From bgtribble at gmail.com Sat Aug 1 17:27:30 2009 From: bgtribble at gmail.com (Bryan Tribble) Date: Sun, 02 Aug 2009 00:27:30 +0300 Subject: [War] France: "The Devil's Playground" Message-ID: "The Devil's Playground" President Adrien Durant French Republic 4 February 2013 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= The president's motorcade wound its way lazily through the streets of Paris, going quietly down back streets to prevent worsening Parisian traffic any more than it already was. Their eventual goal was Notre Dame de Paris for an impromptu meeting with the Cardinal-Archbishop by way of the Centre Administratif des Tourelles, DGSE headquarters in the 10th arrondissement. But for now Adrien was content to meander down tree-lined streets. "I heard from the Americans," Adrien said finally, still looking out the window. He was accompanied only by his long-time friends and associates Laurent Chevalier, now Director of the external intelligence agency Direction G?n?rale de la S?curit? Ext?rieure (DGSE), and Claude Lacoste, his chief of staff and political advisor. "And?" Laurent asked. "Aside from the solidarity on terrorism business, they have agreed to provide us with intelligence regarding terrorist groups working against the Republic in exchange for our own intelligence on organisations working against the United States. They also offered an FBI Critical Incident Resource group to work through their embassy, under our guidance." "If the circumstances were any different, I can only imagine how the opposition would crucify you for going to the Americans for help. You can be stupidly bold sometimes, Adrien," Claude scoffed, turning to stare out his own window. "Do you really expect they'll be able to provide us with anything useful?" "We have to work with them through the North Atlantic framework, not to mention any number of other forums. The Americans are a fact of life, much as the People may dislike it. Do you think I care to go crawling to another leader to plead for their help? Hardly. But if you wish to lead, then you must be willing to make the difficult choices. Looking out only for your own hide is certainly not one of the hallmarks of great statesmen." Laurent remained quiet, watching the white fa?ades of row houses go past the limousine, and Claude seemed mollified for the moment. "I trust you will cooperate fully with them, both of you. I'd like to review the relevant information before it's given to the White House." "Of course I will be cooperative; I'm stubborn, not defiant," Laurent piped up. "Should I establish a DGSE/DCRI task force to review the American intelligence and liaise with the American FBI team? Bourbois is a lot easier to work with than Verdier; I'm sure you can find other things to keep Jean-Fran?ois busy aside from the finer points of operations, no?" "Yes, work through Bourbois on this one. Minister Verdier has a lot more on his plate to worry about, as you say." Adrien stayed silent for a few long moments and then turned in his seat, putting his back to the window to face the DGSE Director. "Do you think we'll actually catch these fellows, Laurent? It seems like we're grasping for straws at this point." Laurent smirked. "We'll have an easier time catching them if they should dare to return to Algeria. It's a lot harder to hide in a hole like that than within the Union. And that's what we'll have to worry about, locating them within the European Union if they've moved outside our borders. Open border policies certainly have their disadvantages in some cases, this definitely being one of them. But I have some small amount of faith in Bourbois and DCRI." "Well placed faith, I hope." =-=-= "Pressure is mounting to move on immigration. I can't hold off the opposition forever, and, more importantly, we have a limited amount of time before the media picks up the smell of blood," Claude Lacoste said. The two had met at a series of political fundraisers during Adrien's time in the Chirac administration. They got along so well that Adrien asked Claude to be his campaign manager for his National Assembly bid and the two had been inseparable since the win. His political instincts were considerably sharper and more refined than Adrien's own but the poor man lacked the charm and drive necessary to attain an office in France. "We certainly have two different approaches in the Italians and Japanese," Adrien mused, motioning half-heartedly at a newspaper sitting on the seat next to Claude. The Italian decision to clamp down and clamp down hard on immigration had grabbed the front page headline in Le Monde. Buried in the international section was a story on the proposed revisions to Japanese citizenship legislation. "I don't suppose you have a brilliant plan to leave everyone happy and us political unscathed, do you?" Claude's wry smile said that he was amused at the prospect. "Coming up with a defence for an invasion of the Low Countries would be easier by comparison. The problem with immigration policy, like a lot of other hot button domestic issues, is that in the end people are rarely satisfied on either side of the issue and you never come out without at least a handful of bruises." "So we can choose to crack down or work with the immigrant communities," Adrien grumbled. "I don't know that I care for either option to be honest, but I'm concerned that this is going to explode in the suburbs. Again." "It's easier in the short term to take the Italian way out. Send the police force into the suburbs, round up illegals, ship them back to Algeria or whatever country they've come from and make it damn difficult for them to get back into the country. Severely restrict the rights and monitor the movements of those that remain and we'll be able to round up the rest of the troublemakers. "I'd wager xenophobia and anti-immigration are the direction that most of Europe is going in, even if there are certain demographic pressures to open up to immigration. Our growth rate defies the rest of the EU but the Republic has a strong tradition of immigration. We could survive without it but we'd be turning our backs on decades worth of immigration policy." Adrien shook his head. "Cracking down on people is just sowing the seeds for discontent. That will come back against us sooner or later." "It'll be later, and it'll be another president's problem by then," Claude interjected. "Nonsense. If I were concerned solely with law and order and saving my own skin then I'd have cracked down on everyone who even looked like an Algerian the day after the attack," Adrien said sharply, waving a dismissive hand. He was highly critical of political manoeuvring at the expense of the constituency and tolerated no such talk from politicians in his party or members of his administration. "The other option is politically difficult, risky and has no guarantee that