[War] US: An explanation

[John Penta]

"An Explanation"
5 March 2014
Pres. John Williams
USA
===============
<Washington>

Breathe in, breathe out.

*Relax. You've done this...A handful of times before.*

*Inner voice, you are Not Helping.*

"Ioannes, your mind is arguing with itself again, isn't it?" Piper
asked. "Your face always looks so haunted when that happens."

"Yes, and I write this speech over and over again and it is not working."

"Relax, breathe, and channel your predecessors. Fortunately for you,
they suck less than most of mine."

A chuckle at that.

"See? You can laugh at least."

"Yeah, but 2 good men may well be dead by now because of me."

"Or they'd have died in some random, petty, pathetic way. Stop blaming
yourself, Wolf. Unworthy of you, and unbecoming."

"Point on their deaths."

"If they're dead. If."

"Shut up and help me write the damn speech."
---
<2 hours later>

Makeup on, Lights shining in his eyes...

"Guys, seriously. Must the light shine straight in my eyes?"

Presidential complaint addressed. Check on the TV. Mmmhm.

All is green.

"My fellow Americans, and people of the world," Williams said with a grave face.

"I speak to you tonight about the exposure of a covert operation of
this government on the Korean Peninsula, and the capture of two
American personnel in connection with this operation.

"First, I wish to speak to the purposes and intents of this operation
and its scope. Second, I wish to speak as to recent events.

"Firstly: This operation was planned and conducted on a limited basis.

"The objectives were as follows:

"One: Find and make contact with Korean partisan groups.
"Two: If found, insert intelligence operatives to supply medical
supplies and communications gear. No weapons, period.
"Three: Encourage the Korean partisan groups to form a united political force.

"These objectives, until the capture of our personnel under
circumstances still to be investigated, were, for the most part, going
quite well." Point three was like herding cats on meth, but did that
need to be said publicly? No, not really, Williams had decided.

"No involvement of American military forces was at any time planned or
ordered, or would ever be. Such was my decision in coordination with
the Congressional leadership at the time we began our assistance, and
that would not have changed. The fight for the Korean peninsula is
Koreans' to fight, was Koreans' to fight, and always will be primarily
Koreans' to fight; If they didn't want a free government, not undrr
Chinese influence, nothing we could do to convince them would. If they
didn't want a united Korea under a democratic government, we could
never convince them they did.

"Second, I would like to address recent events.

"Bluntly, I place no trust in Chinese justice. All too often, Chinese
activists have themselves demonstrated that, while China's justice
system is free and fair, or at least not that bad in regular cases, it
is all too often easily influenced by political considerations, to an
extent which, in nations with more established justice systems, would
be utterly unacceptable. In the United States, to influence cases as
is generally regular in China would get any executive official
impeached - if not ripped limb from limb by an angry mob.

"This case is political to the utmost. Thus, responsibility for its
outcome rests with President Hong. If they live, I want them home,
transferred to American soil within 48 hours. If they die, then the
blood will be on her hands.

"Now, to address the accusations of torture: It doesn't look to me as
though our personnel were tortured. However, should we ever find out
that they may have been, physically or mentally...Then, the People's
Republic of China will be held responsible.

"To address the sanctions controversy: As President, I reserve the
right to declare sanctions. In this case, I will exercise my
discretion based on the following factors:

"One: have our personnel been returned alive, unharmed, and in the
same health in which we sent them away within five days?
"Two: Within thirty days, have all Chinese forces and persons
withdrawn from Korea - and have free elections, monitored by the UN
and the OSCE, been scheduled for not later than one year hence?

"If those two points are met, then sanctions will not be imposed. Period.

"My fellow Americans, people of the world.

"In times of tension, it seems at times as though tension is the order
of things, particularly between major powers.

"I assure you...this time of tension, too, shall pass."
---
Actions:
1. Speech to the planet.
2. No, I don't think China tortured anybody.
3. Dun mean I believe Hong though.
4. Appeal for support.
5. Explain objectives in Korea.
6. Player needs more naps!