Fallout: The Forgotten Conflict

Friday 12th April 2052

London, United Kingdom

Daily Telegraph Extract

Military Build-up escalates to full blown war with Middle East Oil States

On Thursday April 11th 2052, soldiers of 3rd Battalion of the Coldstream Guard engaged with unknown contacts that were later confirmed as Iranian soldiers. During the engagement 6 were killed and 24 wounded in a small Forward Operating Base on the Iraqi border where our troops are defending Energy assets in the unstable Middle Eastern state that has been suffering civil disorder since the country's economy began to collapse with the drying of their oil wells. The Iranians themselves suffered 13 dead and unknown number wounded with a further 3 captured by our brave boys.

The Prime Minister gave a statement earlier this morning hinting to the possibility of escalating tensions and by noon today the United Kingdom is to be mobilised for war with Iran and its allies. The Minister of Defence said in a speech this afternoon that "We are fully aware of the weariness of our forces in entering into a conflict with nations so far away, but as the Global Energy crisis continues to get worse, we must ensure that the European Commonwealth can provide the Oil and Coal we need to maintain the standards of Energy output we have provided for the past half century, the conflict will be short, we shall send overwhelming force and ensure that we secure the Oil Fields of the Middle East and restore order and stability to both the Commonwealth, and the newly occupied territories". We wish our brave men and women the best, and a speedy end to the war, here is to being home for Christmas!

Friday 26th July, 2052

Diary entry of the US Ambassador to the United Nations

It's over. Today, Friday, July 26th 2052, after 107 years after its formation, the United Nations has been disbanded. With the War in the Middle East escalating with the European Commonwealth, the nations of both factions have gradually withdrawn their membership from the organisation. No matter the number of Resolutions we pass, the option to install peacekeepers and provide fossil fuels equally between the different states were rejected or ignored outright. I am to return to New York tonight, it's beginning to worry me now, America faces an enemy that cannot be beaten with overwhelming force and discipline, an enemy that if not beaten with alternative methods could plunge the world into a new global conflict. God Help us all.

Monday, December 9th 2052

Article extract from Arab News, Saudi Arabian newspaper company

This very day, just three hours ago, a Nuclear explosion rocked the city of Tel Aviv, Israel. It is unknown what nation or which organisation detonated the Nuclear device, nor how many of the city's 628,000 civilians have been killed, but it can be estimated that a large majority of the city's population has been killed or wounded, and Israel itself crippled by such a catastrophe. Time will tell if anyone is going to take advantage of the Israeli distraction or not. But what is known, is that this shows just how serious the war between Iran and its Allies against the European invaders is beginning to get.

Thursday 23rd January 2053

German Military Report on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East

To General Schneider Commander of Bundeswehr forces in the Middle East Theatre

From Generalmajor Kruger Commander of 1. Gebirgsdivision

General Schneider, Sir, current positions are untenable. We have been forced back to the City of Mosul. Division is at half strength, casualties are at 4000 Killed In Action, 3238 Missing In Action and a further 1200 Wounded In Action. If we do not receive reinforcements within the next couple of days, we shall face heavier casualties and a withdrawal that will threaten the flanks of Allied British and Swiss positions. Recommend Artillery support brought to the Mosul front as well as an extra division to help reinforce our new position otherwise as mentioned previously we will face being overrun by Iranian and Pakistani forces within the next 48 hours.

Diary Entry of Ario Ahmadi, Iranian Soldier on the frontline at Mosul, Iraq, Sometime in 2053

We have been fighting here for months on end and achieving very little. Our commanding officers say we shall soon have a big push and sweep aside the Europeans from what is rightfully our land. From what I can see across the no man's land that has developed, they wish to be here as much as we do. One day the oil will run dry and what then? Millions of our brothers will have died for nothing but a patch of desert and rusty metal machines that can do little but dig into useless sand. I know what I say is wrong, I love my country, and i would die for the men besides me in this battlefield, but how can our leaders not see that it is too late to begin fighting for the Oilfields. Were it up to me I would say let the Europeans have their oil, let us use our nations climate to our advantage, build massive farms of solar panels in the deserts where we cannot grow food or gain water, develop nuclear powerplants and ensure that we are provided for in the next centuries to come, but instead we do little more than quench the thirst of the desert with our blood and tears, how much longer can it last? And what happens to us when there is nothing left here to fight for?

