[shard]

Sounds like the four stage strategy of the Standard Foreign Office response in a time of crisis in the BBC show Yes Minister:

In stage one we say nothing is going to happen.

Stage two, we say something may be about to happen, but we should do nothing about it.

In stage three, we say that maybe we should do something about it, but there's nothing we can do.

Stage four, we say maybe there was something we could have done, but it's too late now.