[War] Russia: "Nothing Comes Out of Asia But Grief"

[Michael Downey]

OOC: It turns out I'm still staying on. Sorry for the abrupt about-face.

"Nothing Comes Out of Asia But Grief"
President Leonid Nemerenko
Russian Federation
4 March 2013
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"It's not good," said Yevgeni, Nemerenko's chief of staff. "The Baekdu
eruption has been quite violent. Vladivostok has felt the aftershocks
and ash and lava have been spewed out of the mountain at an alarming
rate."

This was just perfect. The Chinese had moved so much manpower and
resources into the North Korean occupation and now this had to happen.
While Nemerenko predicted that the Chinese could handle this disaster
on the domestic side, it would cause an unacceptable disruption in
North Korea's reconstruction. Already reports of epidemics and
insurrection were leaking out; if that dirt hole of a country went
over the edge completely, it would be the worst humanitarian crisis
since the Second World War right on Russia's doorstep.

"The Americans have offered aid to the Chinese," reported Foreign
Minister Denemetov. "They are starting to airlift humanitarian
supplies to the affected areas, and US Naval forces are moving out of
Japan with what we can assume is a similar cargo. SVR reports indicate
a high level of cooperation between Beijing and Washington."

That was good news. Combined American and Chinese cooperation would
give Beijing a virtually unlimited pool of emergency resources to draw
from.

"Our own situation?" asked Nemerenko.

"Vladivostok has felt some aftershocks but nothing too serious as of
yet," said Yevgeni. "We are in close contact with all local
authorities and concerned ministries in the area. Civil warning drills
are being carried out and local military forces are being prepared for
emergency disaster relief activity. But for Vladivostok to actually
suffer such a disaster, Mount Baekdu would have to erupt again and
with significantly more force than before."

Which could happen. A century of horrible luck tended to make people
cynical. "Confer with the USGS and Chinese authorities about the
status of the volcano and keep Vladivostok on alert for aftershocks,"
ordered Nemerenko. "Now, back to the Chinese."

"We should provide assistance," said Denemetov at once. "If this
incident is to destabilize China, it could compromise peacekeeping
efforts in North Korea and worse, cause an economic slowdown in what
is still one of our single largest trading partners." Screw those
North Korean savages, rubles are at stake.

Nemerenko felt a twinge of guilt in his chest, but the cynical reality
of it was that the welfare of Russian businesses was worth more than a
mountain of North Koreans. Life was cheap, especially the lives of
foreigners from poor countries.

"Give the Chinese whatever aid they need," he said. "Food, medical
supplies, transport aircraft to move material and personnel."

"What if they ask us to deploy troops?" questioned Yevgeni.

"They won't," said Denemetov, shaking her head. "They don't trust us
enough to allow Federation military forces onto PRC soil, even in a
strictly non-combat humanitarian relief role. Maybe some medics and
engineers, but nothing more beyond that. They won't ask and we
shouldn't offer."

"Agreed. China has more than enough physical manpower to deal with
this given the amount if material aid they will be getting from us and
the Americans, and very likely the rest of the international
community." It was settled. "Thank you everyone, we should all get to
work. Irina, please stay."

The others nodded and quietly left the President's office.

"Hong has asked me to attend a summit in Beijing over the occupation
of North Korea," said Nemerenko.

"Will you attend?"

"Of course. We've already lent them our political support and endorsement."

"Then what is your concern?" asked Denmetov.

"My concern is over just how involved we want to get in this. The
Chinese occupation is only beneficial to us so long as they maintain
stability in the former DPRK. If we get too involved, get our hands
too dirty, and the Chinese fail……."

"This is true," agreed Denemetov. "If we keep our involvement purely
political, as it is now, then this natural disaster and its sucking up
of Chinese military resources increases the risk of their failure but
would have only limited impact on us on the world stage. If we start
giving them direct material aid in North Korea, it increases their
chance of success but increases our own risk as well."

She offered no answers to the problem, simply a clear view of the
stakes involved. It was up to the President to make that decision.

"If only we could get more support from the international community,"
sighed Nemerenko. "But no one but us seems to keen on what China is
doing."

"And by 'international community' you mean the Americans?"

Nemerenko glanced up from his tea at Denemetov. Clever old woman.
"True, American support could sway the European Union and the rest of
the UN. They themselves set the very precedent China is acting under.
But Williams does not trust the Chinese, and with good reason I am
sorry to say. Like us, their concern over North Korea is purely for
their own gain."

"Meet with Williams before you head to Beijing," suggested Denemetov.
"I will contact the State Department and make arrangement for you to
visit Washington DC."
---

Actions:
1) Provide China with humanitarian aid; food, oil, medical supplies
and use of RFAF transport aircraft.
2) Field the idea of small numbers of Russian Army medical staff and
engineers providing relief in China.
3) Agree to attend the Beijing Summit.
4) Keep alert over Baekdu aftershocks that might affect Vladivostok
and surrounding Russian territories.
5) Ask the US Department of State to cooperate in arranging a summit
between Nemerenko and Williams in Washington.