Extract from a speech given by Soviet Premier Marina Petrov at a conference with European Commonwealth Leaders in Brussels, Belgium, Friday 20th March 2053

Fellow leaders of Europe, I of all people understand the need to fulfil the demands of my people, yet I fear that with the war in the Middle East reaching no end that millions of people are at risk of dying for a cause that will culminate in nothing! Therefore, I feel it best that we create an initiative that helps us rapidly create new forms of energy production. I urge you all to consider this matter seriously, before it is too late! Let us learn the lessons learned in the Tel Aviv, do not let the same fate befall us as befell them.

Holotape of Mexican news report from Las Estrellas, Early April 2053

"In other news Crops have begun to fail in Sinaloa State for reasons still unknown to both farmers and scientists alike. Investigations into possible reasons behind the failures have begun but until the issue can be resolved residents of Mexico are advised to stock up on food and ration it for the remainder of the year until a solution has been found to resolve the sudden infertility in the region. US Soldiers are to be deployed in the municipalities most at risk of food shortage to ensure an equal share of food to those most in need, the State's governor Jose Luis Garcia has asked that citizens of the municipalities that will host United States Forces to hospitable and provide the usual good Sinaloa welcoming".

Transcript of a news Interview with Feldweibel Elias Allaman, Rifle battalion 1, Citadel of Arbil, Iraq, Sunday 12th April 2053

Interviewer: So, it's been a long and difficult campaign, but finally after months of Stalemate, not only have you managed to push the Iranian and allied forces out of Mosul, you pushed them a significant distance back here to Erbil, how are you and your fellow soldiers feeling about the war and do you think this is the beginning of the end now that Commonwealth forces are so close to the Iranian border?

Elias: Ah, well we're happy to have finally gotten the upper hand in the conflict, we're all happy to be okay and to finally be moving again. Months in a trench isn't good for your back you know *slight laugh* but hopefully now we are so close to Iran and their forces have taken such heavy casualties it will be home by Christmas with barrels of Oil for all, a warm home is all anyone wants, and that's the reason we're here after all.

Interviewer: Of Course, so Feldweibel, home by Christmas, tell me, I know it's been a few months since then and I'm sure you had so many drinks you probably don't remember it, but our crews couldn't get out here for the event, tell us, how did you and the Commonwealth Expeditionary forces celebrate the festive season?

Elias: *Laughs* Hm, well, we drank a bit, but ah, the Iranians didn't seem to appreciate our celebrations too much, so we spent the rest of the day hunkering in the trenches and avoiding Machine gun rounds and artillery shells whilst occasionally assaulting or defending the land... There was never going to be a Christmas truce in this war that's for sure... *Begins to stare off in the distance, eyes fixed on the small oasis' in the suburbs*

Interviewer: Elias?...Feldweibel Allaman?...Sir?

*Silence, the Soldier just drops down to his knees and sobs*

Interviewer: I think that's it for today, let's go get him somewhere quiet.

Letter from Astarte Gamal to her Husband on the Suez Front, Tuesday, April 14th 2053

My love,

I hope for your safe return every day, I pray that Allah will bring you home to me and our children swiftly and that you and our brave soldiers will push the Europeans away so that we can return to peace and you can return to me. Masudah asks for you at night, he misses you reading him stories of the Ancient times, of Horus and Isis, of Achilles, Romulus and all those tales of adventure and daring and danger. He will grow to be like you I know it, I fear it too, but I am proud of you, and I will be proud of him. I miss you too, with all my heart. Forgive me for such a short letter, it is late, and I must look after Masudah, he is starting school tomorrow, I will write to you how it went.

Love and Best Wishes,

Astarte

xxx

Official letter of advice from the Centre for Disease Control to all United States Citizens, May 2053

To ALL United States citizens. As the New Plague continues to spread, it is advised that people do not leave their homes until Military Decontamination teams have finished cleaning your locations. Please contact your nearest FEMA official to find out which locations have and have not been decontaminated and where your house is in terms of specified regions. Anyone found in violation of the Quarantine will be immediately eliminated.

Do not worry about food or water, rations will be brought to you by FEMA or CDC personnel every 48 hours until your homesteads are considered safe and people can return to safe and normal conditions. Please be advised, that every FEMA or CDC official will have military escorts, do not trust those who wander around along handing out food. Whilst they may be genuinely friendly, it is not worth the risk of infecting your friends and family with the Plague, if anyone seems to be infected, immediately leave the room they are in and keep them in there, contact your CDC Liaison who will be around with specialist army units to remove the infected and decontaminate the house. Do not fear, your loved ones will be given the utmost care and treatment, though again be advised, we do not yet have a cure for this "New Plague", and as such we cannot promise their safe return, but in the event, they recover naturally, we shall allow them to return home after exactly a month in further Quarantine until we can be sure they are no long contagious.

We wish all the best and hope to have your areas disease free within the next few months.