it'll even begin to work. There are a number of options open to us along that path ? work with religious and civic groups, open up education opportunities, encourage employment. The list is practically endless. But with that path there is the issue of la?cit?..." "Hence the visit to the Cardinal-Archbishop," Adrien replied. "I don't intend to abandon a cultural institution in the midst of the opportunism of the Church and the radical pressure of a gaggle of sheikhs, mullahs and Imams. There are other ways available to us within the secular framework of the Republic and its Constitution, traditions and culture." "Sounds like you've made up your mind. I hope this isn't a snap decision." "I don't make snap decisions, Claude. Haven't you read the papers? I'm slow to respond to everything according to them. Sometimes I wonder if people wouldn't prefer for you to make snap decisions. It's never made any sense to me ? action before thought," the French president said. "As you say, we can engage the immigrant community on a number of levels. I'm not ruling out some level of interreligious dialogue but my true feeling is that Islamic fundamentalists are not the ones immigrating to this country. Youth turn into fundamentalists because they have been unable to take advantage of educational and economic opportunities, or they have simply refused to do so. No matter the method, they've fallen prey to outside influences. After all, idle hands are the Devil's playground." Actions: 1.) Release pre-arranged intelligence to United States and receive intelligence on terrorist activities within France and Europe. 2.) Welcome U.S. FBI Critical Incident Resource unit to Paris and place them under the direction of the DGSE/DCRI task force with the mandate to identify and locate the terrorists involved in the Notre Dame attack. 3.) Seek out pro-French or otherwise friendly immigrant civic and religious groups/societies in preparation for establishing some dialogue on the ills of the immigrant community within Parisian and other suburbs. From iain at iain-waddell.co.uk Sun Aug 2 12:01:26 2009 From: iain at iain-waddell.co.uk (Iain) Date: Sun, 2 Aug 2009 17:01:26 +0100 Subject: [War] Canada: "Demons of the Past." Message-ID: <74828D28785F4A8C9EAB9969163BCBCE@iainw> "Demons of the Past." Prime Minister Chloe Taylor Canada 6th February 2013 ========= For almost 8 months now, Chloe Taylor had knew this moment would come. Part of her had dreaded the event but the other part had pushed her to undertake it. As she walked towards the centre of the same Iroquois community that she had visited last June her heart pounded in her ears. She knew her breathing was much more shallow than usual and coming somewhat quicker but she couldn't force herself out of the pattern. Expecting protestors was one thing, wading through them was quite another. To compound matters, in an effort to reduce the antagonism that her visit was bringing she was not under armed escort as she had been before - rather local law enforcement was undertaking crowd control and she was flanked only by two members of her person security. She had never felt so exposed in her life, with insults being hurled in tandem with the odd small missile - all of which managed to land short of their target, not for lack of trying, she thought. Taylor had to admit that her reasons for being here were not as pure as they might otherwise seem. Sure she came here to make peace with this people to the best of her ability, as well as to try to improve the situation in the region, but also she had come here to put her demons to rest and also, she supposed, to improve her public standing and that of her government. Instead of progressing to the community's central area as had been the case on the last visit, Taylor found herself being led into a smaller clearing, where an elderly couple and a younger man stood. Immediately she recognised these people from her briefings in preparation for this moment and found herself for the first time pulling in a deep, though haggard, breath. Although she knew that the pace of her party hadn't changed she felt as though they were moving much slower, and the protests of those gathered seemed much more distant and subdued in those moments. "Madam Prime Minister, may I present." An official stood with them, one who she recognised but could not place at that moment but interrupted him nonetheless. "Mr. and Mrs. Doxtator, Mr. Smith." She shook each of their hands in turn and gave each a solemn nod of respect. The survivors of those who had been killed last July by her armed escort looked somewhat abashed and unsurprisingly saddened. "I must apologise for the tardiness of my visit and the extension of my deepest sympathies for your losses." There was an uncomfortable silence, during which Taylor began to wonder if she had been wrong to come here. "Thank you, Madam Prime Minister." The elderly Mr. Doxtator eventually spoke up with a parched and unsteady voice that belied his grief. "May I also extend the apologies for the actions of my son that led to his death, if he." Taylor raised her right hand stopping the man before he could continue. She had spent many days going over who was to blame for what part of the events last year and that didn't have to be rehashed now. "The truth is, Mr. Doxtator, your son's intentions will never be known. Those responsible for his death have been.disciplined appropriately but that does not change the fact that he died. He died because I was here, and for that I am sorry. I hope that my visit here today can make amends to not only you, but to the rest of the Oneida Settlement and First Nation peoples." With a slight bow, Taylor made herself turn before they saw the tear that had managed to escape her eye. As she sniffed a little to compose herself and wiped her face as once again her party moved off, she became aware for the first time of the flash of cameras indicating the presence of the press. Good, she thought, let them watch. After all, the more people that heard about this, the better. Retracing their steps to a main thoroughfare, Taylor began to recognise their surroundings as they closed on the centre of the settlement where the events of eight months ago had unfolded. Her heart pounded louder, though she would not have thought it possible but this time she forced her breaths to come long and deep and pushed the images of blood and death from her mind that threatened to take over. In moments she was shaking hands with the same man she had been facing as she heard two gunshots ring off not so long ago. This time, however, he looked much more tired but no less determined. "Prime Minister, I am glad you have returned.at last." Taylor could not decide if his tone suggested actual gratitude or maliciousness but was not going to allow this to phase her. "Chief Abram, I apologise it has