldiers on high alert for any risk to Buckingham Palace.

The suite for the conference located at The Grove in Watford will be sealed off by local authorities, reinforced by members of the British Army. This will see the positioning of surface to air missiles in proximity and security checks carried out for all staff on site for the duration of the conference, beginning on the day before arrival.

Members of the Special Air Service are to be re-located to RAF High Wycombe with helicopter support, this would allow rapid deployment in the event of any hostile act. In the build up to the event, MI5 Intelligence Officers will be monitoring traffic that may cause disruption or raise red flags and Swedish and American delegates will be informed of any changes to the risk assessments.

In the event of an evacuation required, the focus would be to return to RAF Brize Norton with the aim of departing the United Kingdom via your own flights.

We would welcome a small detachment of special operators to be deployed to the United Kingdom as a precaution, these would be stationed at RAF Odiham.

I hope this answers all your questions and is in compliance with your procedures. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Kindest Regards,
Martin

Martin Whitehall | Private Secretary to the Prime Minister | 10 Downing Street, London, SW1A 2AA |

 

[Jamie]

DEFENCE & SECURITY CONFERENCE
Security Classification: TOP SECRET

To: Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, Duncan Nicholas; Director of the United States Secret Service, Robert Carter Odinson
Cc: andrew.evans@parliament.uk
Subject: Re: Defence & Security Conference

Good Afternoon,

Thank you for your confirmation of attendance which is as follows:

• President, Al Gore
• Secretary of State, Jackson Fitzgerald
• Secretary of Defense, John Glass

You are requested to arrive in the United Kingdom of the 1st June, 2000, arriving at 0415 local time at RAF Brize Norton.

Upon arrival, a security check will be conducted of all members of the delegate and due to heightened tensions in the region, are able to authorize a maximum of four armed security officers to be present provided their weapons are concealed. Additional armed security would be provided accommodation at RAF Brize Norton.

Following security checks, you will be taken via helicopter to your accommodation which will be at Buckingham Palace. This includes that of the security presence you provide. Please see the Security Arrangements section for more information. If, as per your own procedures, you would like transit to take place through your own helicopter (E.g. Marine One), we will accommodate this and ask that the aircraft be transported a few days prior to the 1st June to RAF Brize Norton, noting that any aircraft must be unarmed.

The morning will consist of settling in followed by a meeting with Her Majesty who has invited you to lunch at 1200. Concluding that, all delegates shall be taken for the first part of the conference via Royal Air Force helicopters to The Grove, Watford. Discussions for the afternoon will consist of:

• Review of the conflict with Turkey and how we, together, can seek to prevent this and what could have been done. Submitted by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
• Limiting the export of offensive and defensive weaponry/vehicles/systems to countries who may pose a threat. Submitted by the United States of America.

Subject to the discussions, we would aim for the conference to conclude for the day by 1800 prior to a return to Buckingham Palace for supper.

The following morning will commence at 0900, allowing all guests time for breakfast before departing for The Grove, Watford, where discussions will continue with broader agendas:

• Discussions for bilateral and multilateral agreements to support each other in defence and security. Submitted by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
• Framework for further cooperation and plans to work together more closely. Submitted by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
• Any additional agendas and points that wish to be raised at the time.

Whilst the focus would be a discussion as a collective, we warmly welcome this as an opportunity for not just multilateral, but bilateral agreements to form as it provides an excellent opportunity for officials from all three countries to communicate about different aspects.

Depending on your availability, you would be welcome to leave at the end of the conference on Day two. Alternatively, the accommodation at Buckingham Palace is available for a second night that would allow you to stay for an additional night and depart by midday on the third day.

Security Arrangements
The arrival of all delegates will be at RAF Brize Norton, an active military base which will see more armed guards on the fence line and gates as a precaution. The visit and conference itself will be conducted with as much secrecy as possible to minimize any risks and the arrival time will see traffic minimized to reduce the probability of detection.

Any security introduced to the United Kingdom from any of the delegates, a maximum of four officers can be armed provided their weapons are concealed. Any other armed protection officers will be provided with accommodation at RAF Brize Norton. The armed guards are a secondary response to any threat with the UK law enforcement and military, the first responders. This means that in the event of an attack, unless fired upon first, it is the responsibility for the UK Police and Armed Forces to retaliate.

In order to minimize any threats against, there will be no travel that consists of grounded vehicles and all commuting will be done via aircraft. The Royal Air Force's Quick Reaction Alert, the closest base at RAF Coningsby, will be responsible for intercepting any air-to-air threat made against the representatives aircraft during flight for which, routes shall be unpredictable and other aircraft diverted away via air traffic controllers.

There will be a larger police presence at Buckingham Palace consisting of Firearms Officers and an enlarged patrol detail in proximity managed by the Metropolitan Police. Supporting this will see a greater number of Queens Guards present, with the local barracks keeping an additional 100 soldiers on high alert for any risk to Buckingham Palace.

The suite for the conference located at The Grove in Watford will be sealed off by local authorities, reinforced by members of the British Army. This will see the positioning of surface to air missiles in proximity and security checks carried out for all staff on site for the duration of the conference, beginning on the day before arrival.

Members of the Special Air Service are to be re-located to RAF High Wycombe with helicopter support, this would allow rapid deployment in the event of any hostile act. In the build up to the event, MI5 Intelligence Officers will be monitoring traffic that may cause disruption or raise red flags and Swedish and American delegates will be informed of any changes to the risk assessments.

In the event of an evacuation required, the focus would be to return to RAF Brize Norton with the aim of departing the United Kingdom via your own flights.

