An Earlier War on Terrorism

By 2005 the so-called "War on Terrorism" was approaching its twentieth year. The assassination of Libyan strongman Muammar al-Qaddafi by bombing raid on April 15, 1986 struck at the very heart of Arab pride, Islamic unity and rejection of an overreaching American foreign policy that had interfered with the Middle East once too often. Almost 20 years later, the United States finds itself almost inextricably enmeshed in foreign wars of varying intensity, its economy reeling from staggering debt levels, clearing the way for the almost unthinkable: economists predict that by 2010 Japan's GNP and GDP will both at least equal those of the United States, if not surpass them. The crumbling Soviet Union is locked in a slow and bloody death spiral, with nationalist insurrections in Georgia and Chechnya flaring up; while it has recovered slightly from the nadir following the Afghan stalemate (ended with the signing of the Sofia Treaty in 1990 which led to the partition of Afghanistan), it remains a tottering giant. And in the Middle East, the Republic of Libya has become a horrendous quagmire for the American and Israeli armed forces, with casualties going on 75,000. One bright spot: the Iraq-Israel Accords of 2000 are about to bear fruit, as Israel plans to lend its air strength to a new and final Iraqi assault on Tehran, as Saddam hopes to emulate the lightning Israeli victory of 1967.

Point of Divergence

In the years preceding the War the United States and Libya had been engaged in a slowly escalating series of attacks, with American naval forces crossing the "line of death" to challenge Libyan territorial claims over most of the Gulf of Sidra, in violation of international precedent. American Tomcats and Libyan MiGs went nose-to-nose on several occasions. Simultaneously, Libyan support for groups like the PLO and their splinter movement and rival, the Abu Nidal Organization, was growing. After a bomb exploded in a West Berlin discotheque on April 5, 1986, killing or wounding many American servicemen stationed nearby, U.S. President Ronald Reagan decided a more strident act of retaliation was necessary.

Our Timeline

On April 15, 1986, elements from both the United States Air Force and Navy conducted a joint raid on the Libyan cities of Benghazi and Tripoli, penetrating the dense air protection provided by Soviet military advisory force with relative ease. Several dozen civilians were killed, allegedly among them the 15-month-old adopted daughter of Qaddafi himself. Qaddafi was nearby one of the strikes but escaped unharmed. Two years later, Qaddafi had some measure of revenge when Libyan intelligence agents blew up Pam Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing everyone on board (mostly Americans). It was the high water mark of his association with international terrorism, and in recent years Qaddafi has repudiated terrorism and moved to normalize relations with the West.

Alternate Timeline: Catastrophic Success

Muammar al-Qaddafi was killed instantly when a bomb dropped from an F-111 bomber made a direct hit on his tent.

The World

The United States

Main article: Modern history of the United States (Earlier War on Terrorism)

Europe

Northern Ireland

The IRA

France

Because of France's entry into the war in 1991 the country went through an economic depression. This led to growing anti war sentiment. On May 1st, 1998 the Communist Party of France led a revolution against the government. Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev sent Soviets into France to help the Revolutionaries. In January of 2000 Troops in the Military launched a mutiny against their officers. On June 3rd, 1994 the Socialist Peoples Republic of France was declared. All parties except for Parti Communiste Francais (French Communist Party) are banned. Georges Marchais is elected Premier of the Nation. In 2001 Marchais died. Robert Hue was declared Premier. On January 4th 2001 Mikhail Gorbachev dissolved the Soviet Union and many other Eastern European Communist Nations, but was taken out of power. In 2001 Hue allied himself to China, Cuba, Vietnam, Mongolia and North Korea. In 2004 Hue began a program called Ouvrez Les Portes or Open doors where he began trade in some cities in France. China, Cuba and Mongolia have followed in suit. by Rory Nolan King of the Dominion.