been so long. However, I come bearing news that I think shall in part make up for my lateness." The man looked intrigued but there was a suggestion he would take some convincing. "I look forward to what you have to say." With a further nod he turned to the microphone that was only metres away on the raised area both leaders now found themselves. "Ladies and Gentlemen, that you for coming. May I present, Prime Minister Chloe Taylor." A brief introduction, but what more did she need? Taylor stepped forward to the place in front of the microphone now vacated by the Iroquois Chief, and couldn't help but notice how he too surveyed the crowd that had gathered as she and her escorts had been doing moments before. So far, there did not seem to be a repeat of previous violence on the cards. "Ladies and Gentleman of the Oneida Settlement," Taylor gave a brief nod to the few cameras assembled together somewhat near the front of the crowd and added in a somewhat snide tone. "and my friends of the press." Before continuing. "I come before you today to firstly apologise for the time it has taken for myself and my government to respond appropriately to the concerns you put your voice behind last year. Secondly to apologise for the excessive force used during my last visit by members of the military escort that accompanied me which resulted in the death of two of your number." Her heart fluttered as someone began to move to the front of the crowd until she recognised him as the official who had begun introduction earlier in the day and continued without a note of hesitation in her voice. "The resulting protests, though understandable, led to violence, violence that threatened not only this Settlement but the surrounding area. Unfortunately, it was deemed necessary to take drastic action," A nod to the small group of military officers at the fore of the crowd supplementing the local law enforcement made her meaning clear. "Today I can announce, that without further debate, the garrison of troops that have been stationed is this area of Ontario over the last eight months in force, shall be rotated out of the area. The number of soldiers taking their place will be returned to that of pre-June 2012, and law enforcement will once again take the lead in maintaining civil peace in the area. However, the number of law enforcement officers required to undertake this task is greater than that of the current police force available in this region. This deficit will be managed by recruiting directly from Oneida nationals and giving them full training, pay and privileges afforded to that role." Taylor let the somewhat shocked silence prevail for a moment and was amused by the perplexed looks passing between the military officers, clearly they had not been briefed on the situation yet. "I also once again want to reaffirm my promise that support to increase the standards of conditions within Oneida as well as First Nation settlements throughout the rest of Canada will continue. Beginning with the ground breaking of an adult education centre in Oneida later today." Noise had began to return and Taylor could see the cogs in the minds of the press turning as they put together questions. Questions she had both been advised not to answer, nor did she feel able to at present. As the shouted questions began, she raised her voice. "Thank you once again, ladies and gentlemen, I leave you in the capable hands of Chief Abram." Before anything more could be said or done, Taylor and her two security guards were heading off the staging at a quicker pace than was strictly necessary. She may have faced her demons today, but she had no desire to bait them into action. ============ ACTIONS: 1) Taylor gives face-to-face apology and condolences to families of victims of previous visit. 2) Troops in Southern Ontario to be rotated, new troops to be back to normal number and duties as per rest of Canada, no futher role in law enforcement at this time. 3) Recruitment of law enforcement officers from Oneida Settlement to number 100 for deployment throughout Southern Ontario in attempt to increase employment and skills in area. 4) Ground breaking of new adult education centre in Oneida to be first of kind in recent years in First Nation Settlement. Due for completion in late 2013/early 2014. From john.penta at gmail.com Mon Aug 10 21:10:04 2009 From: john.penta at gmail.com (John Penta) Date: Mon, 10 Aug 2009 21:10:04 -0400 Subject: [War] WAR World Report, Volume 2 Message-ID: World Alliances and Rivalries: World Report Volume 2 For all actions since Volume 1, advancing the timeline to 19 February 2013 to 5 March 2013. United Nations Security Council (Permanent Members): United States, United Kingdom, France, China, Russia United Nations Security Council (Non-Permanent Members as of 3 February 2013): Until May 30, 2013: Canada, South Africa, Panama, Poland, Australia Until July 31, 2013: Japan, Brazil, Ethiopia, Denmark, Afghanistan Pending UN Security Council Actions: none Pending UN General Assembly Actions: None United Nations Secretariat: No news. ======================= GM Notes ======================= Not much posting this time, guys.:( Ian/Mike: I didn't respond to the extradition negotiations post because I couldn't figure out whether anything was supposed to be known publicly about it. Nonetheless I did count it as a post for each of you. We have a newbie watching the lists now - I'll let him introduce himself at his leisure. As I write this, we're still trying to figure out the best country for him. John ACTION RESPONSES ======================= BRAZIL ============= Population Approval: 50% Government Approval: 50% International Favor: 50% Economic Growth: 5% Inflation: 5.8% Unemployment: 9% ---------------------------- No significant news to report. CANADA ============= Population Approval: 47% Government Approval: 43% International Favor: 50% Economic Growth: 3.1% Inflation: 1% Unemployment: 6.8% ---------------------------- The Prime Minister chases her demons again with public money. That was one press opinion on the PM's trip to the Oneida Settlement - however, even that editorial admitted that the ideas in and of themselves were good; as ever, though, there's questions about from where the money will come for all of the various programs of the PM. In other news, the investigation into the attacks on Muslims continues - as do the counterattacks by angry Muslims. In the latest attack, a Methodist church in Vancouver was firebombed by a group that, again, has gone unidentified and has not bothered to claim responsibility. The Pastor of the church called for peace after the attacks - and also requested police protection for his church. As the Commissioner of the RCMP noted to an aide, unfortunately within earshot of a reporter, "The only thing that saves us from a general race riot is it being the dead of