The world changed on September the 11th 2001. It changed forever, and I believe it will just get worse from here on in. The world balance of power is changing; we are witnessing this right now. The power of the worlds sole Superpower - The United States of America is slowly dwindling away. Soon the USA will no longer be able to look after the world and hold back all of the scheming dictators and megalomaniacs waiting in the shadows.
Wether it be destroyed by "God events" like Tsunamis, Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes and or Floods. Or, political cowardice. Or economic disasters leaving it crippled and in an uncontrollable social / economic depression leading to the inevitable civil / race war that has always been stalking, barley hidden, under the surface. Revenge for social inequalities would be vicious and quite barbaric if it were to come. Panic tends to bring-on the worst in people, and a nation spinning into inevitable social meltdown would be very ugly.
In “my version” the United States of America is utterly destroyed by a quick succession of natural disasters. The prelude to the end of our current system was a massive earthquake that is felt all around the world. The epicentre is along the New Madrid fault line, and destabilises the tectonic plates and ruptures the crust so badly that the super volcano under Yellowstone National Park erupts, as does Mt St Helens and several others.
The earthquake also sets-off the Cumbre Vieja volcano, located on the Canary Islands, dislodging a large chunk of the volcano. The massive section of the volcano plunging into the ocean sending an immense Tsunami towards West Sahara, substantial waves would also hit the coasts of France, Portugal, Spain and Britain as well as the US East Coast.
The combination of these natural disasters destroys the US in under 36 hours! Nothing is left. Where the land mass used to be there is nothing but ocean. The destruction would be total, and unprecedented. Businessmen and traders from all around the world would be devastated by the sudden demise of their biggest customer. Fortunes will be lost in an instant.
Canada would survive, but be severely effected. The resulting volcanic cloud enveloping the earth leaving the surface in total darkness for up to four days. Afterwards the ash clouds begin to fall as black rain. The entire planet would be effected by this, though not as badly as many predicted. After three weeks the sun breaks through again and cleansing rains help to get things slowly back to relative normality.
The skies during the hours of sunrise and sunset take on a red hue fading to pink. This lasts for several years similarly to how it was following the eruption of Krakatoa in Indonesia in 1883.
The economies of many nations would be decimated by the destruction of America. The shock of what happened leaving many of the world’s politicians in a state of shock. Some though would quickly take advantage of the confusion. Of those, Ayatollah Khamanei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran, begin preaching to their flock of the ‘great gift from Allah’ and the destruction of the ‘Great Satan’.
The other would be the rise of a great European Leader, the former German premier of Bavaria, Edmund Stoiber. Trained at the feet of Franz Josef Strauss, a charming man who, along with his long time friend the German Pope Ratzinger, would have all the right soothing words to calm the European population, get the economy back on track and take charge in an uncertain world.
The power vacuum created by the destruction of America would be severely contested.
To those who think “my version” could never happen, I hope you are right, but keep in mind, nobody foresaw the horrific events of September the 11th, nobody expected the Boxing Day Tsunami and nobody expected the events that immediately followed Hurricane Katrina. Things on this earth can change and change very quickly.
Whatever it is that takes the USA off its pedestal of ‘sole Superpower’ status I believe it is not far off. Once the ‘restrainer’ has been removed, there are three power blocks I see waiting to take her place. The fight to fill the vacuum that America leaves will lead us into the ugliest War the world has ever witnessed. The outcome............unknown?
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The three power blocks are: -
The Islamic / Arab block (Islamic Union?) consisting of:
Egypt, Syria, Iran (including what is left of Iraq), Saudi Arabia (minus its Royal family), Sudan, Ethiopia, Libya and Somalia.
The Russian / Chinese block consisting of Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, China (including Taiwan), Japan?, Korea (as a single nation), Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
The European Union and Latin America.
But not England, Wales or Scotland.
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The reason why I believe those blocks will form-up this way is the direct result of the demise of the USA. America, since World War Two really has been the worlds Policeman. Like it or hate it, America has, simply by being there, prevented many a madman from coming to power. With it gone, things will change and as we shall see in this story, it will come about quite quickly.
Taiwan, for example will not fair very well without its protector around to help keep it safe from the Chinese Dragon. The Taiwanese people will be given the inevitable ultimatum by the mainland. "Surrender to the Chinese mainland or be wiped out". They will surrender.
Iraq will become part of “Greater Iran” since the US Coalition Forces there will not be able to maintain their position and will have to flee knowing that they are on their own as their homeland has.......gone! If this is the case, I believe they will, if they can, flee to mountains of Northern Jordan. Those stranded in Afghanistan will perish.
I see little future for the Saudi Royal family, they are under too much of a threat from radical Islamic Mullahs within their own country not to mention the Iranian Ayatollahs. With America out of the picture their options will be very limited indeed.
