McKinlay looked around the table. Some faces were angry, others resigned, others curious as to where this was going. SACEUR had just had the bad manners to point to the ever-present elephant in the NATO room, something everyone present knew, but no one ever referred to, at least in public: the fact that the information given to the NAC had a nasty habit of leaking straight back to Moscow. Many of the ambassadors were clearly unhappy at the insinuation and some were already demanding to speak.

Admiral Howard ignored the hubbub.

“Secretary General, it is right that the NAC should set the political end-state and I am quite clear what you want me to achieve. However, I have to be able to plan and execute the military strategy to achieve that without having to clear it every step of the way with the NAC . . . And without fearing for operational security. I therefore request the NAC give me full authority to proceed from here on to the end of this crisis without having to clear the details of the campaign with you. We can, of course, revisit this matter when Russia has been expelled from the Baltics.”

And now the muttering around the table was reaching a crescendo.

Kostilek banged his gavel again and called for order. “My dear colleagues, I fully understand your concerns regarding this issue. I propose that we ask SACEUR and DSACEUR to step outside while we discuss it in closed, ambassador-only, session. The Chairman of the Military Committee, as the NAC’s official military adviser, will of course remain.”

And with that, Howard nodded to McKinlay and the two men left the council chamber to be met by Captain Dan Rodowicz, the tall ex-professional basketball player who had joined up after 9/11 and was now part of SACEUR’s forward liaison team in NATO HQ. “Hi, Sirs. I suggest we head upstairs to the office and we’ll fix you a coffee and something to eat.”

Two hours later, the call came through to the office requesting Howard and McKinlay to return to the chamber. As they entered, the room went quiet.

Kostilek welcomed them back. “SACEUR, thank you for your patience. We have debated this issue in detail and I am pleased to say that, after considerable discussion, we have a consensus. We ask that you submit the usual daily update to the NAC and, in particular, that you keep the NAC appraised of any issues likely to have an impact at the grand strategic level. Furthermore, the NAC has agreed that, as Secretary General of NATO, you are to brief me in detail on your plan as it proceeds. Meanwhile, you have the green light to prosecute operations as you see fit.”

1030 hours, Friday, July 7, 2017

Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), Cheltenham, England