We would welcome a small detachment of special operators to be deployed to the United Kingdom as a precaution, these would be stationed at RAF Odiham.

I hope this answers all your questions and is in compliance with your procedures. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Kindest Regards,
Martin

Martin Whitehall | Private Secretary to the Prime Minister | 10 Downing Street, London, SW1A 2AA |

 

[Odinson]

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OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE SECRET SERVICE​

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ENCRYPTED MESSAGE​

[TR][TD]

TO: Martin Whitehall, Private Secretary to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom ( Jamie )​

CC: Director General of the Security Service, MI5; Duncan Nicholas, Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff

FROM: Robert Carter, Director of the United States Secret Service

Good morning,

The measures and terms you have given are acceptable. I will note that we would be much more stringent in any other nation, but the United States holds the United Kingdom in a specifically high regard. The White House, the Pentagon, and the Treasury Department holds Her Majesty's government in high esteem and we trust you to keep our President safe beyond the measures that we are implementing ourselves. The only additional measure we will employ, beyond what was stated in previous messages, is the deployment of an additional Air Force aircraft to RAF Mildenhall in the event of an absolute worst-case scenario. This aircraft will arrive before Air Force One and will be under the call sign "MARS007". Also, we will take the option of transporting the President via Marine 1, which we will transport in advance. The Secret Service appreciates your patience and your willingness to ensure the safety of the President. The American delegation will arrive at the time that you have requested.

Contact my office directly if you have any further concerns.

Very respectfully,

Robert Carter
Director of the Secret Service
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[Connor]

Government of Sweden
Löfven Administration​

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Dear Martin,

Your correspondence regarding the conference proceedings and security arrangements has been noted as well as, where appropriate, forwarded onwards to the Department of Home Affairs to make security arrangements where appropriate as per your limitations. I am assured by both the aforementioned departments that given the fact the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a decorated and internationally recognised majorly economically developed country with whom we have an strong relationship with, your domestic security arrangements are more than appropriate to ensure the security of our delegation.

On behalf of the Department of Home Affairs I have been asked to forward on the following information: we will be taking advantage of the ability to have our own security detail, on a close protection basis, in possession of authorised firearms. These agents will remain in close situ with the delegation at all times unless inappropriate, operationally impossible or ethically wrong. In a covert carry each of these agents will be in possession of a SIG Sauer P226 pistol (for your records serial numbers U736-885, U881-920 and U665-420 will be carried and paperwork provided on entry to your border), all of which will be in a covert carry and will operate in accordance with your security/law enforcement services. We request access to a uniform encrypted radio channel to liaise with domestic security arrangements.

On behalf of the Department of Defence, arrangements have been made for the deployment of an element of the Swedish Royal Air Force, Scania Air Force Wing, 2nd Special Operations Squadron, 1st Special Operations Flight accompanied by the Swedish Army, Life Regiment Hussars, 1st Airborne Battalion, 2nd Airborne Company, 4th Life Rifles Platoon. Once in position at RAF Odiham deployment within your borders will require authorisation by both our Department of Defence and the British Ministry of Defence.

We look forward to meeting you.

Regards,
Carmen Dahl
Assistant to the Prime Minister
Executive Office of the Prime Minister

Jamie

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TOP SECRET
Crown Copyright © Kingdom of Sweden
All information is subject to the Swedish Document Classification and Security Act 1995​

 

[Jamie]

Preparations for the Defence and Security Conference had begun days prior with security arrangements taking place through multi-agency discussions to reduce the risk of any form of threat or accident that could impact the conference. At The Grove, Watford, a security perimeter had been set and all staff had to undergo vetting for those working over the period of the conference. Rapier Surface to Air Missile systems had been set up on site manned by the Royal Air Force for the duration and in general, from Buckingham Palace to The Grove would be an enlarged police presence whereas at RAF Brize Norton, an increased number of guards from the RAF Regiment were pre-positioned. RAF High Wycombe had begun to buzz with life as the arrival of the Special Air Service as a quick response force, a combination of 16 personnel accompanied by two Puma Helicopters from the RAF. They would stay for the duration of the visit and be set with counter terrorism gear plus options for conventional weapons and attire if necessary. With all preparations and increased securities in place, it was just a case of waiting for the guests to arrive within their allocated slots.

Upon their arrivals, a security briefing could commence which would include providing a uniform encrypted radio to the Swedish Security officers in compliance with their request and an opportunity to cover any possible threats or concerns that intelligence services may have picked up but in general, it was aimed that the visit would be as discrete as possible. No doubt, due to live air traffic apps, increased security, etc, that information would be released but at that point, too late for hostilities to be planned. Once a security briefing had been completed, either through the Royal Air Force helicopters or from their own (I.e. Marine One), directions and guidance would be provided that would see the helicopters arrive in Buckingham Palace ready for the morning ahead.

Connor Odinson

 

[Odinson]

Secret​

The British were securely given the logistical plans of the Americans as described in Operation Soaring Phoenix. This was done to ensure that there was no misunderstanding between the Americans and the British so that the visit of President Gore with the British and Swedish prime ministers could go smoothly. However, the Secret Service made it abundantly clear that they would be more than willing to answer any questions that the British had regarding the logistical operation that it took to transport the President and the rest of the American delegation. With that being said, what security/military officials were present was disclosed to the British if they requested such information. As the British requested, only four of the Secret Service special officers (who were leaving RAF Brize Norton) were armed, and those arms were concealed. However, additional agents were brought to give the appearance of a much stronger and visible defense if needed. Other than the President's security detail, a U.S. Air Force Major carrying a briefcase, formerly known as the "nuclear football" and today dubbed the "strategic football", had to be within a reasonable distance of the President at all times (this typically meant at least within the same building, or no more than three minutes of walking distance) - he was not armed. The Secret Service would cooperate and coordinate with their British counterparts to ensure that everything ran smoothly. If there were no issues, everything would proceed as the British had planned.