South Korea also will have to make amends with their Northern brothers since their ‘great protector’ will no longer be around. This, I believe will be rather bloodless as they in fact need each other more than they have the desire to kill each other. This process will be fostered by their giant neighbour, China. Why? Simple, China needs South Korea’s ship building yards and highly skilled ship building workforce. They will be spared unthinkable tortures and horror by using their highly skilled workforce to reengineer itself to assist the Chinese war machine. Most people, if given the choice of either watching their family die, and then themselves, or working for a dictatorial foreign power in a reasonably safe status quo would probably choose the later. This is how China’s two 60, 000 ton Aircraft Carriers become reality, built in an unbelievable nine months!
Japan has a question mark due to whatever it is that removes America from the playing field. If it is a conglomeration of natural disasters, like the Super Volcano in Yellow Stone National Park, the resulting earthquakes would trigger a massive Tsunami, spreading out from the US west coast, that may well wipe Japan off the map, or a least devastate it so badly that it will be unable to function, neither to defend itself, or launch military pre-emptive actions against regional aggressors. If its economical, could Japan survive without the American market? Would Japan submit to its giant neighbour?
The Russian / Chinese partnership is just now really getting going with combined military exercises and exchanges of military technologies etc. This will just get bigger and bigger. Russian has the technological edge that China needs and China has the manpower Russia needs. Between the two of them and the Asian countries that China will inevitably go on to dominate, they will raise the biggest Army the world has ever witnessed.
Will Great Britain finally join the EU? I'd say no. The reason being she has traditionally never been considered part of mainland Europe, and mainland Europe is destined to become more and more hardline Roman Catholic. Great Britain has up until now always stood in opposition to the power of Rome. As we shall see, the new European leader and his Pope will not dare give Great Britain the benefit of the doubt. With seventy percent of the European Union Forces preparing to head South to engage the Moslems they could not risk the British interfering with their plans.
Operation Eagle Day 2 will be set in motion. This operation, like the one some seventy years prior, will aim to wipe the RAF from the face of the earth. Britains’ Naval forces, and commercial fishing boats too will be sunk where they berth. All airfields, airports, both military and domestic will be flattened. All seaports too will be annihilated. The European leader will have to be sure that there could be no surprises coming his way from the British mainland. Revenge will be sweet. Great Britain having been a thorn in their side for far too long.
The sudden demise of America will be such a blessing for the Ayatollahs of Iran and most of the peoples of the Middle East. With this seemingly 'Allah-like' event having removed Iran's main stumbling block, with regards to the removal of the Jewish State, the minarets of the Middle East will bellow with the rejoicing of the Arabs finally being able to rid themselves of the eternally hated Jew!
Israel however will be doing exactly the opposite. Realising quickly that with the US out of the picture they will either need to very quickly find a new powerful ally or fight for their very existence with no hope of assistance. Their renewed hope will come in the form of the European Union, lead by a strongman who will be only too willing to help the ailing Jews in their time of need. The deal will be struck; the Jewish State will sign a military assistance pact with the EU.
This will anger the Islamic / Arab block so much that the Ayatollahs will hatch a plan to punish the European Christians for the ‘error of their ways’. A three-pronged attack will be mounted against the European Christians, and the Jews. One will be an immediate oil embargo against the EU, until it cancels its military assistance pact with the Jewish State. The second will be a series of suicide bombings across Europe to teach the Christians a lesson or two about insulting Allah, and the third will be a Hezbollah lead operation to wipe out the recently established EuroForce entity that was set-up by the “Zionist puppets” in Europe to help monitor the Hezbollah activities in Southern Lebanon.
Operation “Black Scimitar” will leave hundreds dead, by suicide bomber, over a period of days, culminating in a dirty bomb, hidden in a shipping container, going off somewhere along the Rhein. The new European leader and the Pope will combine their voices in a hate filled instruction to head South and wipe the Moslems off the face of the earth! It will be so reminiscent of the old Crusades, many European military units will start using the symbols of previous Crusades on their tanks and armoured fighting vehicles and aircraft. Millions of young European men, who typically didn't think military service would appear to fit in with their “rave parties” and “café lifestyle”, didn't need any further convincing that this Islamic threat had to be dealt with once and for all. First, the European continent would be cleansed of the Mohammedan filth, then on to birthplace of Islam!
So. With that as the basic background story, we begin…………
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With Israel embarked in bitter fighting not only with its Palestinian population, but increasing air attacks by Iranian, Egyptian, Syrian and Saudi aircraft, and with Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad units infiltrating the Jewish State, Israel knew in no uncertain terms they were fighting for their very existence.
