Global Liberation Army

The Global Liberation Army, often known by its abbreviation GLA is a quasi-terrorist, transnational organization, operating mainly in the Middle East. Its memberships and affiliates included terrorists, freedom fighters and political idealists. The growth and actions of the GLA during the early decades of the 21st century have provoked a World War with the allied forces of the United States of America and the People's Republic of China, which saw many brutal battles fought across Europe, Asia and Africa between the GLA and the militaries of the world superpowers, as well as between various GLA splinter factions.

Base of Operations
The GLA has bases scattered across the globe. Over a period of several years the GLA steadily built up their strength and support in the Third World; mainly within the Middle East. While the group possessed a number of 'main' bases, their destruction did little to halt the GLA's spread. For this reason it is debatable whether or not the organization possessed a 'nerve center' at all.

The GLA empire has stretched to:
 * Kazakhstan
 * Germany
 * Iran
 * Iraq
 * China
 * Aldastan
 * Crete
 * Egypt
 * Somalia
 * Russia
 * Turkey
 * Yemen

Resources
The GLA began with a financial injection from a number of shadowy, wealthy backers (many of whom, such as Prince Kassad, would go on to become GLA generals), and gained much of its funding hence from raiding resources, such as United Nations foreign aid supplies. They also had ties with the Black Market which brought them a steady cash flow as well as access to relatively advanced weapons.

The GLA was highly resourceful, raiding old Soviet weapons dumps and employing ex-Soviet scientists and even scavenging spare parts from the battlefield. While GLA vehicles could not match their more modern counterparts on the battlefield, GLA commanders were highly devious and unscrupulous, and many American and Chinese generals underestimated them at their peril.

Political Structure
The GLA is known to be highly decentralized. This is one of the reasons UN attempts at negotiation have failed so miserably. Their leaders are scattered across many countries and divided themselves into different factions. At times, with a skilled and strong leader at the helm, the GLA is capable of operating as a somewhat cohesive entity. With the absence of an effective leader, however, infighting is not uncommon.

Relations between GLA factions is thus a complex web of alliances, deals, betrayals and power struggles. When prominent GLA researcher and leader Dr. Thrax was killed, a power struggle ensued between General Mohmar "Deathstrike" and Prince Kassad. Defections by GLA splinter cells to either the Americans or Chinese even occurred.

Ideology
The goals and motives of the GLA are, even now, unclear, such is the secretive nature of the organization. Their ideology can be summarized as aggressive pseudo-religious populist anti-imperialism.

The GLA is seemingly opposed to anything they deem exploitative, imperialist or immoral, whatever they are. The GLA is opposed to the superpowers having any involvement in the affairs of lesser nations, as they perceive their involvement (including humanitarian support) as neo-colonialist acts. GLA leaders have referred to the Americans and Chinese as the 'scourge of humanity', characterizing China as 'The Dragon', USA as 'The Killer Falcon' and even referring to their enemies as 'infidels'. For example General Mohmar referring to the rogue Prince Kassad and his forces as 'infidels'.

The aspiring freedom fighters and desperate fanatics who made up its ranks often truly believed they were standing up for the downtrodden peoples of the world, in spite of the fact that they often killed civilians who got in their way. During its existence the GLA succeeded in inspiring a great fanaticism among its considerable number of followers, to the point where many were willing to kill themselves for the cause.

Political Influence
The GLA managed to gain the support of many of the world's disenfranchised peoples. Its splinter cells are scattered around the world. In certain areas, the GLA acted as the de facto government (as was the situation in Mogadishu, Somalia). The GLA also used the media to spread their propaganda - ARC News is allegedly funded by the GLA or one of their backers, and it is through this channel that the GLA leadership issues official statements.

Notable/Known Leaders

 * Dr. Thrax
 * General Mohmar (Commander-in-chief of the GLA/Also known as "Deathstrike")
 * Prince Kassad
 * General Juhziz
 * Jarmen Kell
 * Anonymous GLA General (GLA Field Commander/Second-in-command of the GLA, outranked only by Deathstrike)
 * Kanwar Khan

The GLA War
Experts traced the origins of the GLA back to the first decade of the 21st century, to the string of terrorist attacks masterminded by several major figures in the Middle East, including Rodall Juhziz and Prince Kassad, who would later become the leaders of the GLA.

In 2020, the GLA made major news when they began to infiltrate Western China. There, the GLA began to build popular support for a secessionist movement. The uneasy confrontation in China exploded into a full-scale conflict when GLA military units suddenly attacked the Yecheng Military Depot. They stole thousands of rounds of ammunition before destroying a nearby nuclear reactor, contaminating large areas of China with dangerous levels of radiation, understandably incurring the fury of the Chinese government. Insisting on dealing with the GLA themselves, China refused to allow UN monitors into the country or any UN attempt to negotiate with the GLA. Although the United States provided satellite surveillance of GLA and Chinese troop movements, it refused any further commitment.

