Minutes of COBRA committee:
OK chaps, it's all going pear shaped in Libya, we've about 1000 people to get out, about half of whom are in the desert. Civvy t***s refused to fly and left us in the cack, so it's all hands on deck for a mil operation.
RN - HMS Cumberland already on task, HMS York taking on stores to assist. We'll have a TLAM sub on hand too in case it gets out of hand, but let's keep that one under our hat.
RAF - They aren't playing ball, so it's going to have to be a forced infil & exfil. We'd better take spares in case it's no fun on the ground. They still have some semblance of air defences, so let's have the southern European countries provide top cover. Germans are tagging along with a couple of Transalls for their guys. Doubtless an AWACS required to coordinate it all".
Army - We've already got SF troops on the ground, but we'll take another dozen or so on the aircraft. Oh, and we'll probably need a C17 for the ****load of ammo we'd like to take. We'll also need a wokka or two in case it goes a bit Pete Tong in the ulu.
Obscure Treasury official - "Has anyone given any thought to the landing fees to be paid at the desert strips?"
"We've got two warships, the SAS, and half a dozen RAF aircraft, not to mention the other nations. It's big boys rules, and you want to dick about looking for a cashier's window?"