The sudden and shocking Syrian biological attack on Haifa lead to the dire decision to drop a Neutron device on Damascus. Once this escalation occurred all involved knew that there would be no rules of engagement, it would be kill or be killed.
It was at this time that the first EU forces came into the fray. French Rafale fighters from the Charles De Gaul, in their new Desert camouflage scheme, made several forays into Jordanian airspace to deal with the Saudi F-15S fighter-bombers. They didn't have it all their own way with Saudi F-15C's and Iranian F-14A's, F-7’s and F-10A’s proving to be more of a problem than anybody had thought possible. The French took 50% casualties in the first day. A shocking toll by any standards.
German Marine and Air Force Tornados and Typhoons were next into battle, flying from bases in Turkey and Cyprus. The Luftwaffe aircraft too were in their own desert camouflage scheme and they, like all of the European Union aircraft involved in this fight, wore the circle of twelve stars on their fins. The Tornado’s were escorted in and out by Spanish and Italian Typhoons that faired much better than the French Rafales.
The air battles became more and more furious with the hastily put together Islamic Union (IU) jets giving as good as they got. Apparently lessons learned the hard way by Iranian pilots during its war with Iraq were drummed into the new generation pilots so well that they performed far better than anybody could have predicted. Even so, it still wasn't enough. The “locusts” were coming!
With Great Britain ‘dealt with’ the EU forces got themselves organised and on a war footing. Their ‘whirlwind’ like progress was unstoppable. Fifty-seven days later it was all over. The Middle East had been conquered. The State of Israel was rescued from certain death and the geopolitical map had changed yet again.
Astronomical death counts were recorded. The vast majority of the Palestinian population was gone. Syria was a total ruin. Much of the Iranian , Egyptian, Syrian and Saudi Air Forces were destroyed. Jordan, which bore the brunt of most of the fighting, was a smoking hulk. The Royal family, having fled deep into the northern mountains early on in the conflict, along with a few thousand Jews, survived.
Much of the Jewish State's military was gone. Manpower was down by a massive 85%. Without the assistance from the Europeans they would have been wiped out to a man.
War has a habit of turning people insane. This is what seemed to have happened to the European leadership. With their unprecedented victory in the Middle East they lay claim to all Middle Eastern oil, telling the rest of the world that THEY would now dictate world oil prices.
This infuriated China and Russia. However they weren't quite ready to be able to do anything about it. Their own plans of Middle Eastern domination were still several months-off being ready. So, initially they accepted the European deal. Never the less China needed Oil urgently to feed its giant appetite, and they knew just where to go and get some………Australia!
Life in the Middle East had changed forever. With the Arab / Islamic population of the area, especially in the immediate countries bordering on the State of Israel, down to as little a 5%, the reality of life there was beginning to sink in. The Jews, with the Europeans blessings, began to build their third Temple, right on top of the ruins of the Islamic Holy Mosques.
Some European families moved into the Middle East to join their husbands and wives who were serving in the EU military. Life in the Middle East began to take on a surreal aspect of peace and tranquillity. Telltale pyres of black smoke from the burning of remaining corpses could still occasionally be seen. The surviving Jews welcomed their European friends with open arms. Peace, it seemed, had settled over a battle scarred Middle East.
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Several months later, in the Southern Pacific, China made its first move. Along with her two new Islamic allies, Malaysia and Indonesia, by her side China quickly decimated Singapore, then The Philippines and then Papua New Guinea. The technique was the same in all cases. Russian and Chinese Submarine launched cruise missiles against Navy, Army and Air Force facilities, followed by mixes of second and third generation fighter bombers like J-6 (MiG-19S), J-7 (MiG-21), and Q-5D/E/F Fantan, followed by the newer generation J-10A/B, JH-7/A Flying Leopard and J-11A / 30MKK2 fighters.
This tactic had the effect of using-up the defenders meagre anti-air defence capabilities on old and expendable aircraft leaving the way relatively clear for the new fighters to do their work. For the first time PLAN J-6 and J-7 fighters were used as both remote controlled super bombs and suicide jets. Also the New 60,000 ton aircraft carriers Mao Tse Tung (used ever so effectively in the Spratley Island war) and Jiang Zemin were put to effective use with their J-10C, J-11MKK and Su-30MKK2 aircraft.
Working in conjunction with these units were pre-deployed Special Forces. Some had been ‘in country’ for up to five years, deployed under the guise of Students, Businessmen or Tourists they would reconnoitre the relevant area and report back on information deemed important for the invasion planners.
These men and women would set-up explosives in various places to multiply the panic and confusion once the attacks had begun. Political opposition Parties had also been put into place years prior to the attacks. Once the military aspects had been taken care of the new Political leadership was ready to go.
