Note to self; never ever write a TL about a theme I can write about in great detail
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A WAR ON THE STRAIT, DAY 1 JULY 17TH 2002, [CONTINUATION]
930 AM: A royal message to the nation is announced for broadcast at 10 AM in every spanish radio and TV. Newspapers are already busy working on special editions.
Submarines from the Mediterranean command take positions near the Al-hoceima naval base.
In the Principe de Asturias, the planes arrive safe and prepare for a 2nd raid on the Tangiers naval base. Admiral Barberá assumes that he has won the first battle mauling a good deal of the Moroccan airforce; but at a high cost with the loss of the Numancia
The frigate Numancia, badly wounded, withdraws towards Ceuta. In a few hours, video images of the burning frigate entering the port will become the first media icon of the war.
In Ceuta, Melilla, and the rest of the plazas, the Spanish legionaires and soldiers prepare for the now expectable Moroccan strike. Ceuta is easy to defend since the city center is on an island easy to supply by sea, but Melilla is on the bottom of a valley surrounded by Moroccan territory by 3 sides. The main issue, though, is that there are around 70000 civilians in each city and now it is too late to start an evacuation, so both Spanish and Moroccan commanders must be careful or the situation will become a massacre. Panic is already widespread among the population.
In Rabat, commanders congratulate themselves at the news of the damaging or sinking of the Numancia; but the news about the air battle are bleaker. Less than one third of the planes sent to attack the Spanish fleet has come back. The Moroccans know that what comes next is a massive Spanish attack on radar and AA positions, followed by a raid on the Moroccan airbases, hoping to destroy as much of the Force Aérienne Royale as they can. It is decided that a token force with the oldest planes will be left at the 3 bases of Kenitra, Meknes and Rabat, while the core of the airforce is withdrawn to other airbases or civilian airports far from the strait. This means giving the Spaniards air superiority over the strait, but at least the Moroccan airforce will be more or less intact to be able to conduct isolated strikes. While the Moroccans can now still reach the strait, the Spaniards, operating from bases in Spain, cannot reach the most faraway bases in central and southern morocco.
10 AM: King Juan Carlos addresses the nation. In a brief communication, he informs that Spain has been forced to attack Moroccan forces to prevent an invasion of Ceuta and Melilla, and that for all purposes a state of war exists between the kingdoms of Spain and Morocco. He also announces that the Aznar government has resigned due to the failure to take Perejil bloodlessly and that a new emergency government is being set up.
In Southern Spain, people stares at the skies as dozens of warplanes flying at low height head south…
A few minutes after King Juan Carlos, King Muhammad VI addressed the Moroccans. The Spanish agressors had tried to retake Laila [Moroccan name of perejil] and attacked the Moroccan mainland when the defenders had tried to repel them.
In Washington, the US government finds itself with a serious headache. On the first hand, Spain is a valuable ally which has contributed troops to Afghanistan and ships to Enduring Freedom. On the other hand, Morocco is one of the few reasonably secular Islamic states which supports the US, and it is more or less clear that it was actually the Spaniards who attacked first, albeit they claim it was just a preemptive strike. In two hours of conversations with the ambassadors, both sides refuse any agreement to a ceasefire and the American position becomes more and more uncomfortable as hours pass.
10.30: The second wave of Spanish warplanes starts bombing Moroccan radar and AA positions all over the strait region, arriving as south as Ksar-El Kebir, at less than 100 miles from Rabat.
The first land combat engagements outside of Perejil starts as Moroccan artillery starts bombing the Spanish outposts at Velez de Gomera and Alhucemas; supported by the small Moroccan flotilla anchored at Al-hoceima.
As the morning passes in both Spain and Morocco, the streets are mostly empty and none of the usual ambient of a summer morning is to be found. Most people is either at home or at a bar staring at the TV’s while the news of the combats spread slowly. In Morocco, people cheers when the CNN and al-Yazira show the first images of the Numancia burning next to Ceuta, while Spaniards shout in anger.
11PM: Naval aviation from the Principe de Asturias bombs the naval base at Tangiers, followed minutes later by a missile salvo from the Alvaro de Bazán. This is the first attack on a Moroccan city and destroys the tiny fleet (mostly patrol boats and a corvette) the Moroccans had to control the straits.
In Madrid King Juan Carlos ends a frantical successions of phone calls to make up a new emergency government. Fortunately, most Spanish politicians are still in the city due to the latter day’s debate and the closure of airspace that night.
12PM: after heavy damaging the Moroccan installations in the north of the country, the 2nd wave of Spanish airplanes returns back to base, where frantical efforts are made for a raid on the Moroccan airbases.
the Arab League issues a declaration condemning the Spanish aggression on a member of the League and declaring that Morocco shall be provided with “moral and material support”. Minutes later, NATO issues a similar declaration on behalf of Spain, but neither side decides for a more direct military help.
The closure of the straits to navigation is already having effect into world navigation and economy. European trade stocks have opened with significant losses. Madrid’s stock exchange session is suspended at 12.15 PM to prevent a total breakdown.
In Lavapiés, Madrid’s most Islamic district, things are even calmer than usual. The streets are empty and almost no stores are open. In the first hours of war, the growing muslim population in Spain prefers to have a low profile. Despite that, the first racist incidents are reported at 12.20 PM. Most are about people of muslim origin being insulted or beaten by an angry mob; but there are several isolated cases of muslims attacking Spaniards. In morocco, many Spaniards and westerners take shelter at the embassy and consulates in the main cities.
All over southern spain and the canary islands, people tries to leave the cities in the event of an unlikely Moroccan raid. The beaches of Andalusia, usually full in these days, are empty.
In Madrid, Mariano Rajoy is sworn as 5th President of the Government since the restoration of democracy in a rushed ceremony at the Moncloa Palace still occupied by the Aznar family. José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero swears as Vice-President. The less vital offices such as Health or Culture are retained by their former titulars, while other offices are occupied by socialists such as Rafael Caldera (Public Administrations) and Catalonian and basque moderate nationalists. For the first time since 1981, a military takes the role of Defense Minister; General Sanz Roldán; also acting as Chief of Staff. [yep, I know, this event won’t mean anything to most of you, but my Spanish readers will surely be delighted to see a Spanish government in which populars, socialists and nationalists work together. Hey, I read lots of timelines about obscure American or british politicians I don’t know about
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