Rough Draft Final

Frank Schaafsma

Professor Shirk

GVPT409Q

3 May 2015

My dear son,

Your father and I are praying for you, wherever you are we hope you are safe. Your brother has been busy, every police officer in the city is undergoing additional military training. New York looks like an occupied city with the military presence now. The news keeps saying there has been fighting between NATO and Russian backed forces in the Middle East and now in the Arctic. Your father is getting worried and thinks we should go west away from the city. He is not coaching right now, they stopped all school activities in the city for the rest of this year. He is upset, there were some wrestlers he believed would do really well. Most of the older boys from the team have volunteered by now. Things are just not the same. We don’t understand how they got to this point, we just want you to come home soon. Even the dogs are beginning to miss you. They sleep on your bed every night. 

We love you son, and we hope the tensions are resolved peacefully so you can return safe. We are so proud of you and we look forward to hearing from you soon.

Love always,

Mom

Maloney sat down after reading the kind words from his mother, he could not tell her where his unit was going. He decided not to answer her e-message. They were off to Ellesmere Island for joint force ‘training exercises’ The island was northwest of Greenland. In actuality, the joint exercises were just part of a larger showing of force in the Arctic region. Russian soldiers were seen past the agreed upon boundaries that were discussed in the first Arctic summit back in 2025. Since then Russian aggression in this region, along with continued Chinese aggression in the South China Sea put the world in disarray.  Raw minerals were being eaten up on a scale never before seen. The Chinese monopoly over rare Earth minerals proved dangerous to the United States and her allies. Every smartphone, piece of weaponry, or gadget was now made of these materials, but then the shipment of those materials stopped. U.S. extraction of natural gas made it a target to eastern countries as well. China withheld rare earth materials from the United States. The United States withheld exporting of natural gas to China. And, Russia’s oil exports struggled to compete with U.S. natural gas to the point of Russia intervening in the disastrous Middle East. A Middle East that the United States left in shambles after almost a two decade occupation. 

To Maloney and other members of the 6th battalion this was the world they inherited. It was the world that they were thrown into, and ultimately a world that soon would become violent. The events that lead up to this was something that could not have been avoided. September 11, 2001 changed the world forever. Maloney’s father was only in the eighth grade, but he lost his mother in the South Tower. He joined the Marine Corps the day he turned 17 and left for bootcamp two weeks after graduation. He went on to serve three tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan.

The post 9/11 world saw the United States become very belligerent, especially in cyber and drone warfare. The United States would from then on collect and organize data from every U.S. citizen. Every person who entered and existed the country would also be tracked as well. **** Add interesting statistics about NSA data collection and what has gotten us to this point. Also add what we talked about in class with ****

Maloney stood on the deck of the USS Stevenson as they approached the staging area. The next generation troop transport was the finest of its kind. Years of technological trial and error led to the sleek look of the ship. It could hold over ***** (give details on the ship include possible future capabilities)

The United States wanted to show force even during the extreme conditions of the Arctic winter. It was December 1st and Maloney’s battalion  would be operating in sub 0 temperatures. The 6th just completed five months of training at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center twenty miles north of Bridgeport, California. 

Maloney got to the beach where he met up with many of his men. They gathered around and spoke about what has led up to this event. It was December 2nd 2040. **** (Flow this better).

In 2016, Russian-US relations were at an all time low. Russian backing of separatists in Ukraine led to distrust and violence in the region. Cold War feelings were renewed. Economic sanctions distanced Russia from the United States even more. President of Russia at that time, Putin, called on China for a stronger partnership. This, in turn threatened the United States who worked with allies to economically attack both Russia and China. That same year, Russia showed greater interest in the raw materials that make up the Arctic region. Never before being divvied up amongst the powers, to Russia, the Arctic region was theres for the taking. In 2017 Russia put on the largest display of force in the region up to that time. In response, US and NATO allies conducted joint exercises on a scale larger than that conducted by Russia.***** (continue with more details on this specifically.... bring in what we discussed from readings and in class lecture)

By 2025 the situation got so dire, U.S. and Russian forces were staring each other down in the Arctic region. On numerous occasions, outright engagements almost occurred. The first Arctic summit was agreed upon by numerous nations surrounding the Arctic region (Including China). Much like the Berlin Conference, the countries divided up the territories. Within months, drilling for oil and underwater mining began. The race to collect and store minerals was underway. All the while, the countries (primarily the Midddle East became increasing unstable. Russia intervenes in the Middle East, (GO INTO DETAILS)************

By 2030, The Arctic region’s Ice size has now dwindled to 25 percent of what it was in the year 1980. The Arctic now looked like an industrial wasteland/ Military complexes and oil platforms were within only tens of miles from one another.  

By 2040, tensions renewed to a level that dwarfed pre Arctic Summit times. China got increasingly violent and offensive towards neighbors, especially in the area of the South China Sea. They began construction of numerous artificial islands and airfields extending into open international waters. This was all in the intent of extending the reach of drones and areas to conduct operations and return both man and machine home safely. ( FOCUS on this more)*****

China sent additional troops into the Middle East to foster ‘peacful relationships’. They really just wanted to control their oil fields from increasing protests and violence against Russian occupation. (Explain the Russian occupation and the exercising of violence in the region). *******

They key battle:

Work on********