Around this time the true extent of GLA power became clear. They seized several major cities in Asia, including Baghdad. Their forces also moved into the countryside and operated major terrorist cells in Chinese and American cities. The Chinese leadership's attempts to bolster public confidence was spectacularly derailed when a GLA suicide bomber detonated a low-yield nuclear device in the midst of a military parade in Beijing. This action incurred the enduring wrath of the Chinese, who are now committed to the total destruction of the GLA. The Americans, meanwhile, joined the conflict to secure its own interests in the region around the same time.

The USA and China fought the GLA intensely, on battlefields as far apart as Hong Kong and Adana. All factions involved incurred significant losses; the GLA bore the brunt of the massive firepower at the disposal of US and Chinese generals while striking back as best it could. Initially, the Chinese forces managed to - with great difficulty - drive the GLA out of China and destroy its main base in Dushanbe, Aldastan. However, the GLA struck back, dislocating Chinese forces in Kazakhstan (burning down the capital city, Astana, in the process), even destroying the Incirlik Air Force Base in Turkey. Chinese attempts to turn GLA splinter cells against each other by sending them nuclear weapons backfired spectacularly when a loyalist force intercepted the nuclear convoy near Lenger. At the end of the GLA offensive, their forces captured Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, from where they were free to launch missiles anywhere in the world.

When one of the biochemical missiles was intercepted by the American SDI system mere moments before it hit a major American city, the United States realized the GLA to be a serious threat. The American military was fully committed to the fight. A series of hard-fought battles culminated in the destruction of the GLA HQ in Akmola, Kazakhstan.

Countdown to Zero Hour


The GLA, although much weakened by the American offensive, was still in control of the Baikonur launch facility. When it looks like they were going to be quickly defeated following the destruction of their main base in Akmola, another bio rocket was prepared and launched at an American Naval Base in Europe. Their moment of glory did not last long, as the American launched a second offensive. American forces leveled Baikonur, and proceeded to wipe out what they perceived to be the GLA's leadership (notably Dr. Thrax). However, the GLA soon regrouped once again under a new leader, ('Deathstrike'), and quickly decided to strike back at the US, first by destroying their fleet in the Mediterranean, including the aircraft carrier USS Reagan, and then by infiltrating the US mainland and stealing chemical weapons. Appalled by this, United States officials pulled back their military presence in Europe to strengthen homeland defense. Seizing the opportunity to strike, the GLA invaded Europe, taking the main US base in Germany while US forces were still pulling out.

The rest of the world was shocked to see the world's greatest superpower suffer such a defeat. China, its own borders secured and its confidence and vigor higher than ever, entered the picture again. The use of Chinese weaponry against the USA during the GLA campaign in Europe harmed China's reputation and the new Chinese offensive was aimed at restoring that reputation and show the world China is committed to keeping the global peace. With the use of nuclear weaponry, mass numbers and overwhelming firepower, the GLA were defeated in Europe, capturing most of the GLA leaders and reclaiming the US bases in Germany. China, having replaced the humiliated United States as the world's foremost superpower, established the Eurasian Unity League to guard against any future GLA threat. The surviving GLA leaders were tried by the World Court.

After the War
At this stage, it seemed that despite their annihilation in Europe GLA cells continued to operate in the shadows, waiting for a moment to strike back once again. The GLA would return in the upcoming installment, Command & Conquer: Generals 2. Set ten years after their seemingly utter defeat in Europe, at a UN summit, world leaders are mere seconds from signing a global treaty and bringing an end to war as we know it when a devastating terrorist attack with their organization's markings rips through the peace conference, killing all in attendance. With the world left with no politicians, diplomats, or activists, only the generals would remain, and the war they would initiate would be survival of the fittest. While the now fully militarized world powers would strike back in an effort to stamp out terrorism once and for all, their ideology and cause would remain the same, as terrorism can, seemingly, never truly be defeated. As long as there are malcontents, fanatics and idealists, who'd continue to be disenchanted and disenfranchised with global powers, there will always be dissidence such as that of the GLA.

Missions
Operations:
 * Operation Black Rain
 * Almaty Supply Raid
 * The Astana Riots
 * Down From The Skies
 * Toxin Trade
 * Splinter Cell
 * The First Battle of Baikonur
 * The Great Escape (or Flight of Deathstrike)
 * Hidden Agenda
 * On The Waterfront
 * Jarmen Kell And The Forty Thieves
 * Sneak Attack

Military Doctrine


"We shall descend upon them like lightning from a cloudless sky!"

