"But why pick a fight?" Kipper asked. "Why not just sneak in there and, I dunno, take over a fishing village or an empty farming hamlet if they really wanted to just settle? Hell, why not just ask? We're looking for immigrants."
"Maybe we're not looking for these ones, Mister President. But I really do not care to speculate on the motives of an enemy I can't even ID yet."
Kip was forced to concede the logic of his point.
"Are there any assets you need that might help us identify them?" he asked.
"Not really," Franks said. "Their communications discipline is very good. At least at command level. Reminds me of looking for bin Laden back in the day. They just don't use the sat phones. I'd speculate they use runners to get their orders out and push a lot of responsibility down to the small unit level. They move around a lot. But they do so under cover. Whenever we get any sign of big concentrations of enemy personnel, we hit them with what we can, although, with respect, sir, we could hit them harder, much harder, if you authorized the use of strategic air assets."
"The big bombers, you mean, General?" Culver asked.
"Yes, sir. I'm afraid that a city like New York provides lots of protection from helicopter gunships and even from the limited air strikes we're able to carry out under our current rules of engagement. It's also a very dangerous environment for close air support. We've lost four jets to shoulder-fired missiles and-" He checked a piece of paper on the table in front of him. "-and thirteen helicopters so far."
Kipper felt his head reeling at the numbers. They simply could not bear those losses for very long.
"Were they all taken down by missiles, General? Surely we could find out where those things came from."
"Some of them were ours, sir. And no, most of the choppers were killed by very low-tech means. Rocket-propelled grenades, often fired from skyscrapers. As I said, sir, it is a very challenging battlespace."
Jed leaned across his wall of ring binders. "We have discussed this, Mister President. We can use men or we can use ordnance. But at the moment we're not using enough of either. Is that what you're saying, General Franks?"
"Yes, Mister Culver."
"How many troops do we have on the island right now, General?" Kip asked.
"Close to twenty-four thousand regular army, marines, and New York militia, Mister President. The militia element forms the majority of our combat power, probably close to sixty percent. But their effectiveness is mixed depending upon their local commanders," the chairman said. "If you are amenable, I would like permission to deploy an additional marine expeditionary brigade into New York."
"Where would these marines come from?" Kipper asked. The U.S. Armed Forces were a lot smaller than they had once been. You couldn't just go tossing marine brigades around like confetti.
"I'd probably pull them from California. Los Angeles and San Diego. Stripping them down to MCRD San Diego," Franks said. "Things are secure enough that the corps felt they could move boots back to San Diego. At least secure from outside interference at any rate, and using marines there is probably overkilling the issue of zone runners and scavengers. We're scheduled to transfer more of that mission over to the local militia, anyway. May as well move it up."
Jed Culver riffled quickly through a sheaf of papers until he found what he wanted.
"Couldn't we send forces from Missouri and strip units from the garrisons along the Seattle-Kansas City rail line? They're a lot closer, and they're not busy. It's mostly wilderness out there."
Franks shook his head. "I know it looks as if those troops aren't doing anything, Mister Culver, but they keep the rail line secure from interdiction and sabotage."
"Sabotage?" Kipper asked.
"The incidents have been relatively small in number and not coordinated, but all it takes is one train derailment to cause considerable disruption to reconstruction efforts in the Midwest," Franks said. "The Second MEB is vital, but with a third one in-"
"Who the hell's been sabotaging my railways?" Kip asked. If Franks noticed his sudden surge of interest, he didn't react to it, continuing in the same gruff voice as before.
"The bureau is investigating, Mister President. They're not ruling anything out. There's some indication it could be a Deep Green thing or one of the Earth First splinters. But the strikes were pretty far into the interior, well beyond the reach of a bunch of tree huggers and vegan whack jobs. Latest theory is Fort Hood, possibly using a bogus Green front to mess with our supply lines. They do have the capability and motive," Franks said, notably omitting Blackstone's name. It was known that Franks had been part of the effort to oust Blackstone from uniform. Kip understood that he didn't care for the man in the least.
"That Blackstone asshole again?" Kipper exclaimed with a passion that surprised even himself. "This guy is like Satan's own jack-in-the-box the way he keeps popping up. How bad is it, General? And why wasn't I informed?"
Franks didn't look at all uncomfortable with the question.
"It's not as bad as it could be, Mister President, precisely because we have those garrison forces along the line, constantly patrolling. And that's why you weren't informed. Compared to some of our other problems, this one is small potatoes and easily managed as long as we keep those forces in place and on alert. I'd add, though, that the fact they haven't caught anyone does tend to bolster the case that it's not amateurs operating out there."
Kip got his runaway temper under control again. He'd come forward in his chair, and the knuckles on his clenched fists stood out white against the suntan he'd picked up visiting so many reconstruction sites.
"Okay," he said. "But General, and Jed, too, if this sabotage gets out of hand or even if it starts ramping up, I want to know. That rail line is the single most important transport corridor we have."
"Will do, Mister President," Franks said.
"I think you were about to give us a few options for redeploying troops to New York," Culver suggested, moving the discussion forward again.
On screen, Franks nodded.
"We should also be able to redeploy the marines from Kennedy since the cav has now totally secured the airport. Navy is moving some of their assets up from Puerto Rico to seal off access to the city from the sea. At least as best they can. These 'assets' consist of two destroyers and an oil tender. It will be a big help if Secretary Castellato can secure some assistance from the British, Mister President."
"That's why she's there, General," Kipper said. He was due to call Castellato in two hours for an update but saw no point in wasting time speculating on progress until he'd heard from Alida herself.
Franks leaned toward him on the screen, almost filling it.
"I should warn you, sir, that casualties are certain to increase over the course of the next month."
"I'm sorry," Kipper said, certain he'd misheard. "A month? This battle could last a month?"
Franks nodded. "Easily, Mister President. We could deploy two to three times as many troops without changing the duration of the engagement."
Oh, man, thought Kipper. This was getting worse by the minute.
"I see," he said aloud. "General, did you receive a copy of Admiral Ritchie's brief concerning the possible use of nuclear and/or chemical weapons in New York?"