President Gore, Secretary of State Jackson Fitzgerald, and Secretary of Defense John Glass would take Marine One (with Marine Two and Three flying in random tandem). These helicopters had no offensive weaponry and only had defensive flares that would be used to redirect hostile missiles. Once the British gave the all-clear and after all checks had occurred on the helicopters and they were fully fueled and properly manned, Marine One, Two, and Three would depart for Buckingham Palace. The helicopters would take the route designated by the British and fly at the altitude and speed that they requested, within reason. Once they arrived to their destination, Marine One would be the first of the three to land to allow those aboard to depart. The President's security detail would exit first, followed by the President's staff, then the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State, and finally President Gore. The Marine sentry standing outside of the helicopter rendered a salute to the President, which Gore quickly returned as he stepped outside to join the American delegation and finally see their British hosts. The other two helicopters would land to unload security and staff as needed. Once President Gore was inside Buckingham Palace, all armed American personnel would wait outside.The Americans would like their British friends take it from here.

Jamie Connor

 

[Connor]

TOP SECRET

Departure to London, England was to take place immediately with the agreed security protocols already in place. Within moments arrangements for the Skaraborg Air Force Wing, 1st Special Transport Squadron, 1st Special Transport Flight would prepare a single Airbus A330-300 which would be used to transport the delegation across Norway, the North Sea and into London - onboard this aircraft would also be a number of National Security Office agents; in total nine would be onboard the flight, three of which were assigned to the close protection detail and assigned their firearms in a covert carry. Whilst the aircraft underwent it's usual startup procedures, safety checks, refuelling and replenishment, it would be boarded by the delegation consisting of the Prime Minister, Secretary of Defence and Secretary of Home Affairs who would take their respective seats in various small offices within the aircraft and their aides adopting a common area seating similar to that of a regular commercial airliner. It was without doubt that this conference was one of the highest profile meetings to take place, especially given that three world powers most senior cabinet members were to be seated within a singular building at one time.

This prompted the necessary contingency of Special Forces deployments, namely the Swedish Royal Air Force, Scania Air Force Wing, 2nd Special Operations Squadron, 1st Special Operations Flight accompanied by the Swedish Army, Life Regiment Hussars, 1st Airborne Battalion, 2nd Airborne Company, 4th Life Rifles Platoon. A total of four Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk, equipped with two external tanks and two 7.62mm M134 miniguns; naturally the aircraft would each be flown by two Swedish Air Force servicemen, be fuelling fuelled and armed as appropriate. The capacity of each aircraft would form a total of five Special Forces personnel from the Swedish Army, just under half the platoon, totalling twenty. The Sikorsky, as the crows flies, would have more than enough ferry range to reach RAF Odiham as arranged where it would replenish.

Once ready each aircraft would depart Såtenäs Air Base where they were all conveniently based destined for London via transit sector JO.

Upon the delegations arrival at RAF Brize Norton they would depart the aircraft in company with three armed National Security Office agents forming their close protection team and a further four unarmed agents who would be instructed to complete periodic security walk around of the aircraft however it was noted that it was situated on a secure Royal Air Force base thus these checks would be less stringent than they otherwise would be at a civilian airfield. The delegation and their security team would greet any service personnel upon stepping off the aircraft, supply any requested travel documentation, identification, and firearms certifications confirming their legitimacy and make their way to the identified transportation to Buckingham Palace supplied by the British where they would await further instruction.

Naturally the team were extremely eager to meet the US and British senior figures but also royalty whom they would ensure they were properly educated in the appropriate etiquette for meeting.

Odinson Jamie

 

[Jamie]

Day 1 - Morning
Top Secret
Throughout the early morning of the 1st June, employees based at RAF Brize Norton were working hard to fully prepare the airbase for an increased amount of traffic and securing separate lots for the United States Air Force and Swedish Air Force arrivals respectively. Movers on the ground already prepared to support the aircraft however possible, including to unload any helicopters or vehicles as required. The minutes before arrivals began, final security checks took place and what had been dubbed 'DSC Advisors' were in place to support their guests in every single way.

The helicopters would only depart when all were ready and guests loaded, once that was done, Marine One and RAF Sikorsky S-76B VIP transport helicopters containing the Swedish would depart in unison for Buckingham Palace. At this point, it was reaching 5:30am due to the checks taking place prior. It was a safe, and rather standard flight. The DSC Advisors which had one on both of the main aircraft to give an informal briefing, allow introductions to take place and an insight into the day ahead.

Upon their arrival at Buckingham Palace, the first sight around the gardens were around thirty armed members of the Queens Guards, featuring their world-famous bearskin headdresses. All stood at attention as the aircraft made their landing and the engines cut off to reduce noise to allow exiting to be comfortable. Splitting into two groups based on nationality, each would have a Royal Advisor to give a tour of the Palace, introductions to their accommodation. This took roughly two hours from start to finish and allowed everyone time to unpack and settle into their rooms and room service provided for breakfast.

