[War] USA: Fine lines

[John Penta]

"Fine Lines"
3 March 2014
President John Williams
USA
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<Washington>

"Helen, we don't comment on intelligence operations. Planned, in
progress, former, and most importantly, speculative," Williams stated
from the podium.

"President Hong, it is fairly clear, needs to distract the world from
her inability to control the Central People's Government's security
forces.

"I ask, quite simply: Why the hell would anybody need to incite the
North Korean people? China is doing that just fine, thanks. I wouldn't
risk US lives and treasure when the Chinese seem to be doing their
best to make their own lives hell."

"What about the accusations of US operations against countries besides
China?" ABC asked.

"See my previous response."

"Mr. President, do yiou have any comment as to reports of US
investigations of WTO violations in the shipbuilding industry?" asked
CNN.

Apparently the leak worked.

"Yes, I do. For the past while, the US Government has been
investigating allegations of Chinese and Japanese subsidies in the
shipbuilding industry. As you all are no doubt aware, such subsidies
are illegal under WTO rules. As you are all also no doubt aware, the
US unilaterally gave up such subsidies in 1982, hoping 'first-move
disarmament' would convince everyone else to do the same.

"Since China considers everything a state secret, including what
President Hong had for breakfast - I had eggs, an orange, and milk
this morning, for the record, because we value openness around here,"
Williams said to the press corps' laughter, "I have no doubt they
considered that, too, 'aggressive intelligence operations by the
American Imperialists'.

"Well, we don't. We weren't spying. Just building a court case. We
plan to ask for approval of subsidies of equal value, plus punitive
compensation against such products as will be decided by the Secretary
of Commerce."

There was a hum of chatter.

"Oh, also. Nuclear exercises, my ass. President Hong should know
better. Unless she's gone completely insane, that is."

That is when things went silent.

"No, we're not going to counterstage. Hardly need to. In fact, we're
going to do...nothing. Unlike President Hong and her government, I
respect human life."

With that, he turned and walked off, stage right.
---
Actions:
1. Oh, calm down, Leonid Nikolayevich.
2. The US has no operations in North Korea. We just watch and wait as
China shoots herself in the foot on the global stage, then tries to
distract everyone.
3. Announce US WTO case vs shipbuilding subsidizers.
4. Meet insanity with sanity, threats of nuclear annihilation with
calm. Hong is insane. Williams is not. Williams, apparently, is the
only one of the two who respects human life and the awesome power of
nuclear weapons.
5. PR response: Loony woman versus calm POTUS. Whose side do you want
to be on? Who makes you feel safer, Earth?