winter." CHINA (PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF) ============== Population Approval: 50% Government Approval: 50% International Favor: 50% Economic Growth: 2% Inflation: 6% Unemployment: 9% ----------------------------- (OOC: Absent an actual gala post, I'm being vague...:)) The Gala generates some buzz on the society pages worldwide, but beyond the pretty pictures, it mostly stands out as what it is: A stunning (and some say stunningly decadent) entrance of the new "People's Estate" onto the international scene. Comparisons, flattering and unflattering, are being made to Versailles. JAPAN ====== Population Approval: 53% Government Approval: 48% International Favor: 50% Economic Growth: 2% Inflation: 1.8% Unemployment: 4.4% ----------------------------- The proposed new Citizenship Law gets applause from Zainichi groups, human rights advocates, and supporters of the two, but gets tense opposition from a majority of the Japanese people - consequences or no, the average Japanese is proud of the homogenous nature of the nation, and the idea that giving up that homogeneity might at all be a good thing, or at all necessary, is simply scandalous to the average person. Due to the DPJ's control of the Diet, it looks likely to go through, but the PM is getting complaints from many a backbencher. FRANCE ==== Population Approval: 50% Government Approval: 50% International Favor: 48% Economic Growth: 1.8% Inflation: 1% Unemployment: 9.2% ----------------------------- The orders from the President go out quietly, but the actual execution is anything but quiet; rather, the response is lightning raids by police and gendarmarie against suspects throughout France, some occurring within an hour of the President's orders. And this time, there's definite results: The Muslim world is horrified by what inevitably looks like a sweep against Muslims (never mind that any number of felons of all races were picked up), the French populace is overjoyed by the hard action taken against the banlieus, and (by the way) useful intelligence is garnered: Entire possible support cells of terrorists are rounded up, some with weapons. Naturally, in such cases, some of the raids devolve into running gunfights, but at the end of the day alone, close to 500 persons, native-Frenchmen and immigrants alike, are arrested on terrorism and weapons-related charges. Interrogations are underway - and limited physical means are, indeed, being employed in select cases. In such an atmosphere, it's difficult to find friendly immigrant groups to meet with in public - there's an enormous amount of pressure from street gangs and other elements in the banlieus for people not to cooperate with the government, it turns out. Sometimes enforced with violence, when ostracism doesn't work. Unfortunately for the President, as well, his comments about the Church being "opportunistic" leaked to the press, and wound up on the front page of Le Figaro. The Church, it might be unsurprising to note, was rather offended to be characterized in such a way - as one bishop points out to the press, "The children ask why other children were attacked, what they believe in that they still have such hope after such tragedy. Adults ask these questions. Are we not supposed to answer their questions honestly, and invite them to learn about the knowledge of Christ which brings such hope?" UNITED STATES ============== Population Approval: 55% Government Approval: 55% International Favor: 50% Economic Growth: 1.9% Inflation: 4.8% Unemployment: 6.2% ---------------------------- No significant news to report. UNITED KINGDOM ============== Population Approval: 50% Government Approval: 50% International Favor: 50% Economic Growth: 2.0% Inflation: 3.8% Unemployment: 7.1% ---------------------------- No significant news to report. RUSSIA =============== Population Approval: 50% Government Approval: 50% International Favor: 50% Economic Growth: 6.2% Inflation: 13.9% Unemployment: 6% ---------------------------- No significant news to report. ETHIOPIA =============== Population Approval: 50% Government Approval: 50% International Favor: 50% Economic Growth: 8% Inflation: 41% Unemployment: 11% ---------------------------- No significant news to report. ITALY =============== Population Approval: 50% Government Approval: 50% International Favor: 50% Economic Growth: 1.1% Inflation: 3.6% Unemployment: 10.1% ---------------------------- No significant news to report. From vampi.digitalwytch at gmail.com Wed Aug 12 05:25:23 2009 From: vampi.digitalwytch at gmail.com (Vampi Digitalwytch) Date: Wed, 12 Aug 2009 03:25:23 -0600 Subject: [War] Russia: Late night discussions Message-ID: "Late night discussions" President Anastasia Malevich Prime Minister Yuri Federova If she had to choose a time to be working, Anastasia would've said without hesitation, nights. It had been when she was usually working her rounds back when she practiced and it was an old habit well ingrained. Tonight, was definitely a late one as she went over the never ending pile of paperwork. Really, she silently mused, we need to find something workable digital just to cut down on the clutter. As it was, she had recently started a push for the digital scanning of all archived documents, and that had opened up it's own can of worms since her predecessors especially further back had horrid storage established. Attempting to digitally clean some of the more damaged ended up opening yet more cans of worms with some allegating falsification of information. That brought a snort from her. Let those 'dolboeb' have to sort through badly stacked papers that were only mouse eaten and pissed on if you were lucky with the material itself fragmenting if one so much as sneezed on it. Eyes skimming over the documents in front of her, the navy was still acting like children giving a Christmas catalog and told to have at. The current Astrakhan gunboats were performing wonderfully, and what few Karelia subs had launched were a vast improvement, they were listing several other newer ships that they insisted was paramount to the security of the Rodina. Anastasia really doubted that, but she signed off on the further acquiring and launching of more of the current and to research further on the other suggestions. A knock on the door drew her attention up and Yuri walked in, a tired half smile on his face. "You're up late, Madame President.", he commented as he draped his suitcoat over the back of the chair before sitting down. "When haven't I been up late.", she replied with a soft smile. He seemed to look inward as if debating his reply, "Well, I can name a few..." She coughed and blushed, a bit surprised at his boldness of comment. Granted they'd had a good relationship, one that had discussions of marriage and children, one that only ended because of the elections and their appointments and hadn't