​

Two slots had been schedule in, from 1100 until 1130 which is where a private conference would take place between President Al Gore and Her Majesty. This would be followed by a similar conference but with the Swedish Prime Minister from 1130 to 1200. The discussion would allow the two leaders to meet the British Head of State in person, share a tea and have a friendly chat - answering any questions or points of discussions her guests would like. Providing the one-to-one discussions went smooth and both leaders were happy, the entire delegations from both were taken to the dining room where everyone involved could have lunch with the Queen present which saw the arrival of Prime Minister Andrew Evans, Secretary of Defence Jason Green and State Secretary Emma Ryan who were able to do their introductions.

It wasn't long after when lunch would be brought in from the kitchen, a wide variety of options to suit all the needs for those involved and offered an opportunity for everyone to speak on a more casual level. Due to other engagements, once the Queen had finished eating she would offer her goodbyes before departing into a back room, where focus turned onto the Prime Minister who had confirmed travel to The Grove, Watford, would take place on the helicopters providing all guests were ready for the main attraction to begin.

Odinson Connor

 

[Odinson]

Secret​

President Gore was in his room, alone. He was reading over some matters, including how the Air Force wished to maintain a permanent presence in England. The Secretary of State, Jackson Fitzgerald, knocked and then entered inside the room when he heard the President respond.

"Jack, come in," the President said as he set down some paperwork.
"I was told that this was urgent?" Secretary Fitzgerald said as he stood by the door and then checked his watch.
"Yes.. Well I wouldn't say urgent. I um.. I forgot erm..." Gore looked a bit flustered - Fitzgerald had never seen him like that before.
"Sir?"
"What do I call the Queen?"
"What? Her name?"
"Elizabeth, I know her name," Gore said almost annoyed at the response.
"Well, technically, it's Elizabeth the second," he responded.
"......" Gore didn't say anything and instead took a tip of his tea.
"Sir, you called me here."

"I know Jack... What do I call her when I meet her? Your Royal Highness or Your Highness?" Gore asked.
"Neither, sir. It's Your Royal Maj- wait... that isn't right," Fitzgerald said, and then paused.
"What, you don't know either?" Gore stood up, he could feel panic rushing into his veins.
"I... I mean yes, of course I know," Fitzgerald responded defensively.
"Oh my God, I'm going to fuck up this title and that's all anyone will ever remember about this entire trip," Gore said as he put his hand into his face and sighed. Then, he got an idea. "Wait, is there a computer here? We could ask the World Wide Web."
"No," Fitzgerald said as he shook his head. "The World Wide Web isn't secure. If Mi6 intercepts it I'm sure they'll pass it on afterwards. Plus, do we just ask for a computer?"
"I'm the President of the United States, I'm sure they would let me use one of their computers if I asked nicely... Why would Mi6 pass that along? Don't they have better things to do?"
"If the British were in this same situation in Washington, do you think the FBI would let you know?" Fitzgerald retorted.
"Yeah okay, fair enough," Gore responded.

Fitzgerald paced back and forth, "Sir, I'm almost positive that it-"
"Almost positive? You're the God damned chief of protocol, Jack.. You're the Secretary of State!"
"Yes sir," Fitzgerald responded, if not with a tinge of annoyance.

As Gore paced back and forth Fitzgerald stood still and thought. Gore then snapped his fingers and pointed at Fitzgerald, "We ask a butler."
Fitzgerald visibly frowned in response. "Just give me a minute..." Fitzgerald said as he thought, and thought.
"Please, take all the time in the world... I just have... 19 minutes..." Gore responded dryly.


Ten Minutes Later

"It's a damn satellite phone. I should be able to fight a nuclear war half a mile below the Earth with this thing. Why isn't it working?" Gore asked as he held onto the receiver. Their current plan was to call the U.S. Ambassador to the UK and ask him.
Fitzgerald was standing in the background with his face in his hand while a very nervous diplomatic attaché tinkered with the satellite phone, "I'm sorry Mister President, I have to adjust the antenna. The satellite this phone is linked to was moved yesterday into a geostationary orbit and we haven't recalibrated it.

Gore looked at Fitzgerald and said, "Call NASA and tell them reposition the satellite."
Just as Fitzgerald was about to respond, John Glass (Secretary of Defense) knocked on the door and stepped in. He paused as he looked at the satellite phone, the technician, and the two men standing over him. "Um... What's going on?"

Gore and Fitzgerald looked at each other. "How can we help you, John?" the President asked.
"I just wanted to ask you to give Her Majesty my regards. I'm a fan of the Queen, I think she's a good influence on the world," the Secretary of Defense replied.
Gore and Fitzgerald looked at each other, and then at Glass. "Her Majesty," they both said together, finally feeling it click in their brains for certain.


The Meeting

Dressed in a black suit and a royal blue tie, President Gore met with the Queen for a private audience, first referring to her as "Your Majesty" and afterwards as "Ma'am". The President kept things rather simple, though a large point of conversation were some green initiatives he hoped to begin before his term was up, as well as some things he hoped that the United Kingdom and the United States could work on together.

"When we're not focused on war, I think we should be focusing on our people and the Earth. I've talked to the CEOs of General Motors and Ford. They say that it's not impossible to make an electric car that could have a range of 200 or maybe even 300 miles! Sure they'd be pricey at first, but with enough investment we could bring that down. I'm going to discuss this with your Prime Minister, if I get the chance, during our trip here." The President would go on to ask the Queen if there were any environmental or "green" projects or issues that she felt especially passionate about world-wide, or in the United Kingdom.

