2009: Nuclear War. How did this happen? Keep reading.
In 2007 the Islamic Confederation tested it's first nuclear weapon. Combined with their support for violent muslim extremism abroad they were quickly denounced by most other world powers. Sanctions soon followed. Only Australia (happy to anger India and sell grain for a high price) and the United States (viewing any sanctions as fundamentally un-capitalistic and wanting to tick off Moscow) would trade with them, but it was enough to keep their extremist state afloat.
Military build up and harsh control of the populace could only last for so long though, and the hard liner regime knew it needed to do something grand to rally support. It was decided they would take the fight to their mortal foes in India and in February of 2009, on Maha Shivaratri, IC paramilitaries launched a string of terror attacks across India, killing just over 2 000 people in the combined bombings and shootings. Already sending material support to communists in Yemen, New Delhi gave no declaration of war. They simply began deploying troops directly and launching aerial bombing campaigns against the Arabian peninsula. Within 4 months over 1 million Indian soldiers, pilots, and sailors had been deployed to combat zones, while 3 million reserve forces mostly took charge of training the millions of new recruits. The Islamic Confederation stood undaunted, with several million men under arms themselves and a conviction that Subcontinental Muslims would rise up any day, they kept the war conventional (though put continued effort into expanding their nuclear arsenal). This confidence was shot when India transfered command to Karachi born Islam Iqbal and reports that enlistment by Muslims into the Indian army was only marginally lower than Hindus reached Cairo. Combined with Indian landings in Somalia the hard liners realised they had bitten off more than they could chew. 78 nuclear warheads flew on August 4th towards India (mostly aboard bombers, though a number were submarine launched). Indian interceptors stopped a number of bombers, but 63 mushroom clouds still rose over the subcontinent. The Indian response had been swift though, with their own bombers and submarines mobilised on a hair trigger for the war. The Islamic Confederation was hit with 83 warheads.
On August 5th the world was a very different place. Washington's efforts to regain control over breakaway republics and various nations sliding towards American ultra-liberalism were very clearly off the top priorities list of Moscow. Even recently partitioned Switzerland realised this had at least as much impact on their lives as the recent war had. Ottoman citizens who had watched mushroom clouds rise across the border knew two things were coming: radiation and refugees. The nations of Asia sat watching to see if India could hold together. Indonesia turned its eyes towards Australia, fearing mushroom clouds over their own nation now that India might no longer support them. Oil prices skyrocketed. As did food prices as the world feared a nuclear winter and massive food shortages in both regions.
(The series has almost hit the present, so I thought I might as well finish it.)
In 2007 the Islamic Confederation tested it's first nuclear weapon. Combined with their support for violent muslim extremism abroad they were quickly denounced by most other world powers. Sanctions soon followed. Only Australia (happy to anger India and sell grain for a high price) and the United States (viewing any sanctions as fundamentally un-capitalistic and wanting to tick off Moscow) would trade with them, but it was enough to keep their extremist state afloat.
Military build up and harsh control of the populace could only last for so long though, and the hard liner regime knew it needed to do something grand to rally support. It was decided they would take the fight to their mortal foes in India and in February of 2009, on Maha Shivaratri, IC paramilitaries launched a string of terror attacks across India, killing just over 2 000 people in the combined bombings and shootings. Already sending material support to communists in Yemen, New Delhi gave no declaration of war. They simply began deploying troops directly and launching aerial bombing campaigns against the Arabian peninsula. Within 4 months over 1 million Indian soldiers, pilots, and sailors had been deployed to combat zones, while 3 million reserve forces mostly took charge of training the millions of new recruits. The Islamic Confederation stood undaunted, with several million men under arms themselves and a conviction that Subcontinental Muslims would rise up any day, they kept the war conventional (though put continued effort into expanding their nuclear arsenal). This confidence was shot when India transfered command to Karachi born Islam Iqbal and reports that enlistment by Muslims into the Indian army was only marginally lower than Hindus reached Cairo. Combined with Indian landings in Somalia the hard liners realised they had bitten off more than they could chew. 78 nuclear warheads flew on August 4th towards India (mostly aboard bombers, though a number were submarine launched). Indian interceptors stopped a number of bombers, but 63 mushroom clouds still rose over the subcontinent. The Indian response had been swift though, with their own bombers and submarines mobilised on a hair trigger for the war. The Islamic Confederation was hit with 83 warheads.
On August 5th the world was a very different place. Washington's efforts to regain control over breakaway republics and various nations sliding towards American ultra-liberalism were very clearly off the top priorities list of Moscow. Even recently partitioned Switzerland realised this had at least as much impact on their lives as the recent war had. Ottoman citizens who had watched mushroom clouds rise across the border knew two things were coming: radiation and refugees. The nations of Asia sat watching to see if India could hold together. Indonesia turned its eyes towards Australia, fearing mushroom clouds over their own nation now that India might no longer support them. Oil prices skyrocketed. As did food prices as the world feared a nuclear winter and massive food shortages in both regions.
(The series has almost hit the present, so I thought I might as well finish it.)