been mentioned from either since they last spoke as a couple, this was out of the blue. "Sorry, it is late and my wits are hazy.", he said with a shrug. "I'll forgive you this time, next time I'm turning you over to the tabloids.", she teased. He laughed, "Anything but that." She sighed and leaned back in her chair, her back making soft cracklepops reminding her she'd been hunched over too long. "So, what brings you here at this hour?" "Just checking on you.", Yuri said, "Your appointment of Demerov as Ambassador to China has him so happy I'm surprised he didn't leap out of his seat in chambers to hug you off your feet." "I had to, at the rate Mihail kept begging for the position, I was ready to actually punch him.", she said, "But he's a good man for the position. He's spent time in the country on his own, knows the language well. Unlike his predecessors, he has a good appreciation and understanding of the culture which should make any discussions move smoother than they have in the past." "We will need that with how current perceptions are.", Yuri agreed, "Again we are being complained about in the press by the assorted usuals for human rights regarding alleged abuses towards the protesters." Anastasia sighed, "When aren't they complaining about us? The few times they're not pointing fingers at us, it's at China, or Cuba, or take your pick of the Middle East. I swear, where were they when Libya was appointed head of Human Rights on the UN council?" "Probably worrying about some other cause du jour like rainforests or the sweatshops in the Philippines.", he said with a shrug, "I remember hearing how one group upon hearing the makers of their overpriced clothes were employing children in the factories organized a large protest. Made a huge deal of it in the news, factory was closed down. They went off feeling smug and satisfied but that those same children now jobless ended up in prostitution to continue to earn for their families wasn't given so much as a turn of the head." "It's typical of them, in whatever comfortable lifestyle they have to whine about elsewhere that doesn't enjoy such and judge accordingly.", she said, "Until they have gone elsewhere, lived like the average person for at least a year, I give them little thought." "But you did look into the latest complaint from the Muslims about the prison beatings." "I did.", she said, "Partially to get them out of their screaming mode and also to see if there was any validity to the complaints. The prisoners were given what I and the officials felt were suitable accommodations for their religious practices, but apparently it wasn't good enough so they tried to incite a riot and it was put down accordingly. I simply cannot understand that they move to a different country yet rather than adapt they wish to transform it into what they left." She sighed before going on, "At least I take comfort that it's a common problem with everyone else and not just us." "True.", he said, then chose to change the topic, "Have you heard the latest regarding the open revealing of old documents?" She looked at him with a raised eyebrow. Knowing him and his body language all too well, she knew the badly hidden glimmer in his eyes that it was going to be something either very good or something about to have her want to rip her hair out. With how the day had gone, probably the latter. "Oh God...just say it.", she said, resigning herself for the worst. "Tunguska." As it was just the two of them alone, she let her professional demeanor take a break. Groaning she thumped her head onto the desk, fist steadily pounding next to it, muffling her complaint of did the Americans have the same damn trouble over Roswell and Area 51. Oddly enough it did remind her that she needed to send the official 'how are you' letter to the new American president so they could eventually go through the traditional bs talks. Yuri let her vent, knowing it was better to let her get it out before speaking, though he couldn't hide his smirk at the absurdity overall. They had released surviving document possible on what had earned the moniker of the Russian Roswell, and despite all the outlandish claims of UFOs or his personal favourite, the testing of a secret death ray designed by Tesla, the truth was it had been a comet strike that had also created the current Lake Cheko, so that information was immediately turned over to the scientific communities to help research further on the concepts for deflecting any future similar events as well as what environmental impact an incident could incur. But, unfortunately the available documents of the time were scarce as to be expected since the chaos of World War I, the Revolution of 1917 and the Civil War after which made anything pretty much a miracle to still be around, and in light of the internet generation used to having such easy access to a wide range of information, this made a natural event into the stuff the conspiracy theorists fed on. "I suppose if we through some scrap into a box and said here's the death ray that failed there, that wouldn't work?", she said as she righted herself and brushed her hair back with a hand. "Then we'd open ourselves up to being...", he started to say then lapsed into a very bad American accent with a crazed look on his face, "those gosh darn sneaky Rooskie commies who won't tell you the sky's blue when you can see it yourself." Anastasia couldn't help but start to chuckle. His look was what made it so hilarious, and the humour did refresh her. "Too true...too true.", she said as she took a deep breath, "But as I said in chambers when first proposing this opening of archived files. This is a new era of openness. There isn't a nation on this planet that hasn't done some horrible things that it's people haven't been aware of. We're overdue to just clear out the cobwebs and light up the shadows of the past so we can move on to build a brighter future. I made it clear that we were going to get some blackened eyes over some of the things done by our forebears, but by revealing those darker events, we can make amends where needed and show that we are not like that now." She shrugged before continuing, "So far we've been lucky as much as luck favours us." "There is that.", he said, "But then, we know how luck favours us." She nodded, knowing it was only a matter of time before some horror from the Stalin era was unearthed. They were silent for a few moments before she stood up, "It is late and I still have yet to eat supper. The rest of this...", she looked down at the remaining papers on her desk, "Can wait until the morning. I still have yet to say my usual platitudes to the new American president. I know the Army's still complaining about the cut backs, the talks with the Chechen are going as well as can be with no one yet about to stab another in the eye with a pen, and our neighbors