Sea of Shadows eBook - Navy Thriller.com

198 JEFF EDWARDS
“Until this point, the United Nations has chosen to contain his abuses
through restrictive political and economic sanctions, enforced largely by a
multinational naval blockade. Though many people—and I include myself
on the list—have advocated for more direct action against the government
of Abdul al-Rahiim, the UN’s sanctions have had significant success in
keeping a lid on his oppressive regime.
“But those efforts will all come to nothing if we allow this tyrant to
rearm his military. Think of the damage he was able to do with aging ex-
Soviet military hardware. And then imagine what he could do with stateof-the-art
weaponry. Imagine what the Middle East will look like if Abdul
al-Rahiim finds himself in possession of cutting-edge submarines, fighter
jets, and missile systems.
“The United States cannot—will not—stand by and watch as advanced
weapons systems are handed over to Siraj. And so I asked Prime Minister
Irons for assistance in blocking the delivery of four technologically
advanced submarines. The resulting blockade ended in the attack on HMS
Chatham and HMS York.
“Early this morning, United States Navy warships operating on my
orders attempted to intercept the German submarines in the Gulf of Aden,
south of the Middle Eastern country of Yemen. A naval battle ensued. An
aircraft carrier, USS Kitty Hawk, suffered serious battle damage, and two
U.S. Navy helicopters were shot down. Twenty-one American Sailors
were killed: fifteen aboard the Kitty Hawk, plus the air crews of both
helicopters.
“I spoke at length with Chancellor Shoernberg on the phone, shortly
after we received word of the attack on USS Kitty Hawk. He formally
declined to apologize for the attacks on our ships or the ships of the Royal
Navy. Chancellor Shoernberg also refused to comment on Germany’s
intentions with regard to Siraj. In the hours since our phone conversation,
the chancellor has rejected all attempts to open a diplomatic dialogue.”
The president gripped the edges of the podium and stared directly into
the television cameras. “I do not wish to believe that a long-trusted ally
has turned against the United States, but it is becoming increasingly
difficult to view the actions of the German government in a friendly light.”
His eyes narrowed. “To Chancellor Shoernberg, President Bremen, and
the Federal Assembly of the German government, I say this: I have already
dispatched ships to intercept and sink the four submarines in question. It is
neither my desire nor my intention to threaten a sovereign nation with a
long history of peaceful ties to the United States, but we will not permit
aggression against our citizens or our military forces to go unpunished.
We remain open to a diplomatic solution, but we will take whatever steps