U.S. Embassy on Altis Evacuated Due to Terrorist Takeover - Grand Central Times - May 16th, 2019

[Capt Hart]

U.S. Embassy on Altis Evacuated Due Terrorist Takeover

The Grand Central Times - Dateline May 16th 2019

 

 

President Moore gives a statement on the disposition of U.S. Citizens on the Republic of Altis and Stratis

 

 

The political unrest on the small island Republic of Altis and Stratis took a sharp turn for the worse yesterday after AAF forces fired on a crowd of civilians. In the ensuing chaos, militant groups across the island used the opportunity to seize territory and take control of both the capital and the Altis International Airport. The U.S. Ambassador reportedly ordered a full evacuation of U.S. personnel before the capital was taken and their evacuation began in earnest. Meanwhile the militants were seizing territory at an alarming rate, catching the very well equipped, but poorly trained, AAF off guard. As of this writing, the AAF has reportedly taken back the South Eastern tip of the island, but still does not have control of a majority of their territory.

 

The White House has confirmed today that all U.S. Personnel on the island have been successfully evacuated and that a nearby U.S. Carrier Task Force has been assigned to the area to provide aid and air-support to the Island Nation. President Moore also confirmed that due to U.S. Travel Advisories no other U.S. Citizens were present on the island when the militant takeover occurred. The President used the opportunity to remind the American public to be careful when traveling overseas and to always consult the travel advisories and take extra precautions, or cancel trips, if needed. The President did not take any questions after giving his statements.

 

The sudden takeover of the small island republic has raised some questions among strategic thinkers. Military experts speculate that an outside source may have been involved in funding, coordinating, or supplying the militant forces which took over the island in a matter of hours. (Ret.) SSG Thomas Lee, former U.S. Army Green Beret and author of the New York Times best selling book "Winning Battles on Two Fronts: A soldiers guide to life at home and on deployment" stated

"Nations, especially small ones, don't have large numbers of well trained militants sitting around just waiting for an opportunity to take over the whole place. Seeing something like that should start making people ask a lot of questions about who might be behind those groups because an event like the one that just took place on Altis does not happen naturally. Even if public order has gotten so low that the military kills a bunch of civilians." 

 

Despite Lee's comments, the small island republic seems to hold very little strategic influence for any countries opposed to western democracy. It's hard to imagine who or what would want to fund an uprising there. To what end? Could it be related to the escalating tensions on the border of Iraq and Iran? For now we will just have to wonder.

 

 

Alan White - The Grand Central Times
*This news report is a fictional work created to support the 3d MRB ARMA gameplay