Through the Looking Glass

Smoke and Mirrors: Drums of change

New Eden, United Federation, 

January 01, 2008, 8:00 am. 

Located within the Intelligence Hive, the headquarters of the First Echelon Directorate several government officials are gathered inside a small room sitting at a round table at the head of the table is Emperor William Smith, the head of state of the United Federation and sitting to his left is President Lilian Stokes, the head of government of the United Federation and to the right of William is Empress Elly Smith. 

After Director Anastasia Thompson is finished speaking concerning the ongoing black operations being conducted by First Echelon, William Smith speaks while looking at the former, "With regards to this Islamic State of Arabian Peninsula, " he pointed out bringing up the name of the militant organization that splintered from the Al-Qaeda, an infamous militant organization that conducted the terrorist attack during the eleventh of September 2001, "If they ever outlive their usefulness can we easily terminate them? " he inquired. 

"I am also quite concerned with the fact that this uprising was done without our supervision, " President Lilian Stokes continues to speak after the emperor of the United Federation is done talking, "After all Al-Qaeda is our unwilling pawn to have it fractured and create a new organization without us knowing is an intelligence disaster of the highest order, " she pointed out while looking at the holographic projection showing the map of the middle east showcasing the different militant organization active in the region with the Al-Qaeda movement in Iraq active in the Republic of Iraq while the Islamic State of the Arabian Peninsula being active in the Arabian Peninsula, her eyes then narrowed down on the name located along the Mediterranean sea, the State of Israel and the Palestine State together with the Syrian Arab Republic, three nations influenced by the United Kingdom of Albion.

"Well I always believe that a man's ambition should never exceed his worth, " Empress Elly Smith pointed out and everyone looked at her as she spoke, "Al Qaeda and this new Islamic State should be put down before their ambition made them worthless in our eyes, " she coldly stated while looking at Director Anastasia Thompson, "Our problem in the future would be, " she pauses and look at the director of First Echelon Directorate whom is preceding over the monthly meeting, a move brought about by the explosion by the Islamic State of the Arabian Peninsula which momentarily caught the United Federation of guard. 

"It would be the idea that this organization stands for, " Director Anastasia Thompon continues while looking at Empress Elly Smith, "I think that quote exists in a two way, " she pointed out, "Our global ambitions should not exceed our worth, " the director of First Echelon Directorate reiterates the former's point before clearing her throat, "Madam President and his excellency and her highness I would prefer if we keep Al-Qaeda under our thumb, " she stated informing the three of the plan concocted by First Echelon Directorate concerning the Federation's interest in the middle east where they only have a limited influence due to the region being carved up by the United Kingdom of Albion, Unified States of Mistral, Kingdom of Anzam, Imperial Republic of Soren and the Union of Nemuria. 

The holographic projection changes with the militant organizations active in the geopolitical region being replaced with the spheres of influence of the Organization of Free Nations with the relevant region except for the Republic of Iraq having a single color denoting that it is within Albion's sphere of influence while the Republic of Iraq has the same color as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia denoting it is being influenced by the Unified States of Mistral.

"In the first place the Middle East is practically useless to us, " President Lilian Stokes pointed out while looking at the map and seeing Yemen and Oman being influenced by the Imperial Republic of Soren, her eyes then glanced at the Islamic Republic of Iran being influence by the Union of Nemuria.