As soon as the airports were secured, Commando units were brought in by commercial airliners three to four hundred crack troops at a time to secure more facilities and prepare flow-on troops and supplies to be used in the next stage of the operation.
Since the likes of the Geneva Convention were long ago a distant memory, horrific tactics were employed on civilian populations. Those not needed for immediate slave labour were gassed or burnt in large groups, men, women, children, it made no difference, if they were of no immediate use, they were exterminated.
With Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and New Guinea secured, and the other Island States affirmed by Defence cooperation pacts several years prior, the next stage of the operation got under way. The invasion of Australia!
With their protector gone Australia was the jewel waiting to be claimed. Full of natural resources and world-renowned facilities it would provide the Russian / Chinese block with the necessary raw materials to continue the war effort.
However Australia had a bit of an advantage over her Northern Asian neighbours that had just fallen. US Forces! Lots of them. With the demise of their homeland many US military units re-deployed to Australia to rally together, mourn, and prepare the defence of Australia. Their new, and only, home. Two Carrier Battle groups had managed to survive the European, Chinese and Russian submarine threat and made it safely to Australian waters. Also making the journey were several US Submarines and many US fighter aircraft from their bases in Japan and South Korea along with their accompanying tankers and AWACS.
The Australian and US forces had precious little time to prepare and train for the Chinese onslaught. It was decided early-on to try and get the civilian population from the Northern and Eastern States to head South and West and rally near Melbourne and Adelaide. This was halfway through its cycle when the Chinese and Russian missiles began slamming into their respective targets.
F/A-18’s from the USS Theodore Roosevelt, operating in the Coral Sea, put up a sterling advanced defence. But the numerical superiority of the Chinese forces was just too great for the brave Naval aviators to have much effect.
The Carrier and all her support ships were destroyed two and a half hours after the attacks begun. It was an outstanding effort to survive that long against a determined enemy throwing at the US Carrier suicide jets, air and submarine launched cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, torpedoes and highly specialised ‘anti-carrier missiles’ launched from PLAN Su-30MMK2 fighters. The Chinese, Indonesian and Malaysian forces paid a heavy price though with one hundred and seventeen aircraft shot down by a combination of Surface to Air Missiles from the accompanying Aegis Cruisers and the intense efforts of the Hornet pilots.
The Aussies didn’t have the numbers to match the Chinese invaders and their Indonesian and Malaysian allies, but they’d be dammed if they were going to admit defeat and just give up……that……was un-Australian!
But help was on its way! In a surprise move India decided it was going to lend its support to the beleaguered Australian and American forces. With the Aircraft Carrier Vikramaditya, and her compliment of 30 MiG-29K+ Fulcrums a surprise attack was made on several key Indonesian air bases and naval ports. Also Indian Air Force Flankers and Mirage 2000 jets made the long trip across the Indian Ocean to land in Western Australia to begin interdiction and intimidation operations against the main Chinese air and ground assets operating in Northern South Australia.
Despite three months of the heaviest fighting the region had seen since the end of WWII, Australia fell to the Tsunami-like invaders. Some of the population made it deeper into the heart of Australia where they were left to their own fate. The Chinese weren’t interested in them, they had what they came for. Not only had they claimed the country, they also managed to acquire enough of the civilian population to work the mines, farms, oil rigs gas fields and steelworks for the Chinese war effort to grow and continue.
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With anti-satellite warfare between the EU and the Russian/Chinese pact at its height, China managed the tactical advantage in space. Reconnaissance information for both of these new and competing Superpowers was essential. Two months after the completion of the invasion of Australia, the European leader began to hear of moves by both Russian and Chinese forces towards the Middle East. This totally infuriated the European leader. His tolerance of the Jewish remnant had been niggling at him for months, finally he’d had enough.
The European leader ordered all Jews to be either exterminated or taken to Europe to be enslaved. Then, he oversaw a massive pre-emptive strike on the massing Russian and Asian forces.
President Putin, having managed to ward off the EU pre-emptive strikes, decided to delay his invasion of the Middle East to once and for all rid his people of the Historical Western threat. Russia invaded and vanquished Europe. It was an ugly desperate battle. Horrific fire bombs and some tactical nuclear weapons were used. Rome was wiped out, as was Berlin. Once Europe had been dealt with he continued South with his Iranian, Ethiopian, Sudanese and Egyptian allies with him.
The biggest Army of all human history was also making its way into the fray. China and her Asian allies swept all that was before them. Once in the Middle East it was on for young and old. The European Union forces also with her South American allies, the Russian forces, the Chinese / Asian forces all in the one geographic location.
Surveying the hellish scene before him, knowing that his country, his Vatican and his people were gone, the final phrase to emit from the mouth of the German Pope was……………… “Willkommen zur Apocalypse!”.
©Richard Chafer 2006
