“OK, Dave. That’s clear. Let me reassure you, wearing my US hat as Commander European Command, and emphatically not as SACEUR, I’m going to ask for an immediate deployment by land, sea and air to reinforce Latvia. That though is strictly between you and me, until I have confirmation. If I do not get it, I never said this to you. I never asked the President. Do we understand each other?”

“Fully,” said McKinlay, keenly aware of the degree of trust his boss had just placed in him.

“Good. What you’ve just told me should help me persuade the President to give the final executive order. Meanwhile, on the NATO side, we’ve somehow got to get the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force moving. Frankly, I’ll do it without NAC approval if I have to, so can you work the nations and let me know when I get back where we stand with force generation? I’m flying back tonight, just as soon as I’ve seen the President. See you tomorrow sometime.”

Howard disconnected, was momentarily frozen on screen, and then the Tandberg closed down.

McKinlay sat back in his chair and sipped his tea. It seemed a long time since he’d been out with his black-and-white working springer in the forest behind his residence, La Belle Alliance, early that morning. It had been a long day, but there was a lot to do yet before he could even think of heading home. He hoped his wife had walked Megan that afternoon, otherwise he’d have a very disgruntled dog when he finally got home.

Two phone calls later, to the French and Danish Chiefs of Defense, and he had mixed success. The French were prepared to support the Latvians unilaterally, but only if a French general took command of the Allied effort if, and when, it became a NATO operation. McKinlay, as the man responsible for allocating the flags to post, assured him that he was happy with this, but only if the French provided the majority of troops in the force. That sensible stipulation did not sit well with the French, who made it clear that they did not yet have an agreement.

After him, the Danish Chief of Defense was typically direct and to the point. Denmark had a bilateral agreement with the Latvians and was in the process of sending a battalion of mechanized infantry and a tank company to Latvia. It would be there within five days.

“If only everyone was like the Danes,” commented McKinlay to his PSO, Swinton. “We’d better try the Brits now, Jamie. What do your spies tell you?”

“Not good news, I fear. The MOD is pretty forward leaning and, naturally, the Army, Navy and Air Force elements of the VJTF are gagging to go. But there’s a real blockage in Number Ten.”