Yugoslavia: Fratricide

In 1990 Yugoslavian Chairman Raif Dizdarevic was killed by a Serbian Christian Nationalist, who was a part of the Serbian Army of Prince Alexander, because he was a Bosnian. A civil war soon broke out across the Provinces. By 1994 a UN Coalition Force was sent in to stop the fighting. Eventually in 1999 a treaty was agreed upon at the Council of San Marino. This treaty recognized the new Nations The Kingdom of Serbs, The Albanian Province of Kosovo, The Republic of Montenegro, The Bosnian Emirate, The Republic of Slovenia and The Republic of the Croats. But in 2003 an ethnic Macedonian rebellion broke out in Greece and Serbia. This led to the new Nation of United Macedonia in 2005. by Rory Nolan King of the Dominion.

Asia

Riddled with wars since the early 1980's. Prosperity has emerged from the rubble in the East Asian Nations, but the Middle East is still in Turmoil.

Japan

After the Vietnam War the United States decided to give Japan protectorate status. In 1987 after getting involved in the Afghani-Soviet War they gave Japan full independence. The Second Empire of Japan was officially a nation on March 1st 1989. The Emperor was Akihito (Hirohito had died on January 7th). In 1990 South Korean President Roh Tae-woo asked Akihito for help in invading North Korea. So on July 4th the Japanese Navy and Air force started attacking North Korea. The South Korean offensive was easily beat back and overrun. By August of 1990 Seoul was in North Korean hands. But the Eastern North Korean Coast was heavily bombarded by Japanese Naval and Air Power. On November 15th Japanese Marines made a landing near Wonson. On November 18th they infiltrated the city. And on November 20th the Marines detonated several bombs and car bombs around the city, when the crowds came out they shot them down. On August 10th 1993 North Korea and Japan signed a peace Treaty giving North Korea control of Northern South Korea and Japanese Naval and Air rights to the Yellow Sea, Korea Bay and East China Sea. In September of 1995 Akihito organized an invasion of Taiwan (he did not recognize the Republic of China). So on October 12th A Japanese Fleet was launched from Kyushu and an Air strike was sent. On October 13th over 50,000 people were killed in an Air strike by the Japanese and the Northern Coastal cities of Chilung and Taoyun were captured by the Japanese. By January of 1996 Taiwan was Japanese. In 1997 Akihito started getting the Economy back on its feet. It joined the United Nations in 2000. By Rory Nolan King of the Dominion.

Vietnam: The Newest Tiger

In 1979 China invaded Northern Vietnam and did serious damage as the War raged on. In 1980 Deng Xiaoping and the PLA had reached Hanoi and were in the Process of taking the city as the PLA Navy was pounding artillery into the cities of Hong Gai, Da Nang, Quy Nhon and Phan Thiet. On June 4th a COMECON coalition Force of Cubans, Poles, Mongolians and East Germans landed in Vietnam. The result of this was a Chinese invasion of Mongolia. In 1983 Cuban and Mongolian Forces evacuated Vietnam leaving a Polish force of 30,000 and an East German force of 2,100 with the VPA force of 100,000 against the Sino-Cambodian Force of 1,000,000 troops. In 1985 Polish troops evacuated Vietnam. In 1987 the Vietnamese Peoples Army surrendered at Ple Ku. The last of the East Germans evacuated in 1988. War ravaged Vietnam became the International center of media attention and Aid. By 1990 The New Peoples Republic of Vietnam was under stable control. In 1995 the Nation went through an economic boom leading it to Join the East Asian Tigers of South Korea, China and Taiwan. by Rory Nolan King of the Dominion.