- GLA Militia

The GLA military doctrine involved using stealth and speed as their main tactics, as well as surprise attacks and suicide bombers. They were also known to implement biological and chemical weaponry, notably anthrax, in their fight against the United States and China.

The GLA recruited their troops mainly from the angry, desperate, disenfranchised and disillusioned people of the Third World. They can be easily indoctrinated into the GLA cause. There were no shortage of these recruits, and the GLA is able to build up their forces quickly to challenge their foes on the battlefield. The typical GLA infantry is armed with cheap weapons and often have little training, although the GLA employed overwhelming numbers and the element of surprise to challenge and defeat their foes. Some are so fanatical as to strap bombs to their own bodies and sacrifice themselves in an attack.

A visitor to a typical GLA base - if he or she managed to evade an untimely bloody death at the hands of the defenders - will find a lot of tunnels. The GLA tunnel networks are one of the wonders of modern warfare. It allows GLA units to travel quickly and in comparative safety anywhere where there is a tunnel entrance, and also serve as arms depots and field hospitals. If a GLA structure is leveled, it will soon be rebuilt provided the tunnel entrance ("GLA Hole") beneath it is not destroyed. GLA military structures also require no outside power to operate - unlike many American and Chinese military structures, but, when a GLA general was able to capture a Cold Fusion Reactor or a Nuclear Reactor (or capture a Dozer and build them themselves), their build times are reduced by 50%. The GLA recruited civilians to build structures and base defenses and carry supplies for their armies. They are cheap and quickly replaceable if they fall in battle.

In general, GLA units are cheap and quick to build. Their vehicles are assembled with whatever spare parts the Arms Dealer happened to have at hand. This however means GLA vehicles often lack the firepower or armour of American and Chinese counterparts. The GLA partly made up for this by scavenging parts from wrecks on the battlefield to upgrade some of their own vehicles (namely the Technical truck, Quad Cannon, Marauder Tank and the Scorpion rocket for the Scorpion Tanks). GLA commanders can also purchase extra upgrades off of the Black Market. When fully upgraded, a GLA force can be quite powerful on the battlefield. Whatever weakness the GLA cannot compensate by upgrades, they do so with tactics. The GLA excels at guerrilla warfare, especially hit-and-run tactics, as its forces are highly mobile. They also employed ambushes, disguises and traps. Camouflaged rebels may attack out of nowhere, skilled vehicle hijackers may suddenly appear, a hidden roadside Demo Trap may suddenly detonate, and a friendly Crusader Tank may turn out to be a GLA Bomb Truck. GLA workers may even tunnel deep inside an enemy's base and conduct a surprise attack. If given the opportunity, GLA Generals will steal and pillage any useful hardware from their superpower rivals and use it against them. The GLA will do anything and everything that is necessary to win.

The GLA claim to be liberating oppressed peoples from imperialists. In reality civilians were often the victims of GLA aggression. In fact, collateral damage was of little concern to GLA commanders, as they believed in the absolute righteousness of their cause. Civilians receiving UN foreign aid were dismissed as 'sheep', to be killed if necessary. When the GLA attacked or took control of an area civilians would almost certainly be caught up in the fighting. The GLA also committed atrocities such as testing their biological weapons on civilian populations deemed sympathetic to their enemies. In short, civilian casualties are considered necessary sacrifice for the noble cause.

Traitors to the GLA aren't taken kindly either, a splinter cell that defected to the Chinese were wiped out using the very own weapons their new allies (stolen by the original GLA) had provided them with. In general, the GLA will go to the extremes, perhaps even the impossible to eliminate their enemies they claim as "infidels".

Technological Level
The GLA is technologically inferior to the USA and China. For instance, unlike the superpowers, the GLA lacked any air power beyond transport planes to provide support to their forces. However, it is known that the GLA employed ex-Soviet scientists, as well as their own scientists, who conducted (sometimes unethical) research to improve their arsenal.

Technologies known to be used by the GLA included chemical and biological weapons, missiles (the ex-Soviet Scud is a prime example of this) and GPS scrambler technology (allowing GLA forces to stay out of enemy sight).

Behind the Scenes
The group is a reference to the modern world's real strategic terrorist threats, similar to the Brotherhood of Nod, and the GLA is an overt allusion to the public conception of Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda and its Taliban allies. This is likely due to Generals being a post-9/11 game and many of the scenarios faced in it correspond with real events that the United States encountered in its ongoing military operations in the Middle East.