The new airfield built in Iraq has one of the longest runways of any nation in the region. With it, it is possible to land any plane and not run out of tarmac. I'm scheduled to fly-in and oversee the set-up of yet anoter situational awareness center. The area is highly fortified and built in a region of friendlies - the many friendlies whose views never seem to make it to the news pages.

"We have a situation! A nuclear missile armed Russian submarine has been identified near the Enterprise!"

I close my diary and set down the pen.

"Get me Tech4 on the horn"

"Yessir!"

The Russians have been blatant over the years about their violation of the 1991 arms agreement. No one mentions it, because it wouldn't make much of a difference. However, they have kept their distance from all our active carrier groups and exercises. I lift up the receiver and Tech4's agitation cracks his voice as he briefs me.

"Do we have a propeller signature?"

All submarines, save a few prototypes, use propellers. Each propeller creates its own unique signature of vortical turbulence. And we keep these files on every active Russian sub once it deploys, without Russian awareness of where or how we do it.

"Yessir. The Spionen, an Oscar-class fresh out of Tzangelsk, three weeks ago, it has nuclear warheads onboard."

"It appears our Russian friends are showing us their teeth and dislike our threatening their economic cash-cow -the Iranian nuclear bomb program."

"What was Admiral Dorn's response, if any?"

"None sir. He awaits orders from POTUS."

"I see. Keep this channel open and available. Tech1 over."

I rub my brows. Things like this tend to want to make them furrow and I smooth them out unconsciously. It will probably amount to nothing. One of the major headaches has been preparing to disable the Russian built national defense system in Iran at a moments notice. It's a hodge podge of new and old and for good measure has a Chinese back up system. Fortunately, the Russians are only going through the motions and cashing the many turbans-full of money from Tehran, as their system was built without many failsafes. It has actually taken more time to overcome the Chinese back up system, which is comparable to China's own current set up.

I imagine ODIN and BALDER are debating how to respond. No reponse is a good response, as making any effort will give Moscow unnecessary satisfaction and they really are only trying to salvage their pride and preserve their goose and it's golden eggs by dissuading OMS. The comm-link buzzes. It's Tech4 again.

"Sir. POTUS has ordered two SSGN Ohio-class vessels to approach Moscow and St. Petersburg."

"Thank you, Tech4. Keep me updated. Tech1 over."

Unnecessary. It will surely raise hackles from Putin via the diplomatic channels.

I open an internet browser and check the usual leak puddles.

Hmmm. Not a peep about any of this on either Drudge or Google news.

Good. Very good.