[War] US: Pop goes the volcano!

[pentaj2 at Scranton.edu]

"Pop goes the volcano!"
March 3, 2013
Pres. John Williams
United States
=======================
<Washington: 1000 Local time>

   "Your Eminence, I don't get involved in what the regulatory 
agencies decide," President Williams explained to the Cardinal-
Archbishop of Washington, on the steps of St. Matthew's Cathedral 
after the 9 AM Mass; as the rest of the congregation had flowed out, 
it was a good time to chat. The topic at hand was the FDA's review of 
the Plan B emergency contraceptive, a regular post-market safety 
review, one of the reforms instituted after the Vioxx mess a few years 
back. The Church had been pushing for it to returned to prescription-
only status.

  "Why, because it'd impact negatively on the polls?" His Eminence 
Donald Cardinal Wuerl was not typically so sharp, but he could 
occasionally cut close.

  The hurt look on the President's face indicated that had maybe been 
a cut too close. "No, actually, and I'm rather insulted you would 
think that, Your Eminence. I thought we knew each other better than 
that. The real reason is because it would be illegal. It's very, very 
simple: FDA, SEC, and the other independent regulatory agencies are 
just that. *Independent*. You *don't* play politics with them, 
whatever the lunatic gossip in this town says otherwise." His voice 
was calm, and soft, but had a distinct edge to it.

  Wuerl smiled. "You're right, that was a bit much. And you're right, 
it wouldn't be proper. My apologies."

  A grin from POTUS, then. "On that note: Tuesday at 7?" It had become 
a regular feature for the two. The President and the First Lady would 
meet with the Cardinal privately at 7 PM, every Tuesday night when all 
parties were in DC; mostly, it was to prepare for their coming child 
and the child's baptism, but it also had the helpful effect of 
providing a bit of breathing space for the President.

  "Of course. By the way, I talked to Archbishop Demetrios. 
Ordinarily, you're right, both churches would have issues, but in this 
case, we both see pastoral reasons," the Cardinal noted. That last was 
in relation to Piper serving as the baby's Godfather; given that, 
while the President had a perfectly fine relationship with his 
brother, his brother, unfortunately, was an artist and generally a 
flighty sort, not particularly the best role model for a child, it 
meant that there was nobody else really suitable.

   "Thank you for chewing on that issue for me, Your Eminence." At 
that point, President Williams looked at a staffer approaching from 
the side, a worried look on his face. Also, an ice cream truck drove 
by, loudspeakers playing "Pop goes the weasel" in chimes.

   As the staffer nodded respectfully at the Cardinal, he spoke to the 
POTUS. "Sir, there's been a volcanic eruption in North Korea, and we 
have reports of massive earthquakes surrounding it."

   "When'd the eruption occur?" That from the Cardinal before the 
President could even open his mouth.

   "8 minutes ago, Your Eminence. USGS says the eruption was 
explosive, of a 'Plinian' type, I believe they called it. The mountain 
in question is Baekdu Mountain."

   The Cardinal's face got very, very dark, then. As Williams waved 
off the staffer, he looked curiously. "Your Eminence?"

   "A Plinian eruption, Mr. President, is named after Pliny the 
Younger, who recorded the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. It is 
an eruption of similar characteristics as that famous eruption. On a 
humanitarian level, this is one of the worst scenarios you could get 
in terms of a volcanic eruption," the Cardinal explained. "I spent 
enough time in Rome that I couldn't help but learn about the volcanoes 
of Italy," he explained.

   That got a nod. "Well, it looks like we both have a situation on 
our hands. I will, of course, be in the Situation Room. Reach me 
through my direct number when you hear anything that might help?" 
Williams asked.

   Wuerl nodded. "Of course."

   With that, POTUS hustled down the stairs, to the waiting Suburban, 
as the ice cream truck could still be heard in the distance.

   Pop goes the volcano?
---
<White House Situation Room, 1015 local time>

   "Okay, from the top. What do we know?" Williams asked as he entered 
the situation room.

   The Navy officer who was watch leader this morning 
replied. "Eruption is still ongoing, we're getting the first satellite 
images now. Reports of shaking from Vladivostok, Pusan, Tokyo, 
Beijing. Light shaking was even felt in Manila. JMA has declared a 
tsunami warning for northern Honshu and southern Hokkaido."

   "Okay, send the pics to my station when they come in. WHCA, get 
Beijing on the phone. If President Hong is awake, I'd like to speak 
with her; if not, the highest ranking official in their chain of 
command," the President replied.

   "Whakka is setting up the connection now, it'll be about 20 
minutes."

   "Okay. Meanwhile, USFK is to account for all assets and personnel, 
let the South Koreans account for their people. Tell Seoul that if 
they need help, we stand ready to support them. USFJ will do the same. 
Corps of Engineers Far Eastern District should prepare for any 
possible request from China in regards to support needed for relief 
efforts. I want Red Cross to report ASAP as far as their response 
capabilities. Similarly, poll every other relief organization you can 
think of that works the region.

   "Embassies Beijing and Seoul will stand ready to provide consular 
assistance to any Americans caught in the thick of things, and should 
be proactive in regards to accounting for Americans in China and 
Korea," Williams ordered, to nods from the agency reps gathered, who 
went off to do as instructed, with HHS handling the relief agencies.

   That was when the first satellite images came in.

   Night obscured a lot of details from visual observation, even from 
a satellite, but what one could see looked frightening. Where the 
President's memory said villages should be, there was already lava, 
glowing hot, visible even in the darkness to the satellites above. 
That brought a shudder. It was clear this eruption was major, and the 
earthquakes likely to follow were only going to make a bad situation 
worse.

   "How many live in the area around that volcano, at last count?" 
Williams asked.

   "In the 50 klicks surrounding? Only a few thousand. Mostly, it's 
farming villages, hamlets really," noted the State rep.

   "When's local sunrise supposed to be?"

   "6 hours," replied Navy.

   "I imagine we'll get pictures then?"

   "Yessir."

   "Alright. Give a friendly shove to the commercial imagery companies 
that we'd appreciate it if their sats were focused on Korea for the 
next while. We'll buy their take to assist in relief ops."
---
Actions:
1. Mostly character development.
2. US diplomatic posts throughout Korea, US Embassy Beijing, and any 
posts remotely within the vicinity of the eruption site (thinking of 
consulate in Shenyang for instance) are to have all hands on deck to 
gather information, assess the situation, and assist US citizens who 
might have been effected by the eruption. They are to be *proactive* 
in reaching US citizens and nationals to account for them.
3. Red Cross requested to report ASAP re their current capabilities 
for disaster relief ops in North Korea and China; HHS will also check 
on the capabilities of other relief organizations (Salvation Army, 
Caritas, CARE, etc) to help out if needed.
4. USFK and USFJ to account for all personnel and assets, then stand 
ready to support the South Koreans or Japanese respectively in 
response efforts.
5. US Army Corps of Engineers Far Eastern District (which covers Korea 
and Japan) to check all USFK and USFJ structures for damage from 
earthquakes, and simultaneously stand ready to respond to any Chinese 
requests for assistance that might come through.
6. Commercial imagery companies (DigitalGlobe, IKONOS, etc) are to be 
encouraged to point their cameras at the disaster area for the next 
while. Take from *those* will be shared with the Chinese for free, as 
well as the unclassified take of US weather and other environmental 
satellites, all in neat and useful packages.
7. FEMA has had 6 years to become competent again, Chris.:P