at our borders are still in that bitch-bitch-bitch-complain muttering that I think's genetically ingrained at this point to where I'm ready to just spill my blood on the ground and scream what more do you want if that'll make them happy." Despite himself, a bemused smile crossed his lips. She was still the same Ana he knew too well. Passionate with essentially zero tolerance for lack of the basic common sense God gifted humanity with. "Well, then since I barely had a chance to eat earlier, we shall have dinner and I'll see you home." She blinked her surprise, "The tabloids will have a field day." "Let them babble.", he said as he put his suitcoat on and stood, "As Prime Minister I would be remiss somehow if I allowed Madame President who clearly stays up to all hours working to her limits and beyond for the People as she always has to just fall prey to the depredations of malnutrition and overwork." Anastasia looked at him as if he just started to babble in tongues, "You really aren't going to say that publicly." "Watch me.", he said with a smirk. She rolled her eyes and got her coat, the same one she wore when she was in the Army, battered but still serviceable. "I dare you to say that line from that film.", she teased. He knew the one she meant, a film from the UK that years ago they'd watched together at his cabin by the lake, snuggling in blankets with a bottle of wine. It had been one of the better ones they'd sat through then. "For the Greater Good...", he intoned and chuckled as they headed out to see what restaurants were still open. ---------------------------------------------- Actions: 1) Establishing regardless of any real world stance that Tunguska was just a normal comet strike. No UFOs, Teslan death rays, comets that trigger zombie reanimation..etc. 2) Establishing the appointment of Mihail Demerov as the new Ambassador to China 3) Sending out a 'congrats and how you doin'" basic polite communication to the US, setting up for any posting with the US over just hashing out basics when Buckley's up for it. 4) Touching base on some of the hot issues currently on the table along with opening up an ongoing topic line of addressing some difficult matters of history along with general wierdness as whim and writer's block move me. 5) Some personal development, establishing the past relationship between the two and of course throwing out the bone of tabloids being..well, tabloids if John wants to run with that out of boredom. -- --I know there are no lifeguards in the gene pool, but damn, there ought to be at least a few sharks in the water. From bgtribble at gmail.com Thu Aug 13 00:04:07 2009 From: bgtribble at gmail.com (Bryan Tribble) Date: Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:04:07 -0400 Subject: [War] France: "Whack-a-Mole" Message-ID: "Whack-a-Mole" President Adrien Durant French Republic 19 February 2013 =-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-= "Dammit!" Adrien cursed, flinging down Le Figaro as he simultaneously slammed a fist onto his desk. Sprawled across the front page was an above-the-fold story about his "opportunistic" comment regarding the Church, and it wasn't particularly flattering. Whether or not they were more clever than him or just lucky he wasn't sure but the opponents of la?cit? were daily doing an extraordinary job at chipping away at the edges of the institution. Claude Lacoste, the president's chief of staff, sat quietly across from him waiting for the rare moment of anger to pass. He'd come totting the newspaper into the president's office first thing in the morning, hoping to get the bad news out of the way. "It's only one paper, and it's not like they care for you very much in the first place," Claude offered, trying to minimize the damage. Adrien looked up from the paper and frowned at his aide. "And would you like to explain how that ended up in the paper in the first place, Claude? There were two of us in that limousine, and I sure as hell didn't run and tell a reporter about it." "There's an internal memo circulating through the office on la?cit?, a policy workup on interreligious dialogue as you asked. There may be some references to opportunism in the notes on the document, but it's was only a draft and exclusive to the President's Office." "Then who's working against me in my own damn office?" Adrien pressed, still fuming about the situation but not entirely sure where to direct his anger. "I want you to find the person who's responsible and fire them. And make sure everyone else knows they were fired for leaking portions of an internal document to the press." It was now Claude's turn to frown. "These things happen, Adrien. It's something we can certainly recover from quite easily. Firing someone over it might be a bit drastic." "Then tell me what's the sense of even having an internal document if someone is just going to run to a journalist with it?" Adrien snorted in disgust. "Find them and fire them. I don't care if you have to paper the office with 'Loose Lips Sink Ships' posters: make it clear that this is unacceptable, and it won't occur on my watch without some form of punishment being meted out. People might not like it but at the end of the day I don?t want the Office of the President filled with people serving the Church or themselves over the interests of the State and the People." "I suppose you'd like me to couple the manhunt with the release of the new austerity measures," Claude asked. He wasn't too happy about them himself and despite his best efforts he couldn't help but let it show. "Adrien, are these truly necessary? You are going to get the civil service in an uproar over a few million euros." "A few million euros?" Adrien scoffed. "Am I the only one who's acutely aware that we are only just now emerging from a global recession? The civil service and others should consider themselves lucky to have gone without implementing these measures so far. As of tomorrow, no more private planes for anyone who isn't conducting Cabinet-level business. That includes both the executive and judicial branches. Government officials can fly commercial just like the rest of the country and simply be satisfied that they aren't being dragged about in horse-drawn carriages. "And make sure the Court of Audit is serious about reviewing the expense accounts of all national government offices and officials. I'd like to see the premier pr?sident of the Court in my office first thing in the morning to impress that upon him and make it clear that we intend to provide the resources necessary to allow these audits to be carried forward." Claude shook his head. "And will this include the Office of the President as well?" "Of course," Adrien frowned. "I practice what I preach, Claude. And if I were able to fly commercial, I would do so. But we've got to start tightening our belts. And so help me if the National Assembly so much as whimpers about following suit, let them know they can't even begin to imagine the level of trouble they'll create for themselves. The British MP expense scandals will look like a holiday compared to the media circus we'll make over it all." Actions: 1.) Identify the press leak on the "opportunism" of the Church comment and fire them; make it well known to the rest of the civil service that it is unacceptable to unofficially leak material to the press. 