The Middle East

Republic of Libya

With Qadaffi dead, the People rioted. Tripoli was completely shut down for several months when the son of Qadaffi declared himself King of the new Kingdom of Cyrenaica, backed by France, Italy and Turkey. His reign lasted from November 3rd 1981 to January 1st 1991 until Shukri Ghanems and the Egyptian, Syrian and Algerian Armies invaded to unseat King Muhammad the First, but were met by the Coalition forces of France, Italy and the Weak Cyrenaican Armed Forces. This Conflict (The Libyan War: 1991-1998) lasted until 1998 when Egyptian and Franco-Italian Forces withdrew and Muhammad was dethroned. Shukri declared himself Leader of the New Republic of Libya. In 2001 The Peoples Army of God detonated several bombs in Tripoli setting off a Civil war. In 2002 Israel and the United States invaded. after the P.A.G. set off bombs in New York City's Subway system and Jerusalem Malha train Station along with a UN peace keeping force. In 2005 The Peoples Army of God surrendered at Al Jawf in the District of Al Kufrah. Shukri was taken out of power and a US government. leader General James T. Conway of the US Marines was set up as Military Co-Governor of Libya with Israeli Benjamin Gantz. Elections were held in 2006 with Baghdadi Mahmudi elected as President on the ticket of the National Party. The National Party also won 43 Senate Seats out of 60. The main opposition Party is the Progressive National Unionist Party. The Second Republic of Libya joined the United Nations. in 2007. The next elections are to be held in 2009. written by Rory Nolan King of the Dominion.

The Palestinian Liberation Organization

Because of American Crackdowns on Islamic Terrorism and Separatism the PLO is not a huge organization. In 1992 with backing from the Syrian government it declared independence from Israel. After three years of war, in 1995 Israel recognized Palestinian independence in the Gaza Strip. The Republic of Palestine sent a division of troops to Libya to fight Muhammad in 1996 with the Egyptians but pulled out under Israeli threats. In 1998 a Second PLO surfaced in the Israeli West Bank. After the 2001 attacks it was found out the second PLO had been working with the Peoples Army of God. And in 2003 a Palestinian-Israeli Force went into the West Bank to root out the PLO and its known Leaders.

Iraq and Israel: The Linchpins of American Geostrategy

In the Middle East the automatic ally of the US is Israel. Because of the US destruction of Pan Arab unity Saddam was embroiled in a war with Turkey. The Turkish defeated the Iraqis in 1985 and installed Abdul Rahman Arif as President of Iraq. Pro-Western Iraq allied it self to the United States, Turkey and Israel. Its military was sent into Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan and even Jordan (during the Jordanian-Israeli Border dispute of 1990-1991). But in 1993 an Islamic anti western regime took over headed by Grand Ayatollah Bashir Najafi (a Shia) and allied to Iran. In 1997 he was killed by a Sunni Terrorist, which led the country into Civil War. Backed by Iran Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani took over the new Iraqi province of Iran. The Shia, Kurdish and Assyrian Territories were given Independence. Assyria allied to the Soviet Union establishing the Assyrian Soviet Republic. The New Kurdistan went to war with Turkey and Lost which led to their annexation. While the Shia Territory became the Islamic Republic of Iraq. Iraq allied to America and Israel in 2000. In 2000 Israel and Iraq invaded Iran. Currently Iraqi troops have captured Baghdad and Israeli troops have surrounded Tehran.

"Losing" Saudi Arabia

In 1986 George H.W. Bush struck Oil in Saudi Arabia but was not allowed to sell it. In his anger he organized a group of ex-soldiers together as the Army of Freedom. He appointed himself General and with force of 600 strong he invaded Saudi Arabia. The Army of Freedom was easily defeated and George H.W. Bush killed. But because of his actions King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz cut off trade with America. President Ernst Hollings opposes this and declares war on Saudi Arabia with Iraq and Israel. In 1988 Republican Donald Henry Rumsfeld defeated Democratic incumbent Ernst Hollings. He pulls out of Saudi Arabia after installing a Pro-American Regime under Saleh Al-Muhaya. But in 1997 a pro-Royal faction declared war on America and Al-Muhaya's government. The American Forces have only slightly become involved.

See also

• History (Earlier War on Terrorism)
• Timeline (Earlier War on Terrorism)
• Libya War
• Yugoslav Civil War