President Gore and his cabinet members that were present would then partake in the luncheon set out for them. If there were a variety of options, Gore would order Salmon, Glass would order a steak, and Fitzgerald asked for poached lobster and pasta - these orders alone could tell a lot about each man. All three men would exchange pleasantries with their British hosts and Swedish colleagues, as well as the royalty that were present. Afterwards, they would board Marine One and fly, along with Marine Two and Three, to The Grove as directed by the British. The Americans were excited for these negotiations to begin.

Jamie Connor

 

[Connor]

Buckingham Palace; the home to the modern democracy, the longest serving monarch in modern history and a landmark of one of the strongest majorly economically developed countries in the world. Arriving in such a prestigious building was a great honour for all those given the opportunity to be apart of this conference and the experience would undoubtedly be one they'd struggle to forget despite the fact their positioned hosted a well travelled agenda. This, coupled with an opportunity for some of the strongest nations in the world to converse under one roof, was a historical moment for not only those involved but also the world, and hopefully an opportunity for the meeting to make real change. The past year or so was a turbulent time for Sweden and the administration governing it which has seen to a number of allies, friends and partners cooperating on a wide range of subjects; including the conflict dubbed the War of the Middle East which fundamentally saw to the cooperation between the United Kingdom, United States and Sweden.

When the time came the Prime Minister would ensure he was dressed to the nines and prepared to meet the Queen. Getting dressed in a stately bedroom akin to something he'd expect to see in his grandmothers home or even an expensive care facility was certainly putting him in the zone but by no means one he took for granted. Walking the corridors the Prime Minister would presumably be guided by members of the Royal Household to chaperone him to the appropriate room and ensuring his timings didn't clash with that of the Americans. Whilst his heart felt as if it were beating through the seams of his white shirt, he didn't let it faze him, bowing gently as he walked through the door followed by a brisk "Your Majesty". The Prime Minister was well aware that King Gustaf at home would want the Swedish etiquette to be held in high regard, not to slip in a moment of panic. Fundamentally the opportunity to discuss matters with the Queen was not necessarily an opportunity for cooperation as it was anticipated that this would occur later, with the government, but the subject of conversation very much focussed around the way in-which Sweden desired an opportunity to echo community projects making a huge success within central London and where crime reduction efforts could be translated into Swedish society where acceptable law enforcement practices were very different. Of course, horses were also mentioned, with the Prime Minister taking an opportunity to show off photographs of the Royal Cavalry standing guard in Sweden and training at nearby stables.

Once the conversation had ended he would be joined by the remainder of his delegation where they would meet with President Gore and his delegation; despite a similar turbulent time in the SWE-US relationship, the handshakes were strong and full of respect with members of the cabinet thanking the Americans for their support through the war and in particular their professionalism in resolving what was an extremely sensitive situation. Almost immediately a similar introduction would take place with the British who, by this time, the delegation had grown very fond on with a number of projects and interactivity already taking place between the two nations.

The food was enjoyed and all those involved would be careful to not drip the delicately prepared meals down their suits prior to travelling to The Grove for the conference.

Jamie Odinson

 

[Jamie]

Day 1 - Morning
Top Secret
During their individual conferences with the Queen, her demeanor was relaxed and pleasant, spending more time then allocated with each of the delegates. During her discussions with the Americans, the discussion of green initiatives and the environment were something of great interest. Informing her guests of the number of projects she is involved in and how it's something she likes to participate in; adding that she thinks it should be the main focus, above war. Echoing similiar sentiment to the Swedish, she quite quickly got engaged in discussion on horses and had offered to introduce the guests to her own after the conference - acknowledging their strict schedule. That in itself was frowned upon by her advisors.

Day 1 - Afternoon
Top Secret
It wasn't long until the helicopters had arrived at Warford, specifically the home for the conference at 'The Grove', a large hotel with a scenic view and had been privately rented by the government for the duration of the conference. From above, military personnel were visible with anti-air emplacements set up and patrols taking place. Towards the outer perimeter, a police cordon that would see anyone attempting to get close turned away. Upon the individual landing of the aircraft that saw the deliverance of the British, American and Swedish officials, they would be escorted up the path from the field that was around a 5 minute walk before arriving at the entrance to the hotel where they would be ushered inside and through a corridor into a pre-arranged conference room. This would be a circular table with each seat having a name against it and small flags representing the country. Taking their seats to represent the UK were Prime Minister Andrew Evans, Defence Secretary Jason Green and State Secretary Emma Ryan. Once everyone else had been seated, Andrew Evans leaned forward into the microphones that were set up for ease of access, beginning to speak.

"I'd like to begin by thanking you all for for your time, and I'm hoping you've all enjoyed your morning. I had asked for this conference to take place because of the conflict we saw in Turkey which from what I hear, has been dubbed the 'Middle East War' - bit inaccurate but I suppose most people would know what it refers too. It was a conflict that we've not seen in years, and the first one in Europe for decades. I would like this war to be something we can reflect on and work together to prevent something similar in future. I understand there were others involved, Russia, Australia, Israel to name a few but with the many fronts, it would be hard pressed for me to invite them to a conference about cooperation when the UK didn't get to work with them for one reason or another. Whereas I know that southern Turkey saw UK, US and Swedish forces collaborating. I understand we have two agendas for today, the first which is a Review of the conflict with Turkey and how we, together, can seek to prevent this and what could have been done, followed by a discussion submitted by my American counterparts related to limiting the export of offensive and defensive weaponry/vehicles/systems to countries who may pose a threat. I would like to introduce Defence Secretary Jason Green to raise the first topic."

Andrew Evans sat back, at the same time, Jason Green leaned forward and opened his notebook as he begun to speak.