2.) Institute new austerity measures on spending in the executive and judicial branches ? cancel all private flights and require all government business not at the Cabinet level to be conducted through commercial air travel (with preference for Air France and other European carriers). Heavily encourage the legislative branch to follow suit. 3.) Request the Court of Audit to conduct an audit of the expense accounts of all government employees, including members of the National Assembly, and provide them with the necessary resources to do so. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://esteroic.com/pipermail/war_esteroic.com/attachments/20090813/f8636d7c/attachment.html From john.penta at gmail.com Thu Aug 13 22:27:21 2009 From: john.penta at gmail.com (John Penta) Date: Thu, 13 Aug 2009 22:27:21 -0400 Subject: [War] France/Holy See: "Monsieur le Cardinal" Message-ID: "Monsieur le Cardinal" President Adrien Durant French Republic 4 February 2013 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Adrien was quickly growing tired of one of Paris's most famous landmarks. He was visiting the Notre Dame de Paris so often, even dreaming about it, that he was sure he would never forget all the cherubs, saints, sinners and servants carved into its edifice for the rest of his days. As much as he hated it, he now found himself standing before the cathedral once again. His presidential security were firmly but gently dealing with the tourists crowded around the landmark, and he silently prayed to himself as he passed a few mourners that they wouldn't start booing him. They weren't unaware of his presence but they seemed to be merciful today and let him pass without incident. Inside it only took a few moments for Monsignor Souvette to appear from one of the many doors marked "Private." Claude had insisted on calling ahead to the cathedral to give the Cardinal-Archbishop some small advanced notice as a courtesy. "Monsignor Souvette, it's a pleasure to see you again," Adrien said, taking the priest's hand firmly in his own. "Likewise, President Durant. The Cardinal-Archbishop is waiting; please follow me, I would not want to keep either one of you waiting any longer than necessary," Monsignor Souvette said =-=-= Andre Cardinal Vingt-Trois was standing in the small office-cum-sacristy reserved for the Archbishop's use in the Cathedral; he had been working on some papers, but when he'd been informed the President was coming, the paperwork went away. "I apologize for the short notice of my visit, Monsieur le Cardinal, but the nature of my office keeps things quite dynamic," Adrien said, using the title for the Cardinal-Archbishop customarily used only by kings and the Pope. He knew it would probably irritate the man to no end but Adrien felt the decadence and bulky hierarchy of the Church were two of the least endearing things about it. "I know my personal relationship with the Church doesn't make this situation easy, but I appreciate the assistance you and the Church have provided with the investigation, both officially and personally." In truth, Vingt-Trois hardly cared - Durant was hardly as anti-clerical as, say, the Socialists, and that was what counted. "You're welcome; If we can be of any further assistance in that regard, let us know. How is it proceeding?" "It's proceeding but in what direction I can't really say," Adrien replied, trying to be as evasive as possible. He admired the Cardinal-Archbishop for his charity work and involvement in the community but Durant would be about the last person on Earth to give up sensitive intelligence to the Church. "But for once the terror attack itself isn't the reason for my visit. I'm here out of necessity to discuss something that I imagine neither one of us would like to address and that?s la?cit?." Adrien allowed the word to roll off his tongue like a dead weight, raising the level of tension in the room considerably. La?cit? had been one of the biggest points of contention between the State, the People and the Church for decades, and Adrien felt it was increasingly under attack not only through changes in culture and tradition but also through the actions of the Church itself. That, indeed, was definitely when the room started to feel far...chillier. "Oh?" Vingt-Trois asked simply. He'd let Durant bring out precisely what the issue was, though he could guess. "It's not a favourite subject of mine but it's becoming increasingly obvious that it's a subject which must be addressed. And soon, if the Republic is to remain intact, particularly the Parisian suburbs," Durant said. "This doesn't have so much to do with the Church itself as it does with the changes in French society. Our Muslim community is constantly agitating about a greater role for religion in public life, much to the consternation of those who support the la?cit? policy. "I support la?cit?, Monsieur le Cardinal, and I make no apology for it. It's all well and good to share that in confidence with you but I'm not in a position to do as I wish, nor was I elected to do so. I recognize that segments of society - Muslim, Christian, Jewish, what have you - are increasingly calling for a relaxing of la?cit?. And I am willing to discuss the possibility, especially as it relates to this recent terrorism business and my proposed response to it." "Go on..." Vingt-Trois listened attentively. "I am recalling our ambassador to Algeria to head up a new body, the President's Council on Culture, Religion and Immigration, or the CCRI. He has a lot of diplomatic experience with our Arab friends, and he is an Algerian born French citizen himself. I intend for the body to take a look at a number of policies and make comprehensive recommendations on improving the lot of the immigrant community in France in order to tackle the root causes of dissent and terrorism. I don't believe the fundamentalists living in our communities are inherently fundamentalists or rabble rousers. Most of them are youth that have no other opportunities available to them, and I intend to reverse that trend. "But on a broader level, I expect CCRI to include the la?cit? policy in its discussions. Recently we haven't seen eye-to-eye on the Church's involvement in public life, but then again I think the Church and State have been at odds over the issue since the inception of la?cit?. My hope is that the Church won't see this