[PTTG]

Ok, I have a solution.

Spoilers if you have any reason to suppose that I'm going to run this game with you, personally. You know who you are. And, like, in that case, it's still your own choice.

So, the problem is that the kind of international cooperation needed to bring about a global-reach paramilitary power would require, we might say, superhuman diplomatic capabilities?

Because we have a character with superhuman diplomatic capabilities a few pages back.

A similar character, perhaps one with a suite of appropriate abilities but at very least the ability to impose lingering, elaborate mental commands psionically, could simply inform important members of all sides that cooperation here is needed. It's conceivable that this character could be responsible for the initial attacks, in fact.

Tempting as it is, this manipulator need not be in charge of the Ulysses Initiative-- not when the role of secretary has just as much power and less chance of being targeted by vigilantes. Plus, if the power only works with direct eye contact or close proximity, a secretary meets many more people.

The manipulator's goals could be an amount of world domination, but I also see a "self-defense" angle here. He or she would be immune to organized response provided even the slightest response time; anything where the power can come into play. A team of tough mercs -- such as the bodyguards that surround the Director of the Initiative -- would likely handle a great deal of mundane vigilante threats. What neither of these can stop, however, are other supers. Particularly other psis.

This is why the UI is so important. Because there's only room for one. At least until the PC team has captured a few good tough supers for the manipulator to turn.