"Learning from past events is how we respond better in the future, whether by preventing conflict or how we can repatriate better. I think it would be beneficial to start with each party offering their own review into the conflict, what they had experienced and in general, what we could have done differently as a collective. From our perspective, there were multiple indicators that suggested an escalation from the early days that looking back, the United Kingdom should have picked up on quicker and focused on intelligence gathering. I fully commend not just the British Army Forces, but all involved in the United Coalition but one of the UKs failings was the lack of intelligence from the very beginning. We did turn this around later on that saw the deployment of intelligence forces including the U-2 Spyplane but should we have carried this out sooner, it might have offered more possibilities to save lives and end the conflict. This ties in with my next point is that the UK took a considerable amount of time to deploy an initial task force which in hindsight, was a difficult decision to make. At the time, there were no intentions to commit to an attack and deploying could have seen it escalating quickly but pre-positioning troops prior to deploying them at Cyprus would have allowed us to respond more effectively. To combat these failings, we've carried out a defence review that will supplement some equipment shortages we had and introduce more high readiness forces to be available twenty-four seven.

As a coalition, I think the two main aspects we fell short on are values and communication. To elaborate, everyone in the coalition had different objectives and values for what we all believed was correct. We saw this causing problems as it didn't show a united collective. This caused there to be many fronts and it presented itself as internal conflict. I do want to give some examples, but this isn't to say we didn't value their efforts or willingness to work with them but I do think to prevent issues in the future, examples are needed. Russia would only work with America, their reasoning was due to having spoke to them politically but in a coalition with many nations, it's counter productive and defeats the point to only work on a one-and-one basis. This naturally created a northern Turkey confrontation and communication was limited between the North and South. Equally, the conflict started in line with Israel who I'll be honest, didn't contribute and not unlike Russia's northern front, Australia was focused on creating their own front then needing resources. I don't think I need to go into those examples further but these are failings, not as individuals, but as the coalition was designed to work together. The goal was similar, but the values were different. To prevent this in the future, I think any coalition should be settling down a framework prior to operations taking place. This could consist of deciding on objectives, fronts and what the end goal is.

This is from our perspective following our review after the conflict, I'd like to offer the stand to the Americans and Swedish to express their thoughts."

Odinson Connor

 

[Connor]

Once the delegation has made their way to the afternoon conference at The Grove the assigned armed close protection officers would disperse to guard appropriate emergency exit points in the event an evacuation may be necessary - their intelligence gained via the encrypted radio channel provided by the local police service which would work in a typical 'bronze', 'silver' and 'gold' command hierarchy dictating their next move. Firearms would remain concealed at all times and the only thing identifying them as Swedish being the small lapel pin of the Swedish national flag. The guests, meanwhile, would ensure they look the time to informally introduce themselves to both the United States delegation as well as the hosts, the British; before taking their seats at their corresponding flag. Following in a similar suit the Prime Minister would take to activate his microphone and respond initially to Prime Minister Evans:

"Prime Minister, allow me the opportunity to thank you and your staff for preparing this conference and of course please ensure my gratitude is echoed to Her Majesty and the royal family as this morning was enlightening and a true introduction to your fine nation. The War of the Middle East certainly brought a wide variety of nations from a number of continents and political standpoints together under one unified banner of the coalition, fighting a war of predominantly civil liberties which had not only been violated but grossly abused to the most extreme sense of the word. Needless to say, something I am sure will work its way out the woodwork through this conference, I speak on behalf of the entirety of my party when I say we were not only let down but felt disrespected by a number of nations that took part in operations surrounding Turkey, Saudi Arabia and for some parts Congo however equally we saw operations particularly between the US and the UK bring our nations shoulder to shoulder through combat. Secretary Hultqvist, I am sure, will have a lot more to say than I do on the subject but before I hand over I would just like to thank you and your forces for your continued dedication and hard work through the way which has no doubt taken significant strides to see the coalition achieve such phenomenal amounts of success through the war."

Following in the stride of the British, the Secretary of Defence would take over the microphone:

"I have to agree with your analysis. Operations through the war were flawed by some key intelligence attributes: lack of real-time live intelligence, provision of unverified and continually untested intelligence which was being used as a backbone for campaign planning and a flooding of irrelevant intelligence which failed to be removed from coalition defence briefing ultimately overwhelming the established coordination centre. We sit here today as some of the most powerful nations on the planet and in conjunction with established international intelligence networks and defence materiel we stand as some of the most able intelligence gatherers on the planet too... but I have to say, Sweden included, we failed in seeing the vast benefit intelligence had to the battlefield and how it would change the face of our operations dramatically. By the time we started using real-time intelligence to benefit ourselves, Turkey has already began second, third and on occasions even forth lines of defence to counteract our tactical options. But we also saw how the Swedish strategic networks lacked a picture of the Middle East at all: something we tried to construct during the war but with Russia denying access and Israel leaning back on their armchairs we eventually hit a brick wall.

I am conscious that the nations sat in this room, despite being some of the furthest away from the conflict, seemed to be the most facilitating for foreign states. We were let down by our own team which had objectives of their own which they would not communicate, would not allow assistance with and they went out in force to hunt for the glory.

The next step particularly for us to establish exactly how will we operate in the future to ensure that we can part take in a future coalition without any lasting hostility towards our friends, allies and partners but also ensure a strong safety net is in place to protect those we trust: which for us includes the two of your nations here today. Two nations we have fought with to great success in the Med.

Our plan would be to see a larger cooperation in our intelligence services in the exchange of real-time data as required to secure and preserve life, fundamentally. How exactly this would work I am not sure, but I am keen to hear your opinions on a closer working relationship overseas?"

