The Third World War: A Terrifying Novel of Global Conflict

24

The Chinese ambassador to the United Nations in New York had lingered outside the Security Council meeting room. He had a message to deliver, informally, verbally and swiftly. The other ambassadors filed past him. North Korea had been at the top of the agenda, but nothing of substance had been discussed or decided. It rarely was in the UN. The ambassador stepped forward just as his American counterpart left the room. With a light hand on the elbow he drew him to one side. Back in his office, the American diplomat telephoned Mary Newman who arranged a meeting with the President and drove straight to the White House.

'Jamie Song's broken his word,' she told Jim West. 'China will oppose any missile strikes or air attacks by US, Japanese or South Korean forces on North Korean military facilities on a line between Anju and Hungnam. It's just below the fortieth parallel.'

'What does it leave us?' said the President, turning to Chris Pierce, who was unfolding a map of the Korean peninsula with missile launch sites marked on it, together with facilities for storing nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.

'There are six sites we know of above the fortieth parallel,' he said. 'Five if we exclude the test site at Nodong. Two of those have been designed for medium-range missiles targeting our military bases in Japan. They might have been modified for a launch on our west coast. In short, Mr President, if we can't hit them, there is little point in making any strike at all. Either we knock out all their launch facilities in one shot, or we risk them firing on us with whatever they've got left.'

'And we've got Japan threatening to send in an armada of warships,' mumbled West, looking around the hurriedly put together meeting of his Principals Committee. Only Pierce, Newman and Brock had managed to make it in time. He eyed each one individually. 'Can any of you tell me that your President hasn't been got by the balls?'

Brock smiled and Newman rolled her eyes, but before anyone could answer, the intercom lit up and Jenny Rinaldi's voice came over. 'Sorry to interrupt, Mr President. The National Security Advisor's office needs to speak to Mr Brock urgently.'

Peter Brock was on his feet. 'I'll take it outside,' he said, leaving the room.

A brief uncomfortable silence followed, with the President left between the two opposing views of his administration. It was Pierce who put forward a suggestion: 'Why don't we call Park's bluff, Mr President? We get South Korea to apologize for the killing at Panmunjom. We accept their explanation for the missile. The status quo resumes. Japan will have no reason to invoke article six. We turn the issue into one of development aid. They get no more until they abandon their missile programme and let in inspectors. After a decent interval we bring up the smallpox programme, and ask for access. If they comply, we build up a free North Korea, just like we have done with the whole of East Asia.'

'That's what we've been doing for years,' said Newman. 'And all it does is buy them time.'

'We might be buying lives,' snapped Pierce.

'Chris,' said West, wanting to avoid further confrontation. 'I need to be able to go with air strikes, bombing and missiles, on North Korea within twenty-four hours. Mary, can you work out a formula along the lines that Chris suggested and call in the Chinese ambassador? Tell him if Jamie Song doesn't want us to bomb those goddamn missile sites, we want China to do it.'

'China?' repeated Newman, about to object, but then thinking better of it.

'That's right,' said West. 'From where I come from, if one son of a bitch objects to your doing something, you tell him to either shut up or do it himself. Let's see what Jamie's answer is to that.'

The door clicked open and Brock stepped back into the room. 'Mr President. We have confirmation that there has indeed been a coup in Pakistan. The country is now in the hands of Islamist military commanders.'