The chaos in London and the desperation in Medellin move forward synchronously on the timeline.
Defense Minister Malcolm Rifkind's "strategic coma" came at just the right time.
If I can't solve the problem, can't I at least handle myself?
Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street found themselves in an unprecedentedly awkward position, as decisive actions were urgently needed after the defeat at the frontline; yet the chief officer had suddenly fallen "seriously ill" and was lying in the hospital's special care ward, with the doctor's vague diagnosis report citing "nerve shock due to extreme fatigue, recovery time uncertain."
The issue with the brain is the most troublesome; if you play dead, can anyone dare to harm you?
The next 24 hours became a classic display of the inefficient workings of the British bureaucratic system.