Jamie Odinson

 

[Odinson]

Secret​

The American Delegation arrived at The Grove without incident. After being escorted in by the Secret Service, President Gore, Secretary of Defense John Glass, and Secretary of State Jackson Fitzgerald would all greet the other Swedish and British representatives before thanking their respective seats. After listening to the British and Swedish, President Gore felt thought for a few moments and then spoke.

"Prime Minister Evans, thank you for taking the initiative to host this meeting between our three governments. I also want to thank Prime Minsiter Löfven - there was immense political pressure in Washington from Republicans and people in my own party to not cooperate with your government or the Swedish armed forces. However, as I think you realized as well, the situation was overwhelmingly more important than the differences and issues we had at the time. I think the fact that both of us were able to set those issues aside in order to face a genocidal, destabilizing threat in Europe - in our backyard - makes it clear that we're fit to sit at this table. Considering the circumstances, and that our countries do not have integrated military frameworks, shows that the three of us made the best of the situation and did what we could to work together. In that regard, I want to commend both of you and your governments... Secretary Glass, why don't you go ahead from here? I think you can speak on the events of what led up to the war, and then the Pentagon's critiques of the situation."

John Glass, the Secretary of Defense, folded his hands and nodded to President Gore. "Yes sir, I would be happy to. For some time before the conflict started we were concerned about the situation in the Middle East. I'm sure that you both remember when we had the Navy coordinate a quarantine in the southeast of the Mediterranean, over the coast of Israel. This worked, temporarily. The issue was that we could not stay there forever and while an American carrier strike group is formidable, it could only do so much to deter the Turks. The Turks stopped any attempts at incursions into Israel after that, but in the meantime they built up an immense number of aircraft in their air force. Our intelligence has informed me that the Turks built, or imported, hundreds of fighter jets. At the same time our carrier group was repositioned in the Mediterranean, the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom requested that the Navy be able to refuel its oilers at Akrotiri Mole and that the Air Force and Navy be given access to RAF Akrotiri for refueling and basing. We were not given the green light to go ahead and send assets to Cyprus, or use it for refueling, until two months later.

"Now," he said before anyone got any ideas, "I'm not saying 'I told you so'. I've spoken with Secretary Fitzgerald and my colleagues in the State Department. This reluctance, I think, was initially justified. After all, the situation was still murky. At the time, we were still uncertain if Israel was trying to provoke a war with Turkey, and their government seemed rather.... well, unstable. But, I think this brings up a much more important point, and a shortfall that perhaps all three of us had with each other: trust. If we are going to work together in capacities like that, we need to be positive that we will not do anything stupid that will suddenly bring two or three nations into war. It was the shortfall of the federal government that we had not garnered enough professional faith with Her Majesty's government - in a situation like that I wouldn't want there to be a second thought about greenlighting such an operation. Likewise, I wouldn't want there to be any hesitation in allowing British or Swedish forces to refuel or temporarily base in Pearl Harbor if necessary. To put it bluntly, if we are going to work together, we need to have a dedicated network between our countries to ensure that we all see eye-to-eye when it comes to international threats and when it comes to sharing intelligence on potential threats.

"I can also expand on our own military operations in the region, and where I think we fell short. While I think it can be safely said that we have the strongest navy, capable of projecting the most force, the United States is still lacking in several areas. The reductions in military spending under the Bush and Clinton administrations were, in my eyes, a mistake. We got too comfortable as the Cold War came to an end. It was short-sited. The assets we had in the Mediterranean could have repelled, or sunk, the Turkish navy, but repeated assaults from their navy and air force would have left us in a losing situation. President Gore and I have discussed this matter specifically, and we agree that the American Navy and Air Force need to be expanded and upgraded. Even if we had three carrier groups in the Mediterranean it would have been dangerous and costly. The entire affair would basically have not been possible if we didn't have the partnership and backing of both of your governments and your armed forces. But, there are also matters beyond our own domestic politics and geopolitical struggles.

"We underestimated the Turkish threat. The carrier strike group we sent was armed and equipped to fight, but not with all of the proper weaponry. We have been operating under a doctrine of intimidation, or 'Shock and Awe'. At the time of the quarantine we were only truly prepared for a limited coastal strike mission against sensitive targets. But, it's clear that when you have madmen it doesn't matter how many ships you have. The Navy is now always going to be deployed so that it can take on a variety of missions if need be, instead of just intimidating. Furthermore, even once we were deployed with our carrier battle groups, I do not think we were totally prepared to fight a surface or subsurface conflict at sea. This is, again, something that the Navy is taking into account. The size of our carrier groups are going to be increased and we're looking into acquiring new, state of the art frigates to counter subsurface threats and to act as escorts when our destroyers are occupied. Finally, in regards to intelligence gathering, I would concur that the use of the British U-2s was absolutely critical. The Air Force had its own intelligence aircraft in the area, but as far as I'm aware they were not extensively utilized, which was another shortcoming on our part.

"Intelligence was so critical in this conflict that I think our countries should seriously consider a joint effort to work together to put intelligence-gathering... units in space. We would independently retain our assets, but we could have them work together when stressful times arise. This would give us a wider network to work with, and I think it would save money.... That's our 'white paper' on the situation, Mister President."

President Gore nodded. "Thank you, Secretary Glass. Secretary Fitzgerald, do you have anything to add?"

Fitzgerald straightened his tie and nodded. "Yes, Mister President. I concur with Secretary Glass's statements. However, for any of this to be accomplished beyond our own domestic goals, we not only need to be able to work together, but we need to be able to trust each other utterly. If we want to have some kind of close working relationship, or partnership, I think we should codify certain rules of engagement, and other things, so that if we want to refuel at each other's ports, or temporarily utilize each other's facilities, it doesn't have to go through the entire government and chain of command of one country for it to be approved. For example, if our governments agreed, we could each produce a list of military facilities around the world that each of us could use for refueling or temporary basing. We could assign certain rules so that we wouldn't have to worry about causing an international incident. For example, if the British RAF had assets at Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii, the RAF could not decide to suddenly launch an attack on French assets in the Pacific from Hickam without first getting expressed permission from the Pentagon, or the White House. I think this would make it to where we had a much wider support network, we could work closer together, and we could trust that none of us would cause some kind of incident."

"Thank you, Secretary Fitzgerald," President Gore said.
"Prime Minister," Gore said to Evans, "I think that we have all brought up good points here. Is there a specific proposal that you had in mind for our three countries?"

Jamie Connor

 

[Jamie]

Patiently waiting and listening to the input from all parties, notes taken highlighting key flaws that everyone saw as a common issue. The conclusion of the Americans input saw Andrew Evans lean forward to take the floor.

"I think it's safe to say we are all more or less in agreement with the problems we experienced in the conflict with Turkey. Discussing these issues is of course the best thing to prevent a repeat but at the same time, I do think these issues were justified. Perhaps not the right word, but as highlighted already, at the time there were some key differences that hindered political allegiances before the war started. Instantly we had a number of nations put together against a common enemy, but with no framework for what is considered cooperation. That said, I think the conflict has certainly brought the UK, the US and Sweden closer. Unless anyone else has anything to add in relation to the conflict of Turkey, I would hope everything that has been said is something we can all echo and work on.

Reflecting on the agenda for this conference, I think the other points may all come together with the proposal my American counterpart is eager to hear. We're all aware, with America and the UK formerly participating, in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. It ceased to be in '95 and although it had its issues, it formed a collective defence and a military alliance. I'm not suggesting the return of NATO itself, but a new alliance to take its place in some capacity. Between the United Kingdom, United States and Kingdom of Sweden, I could see a real chance for a well-founded alliance with the focus on collective defence. My interest isn't to be an international police force and respond to every conflict as realistically, I have to think about the United Kingdom but a focus on defence would make a difference for us all.

This would solve the issues mentioned in Turkey, it would cover the agenda proposed by America; Limiting the export of offensive and defensive weaponry/vehicles/systems to countries who may pose a threat. This would be done through this cooperation and military integration. It would mean events like this are a norm, not a rare once in a decade scenario. Now, this isn't a conference where we would all say yes, and jobs done. If all parties here were interested, our focus should be setting a base agreement. Ideally a simple document put together to confirm the start of the relationship with three key points:

• Collective Defence.
• Reoccurring Military Exercises
• Summits, like this one, to discuss progress and expand further.

This would be presented to my government and put to vote, and of course any political red tape you face. Whilst the ideal situation would be as in depth as say, NATOs treaty, having it in these three terms would mean we can focus on perfecting these and abiding them. One issue I've seen during my time in office is agreements like these that are not consistent and the exercises or meetings don't take place. This would only work if that happened. I'm eager to hear your thoughts."

Odinson Connor

 

[Connor]

Nodding in agreement to some of the points raised by the United States, the delegates from Sweden would make notes throughout and on occasion exchange comments through whispers between themselves which would be keen not to interrupt the flow of the conference and as not to be perceived as rude by the active speaker.


"Our three nations are some of the most sophisticated and technologically advanced nations on the planet - aside from that we also host a collection of the largest global reach through every continent on the planet. I agree that the areas in which we failed in the War of the Middle East, we can actively work to repair with the establishment of some form of alliance encompassing our capabilities to make strategic decisive action through growing threats. Unfortunately the opinion within Swedish politics is that NATO has a particularly bad name as an international bully rather than a progressive defence organisation. We would be keen to see cooperation between the UK, US and Sweden as a trio but growing into what NATO once was does not conform with our national interests.

Ideally we would like to see the establishment of an alliance between the three of us which not only incorporates the collective defence, reoccurring military exercises and reoccurring summits as presented by the British... but also see areas expressed by the US such as the establishment of trusted logistical networks, obviously with the necessary safety precautions, and perhaps even the establishment of identified areas of expertise between us which could see the joint use of equipment... I get ahead of myself...

But in brief, I am extremely keen to see an allied triad established between the three of us.

Logistically, when would you foresee this established? and administratively, how would the organisation be headed? what would it be called?"

Jamie Odinson

 

[Odinson]

"The North Atlantic Treaty Organization did exactly what it was designed to do - stop the Soviet Union from expanding west, beyond the Iron Curtain. NATO prevented World War Three. The thing is, it also raised the stakes, as a nuclear war would have ended the world. The withdraw of the United States from NATO, and the dissolution of the organization, made it so that our friends in Europe had to pay their fair share to defend their continent... But I'll get off my soap box, I'm not here to talk about NATO," President Gore said.

"I am very interested in this proposal, Prime Minister Evans. I think there should be some irrefutable tenants of the organization, such as mutual defense, in some kind of simple founding document. But I also agree that the more simple, the better. If both of your governments are willing to approve the measure, then I'm confident the Senate will approve of it after I give my recommendation. Prime Minister Löfven brings up some good questions. We do have the old UN Headquarters in New York - it is not being used at the time... But please, tell us more," he said.

Jamie Connor