as an opportunity to forcefully reassert itself into public life and erode the secular foundations of the Republic." A raised eyebrow. "Who called whom 'opportunistic' for simply doing what we were set up to do?" Vingt-Trois began, then stopped himself. "Perhaps that was a bit much; My apologies, Monsieur le President. I'm certain in my hope that that comment wasn't meant to be taken as 'Le Figaro' broadcast it, but I'd be wrong if I said that that was not how it came across - and, to be frank, after the volume of comments we receive daily lambasting us for supporting the Government in encouraging civil peace, it felt like a backstab. As if preaching the Gospel was now to be regarded as something political. But in any case: if you expect the Church to become quietist and simply cede the public square, you misinterpret entirely how we, or indeed any institution of faith that actually believes in what it preaches, view the public debate. And that sounds like what you're trying to do, at first glance: To co-opt the religious communities of the Republic into being quiet supporters of government policy, rather than the full participants we are entitled to be in any democracy. We are not the Church of 1789 or even of the 'Syllabus of Errors'. We do not want political power in that way. But do not think that we will shirk from 'calling it as we see it', as the Americans say - even, perhaps especially, when that might not be what the political class wants to hear." Durant actually smiled and waved his hand, as if to dismiss the Cardinal-Archbishop's concerns. "I do not mean to dismiss the Church and its role in the life of an individual outright, and I would like to avoid any public clash of Church and State interests. My concern is that a loosening of la?cit? will lead to the same sort of Christian fundamentalism, Christian evangelicalism that is seen in the United States, along with all the political involvement that comes with it. "We have enough problems with fundamentalism in France. I am hoping that a loosening in la?cit? coupled with a crack down on external influences directing peaceful Muslim Frenchman toward fundamentalism will reduce the tension, strife and terrorism that we're experiencing as a result of it. I would truly hate to see that a reduction in Muslim fundamentalism would lead to a rise in Christian fundamentalism." "Usually," the Cardinal noted with raised eyebrows, "and no offense meant to them, but it's usually the Protestants you have to worry about on that score, not the Catholics. Unlike most Protestant churches, after all, canon law does helpfully ban the presbyterate and episcopate from civil offices. No, we've tried that. As American Protestants are learning...Anything but the most targeted comments on political issues doesn't tend to turn out well for Church or State. No; where the state is intervening in issues of life or the family, we'll speak up. But unlike the evangelicals, we don't particularly care about tax policy, for example. I can't give any guarantees on how the Protestants will deal with your ideas, only the Church itself - and while I will need to consult with Rome, I think that if you give us a fair hearing, we can at least get the hierarchy to be satisfied with a loosening. Those in the pews, you'll have to convince yourself." Durant smiled and opened his hands in a gesture of acceptance and peace. "Then I suppose we're in agreement on the fundamental issue here. I can't guarantee that there will be any wide-reaching changes in la?cit? but I think it is necessary to address it to some extent. We'll be bringing in a number of civil and religious leaders to work on the President's Council on Culture, Religion and Immigration - as far as that goes, I'd like you to consider serving on it. The primary goal is to reduce growing fundamentalism but I think there are stakeholders from all walks of life in France, including the Church." "I think I could agree to that. I'll need to clear it with the Nuncio in case there are any issues with canon 285, but I'm confident he'll agree," Vingt-Trois noted. "Now, moving away from politics...Given the hell which has brought you to the Cathedral so often, how are you doing?" The question caught Adrien so off guard that he chuckled. "Well...stressed. Managing this business over Notre Dame has been keeping me up at night. You expect to face great trials and tribulations as a leader but no one ever discusses the psychological side-effects. There's so much that needs to be addressed that others have ignored....it can sometimes shake your faith in the abilities of the State. "My children are well, although I cannot afford the time to spend with them that I'd like. Divorce is a lonely existence, especially in the late evenings when it's you, a cup of coffee and a stack of policy recommendations." That got a nod. "The State, Monsieur le President...Is more human than your predecessors ever admitted, just as the Church can sometimes be more human than I or my brother priests and bishops ever like to admit to ourselves. I hardly believe as the Americans, or at least the loud and noisy ones, do, that the State is the enemy, or that it can do no right; far from it on either point. But if you pile all of your trust into human institutions, you have to be ready to face the fact that they will fail. Sometimes quite spectacularly. "So far as your divorce goes...Yes, I've heard that from many, many divorcees. Not so much the policy part, but the loneliness. I've...come to understand both sides, so far as the Church's handling of the matter goes. On the one hand, divorce even at its easiest is not something that should ever be encouraged, but, at the same time...I can understand why people would then remarry. "When it comes to your children? I've spoken to so many children of divorce over the years. Nine times out of ten, they don't need either parent hovering over them. They just need to know that they're available." The Cardinal paused then. His next words were much softer. "As for myself...I can deal with the stress of the work. Governing the archdiocese is not so different even when chaos is spreading around me. "But the nightmares of the attack itself, replaying itself in my head. Dear God, the nightmares." Adrien shifted uncomfortably in his seat at the mention of nightmares. He spent a few moments inspecting the floor and the intricate carving of the chairs they were sitting in before clearing his throat. When he began to speak, he refused to look at the Cardinal-Archbishop but stared at the floor as if recalling some far distant memory. "I see a girl. A Senegalese girl. I cannot help shake the feeling that she was some childhood playmate of mine from visiting with my father in Dakar. She is laying next to me dying, and I see her mother die. And she is asking me why I do not help her, why I do not put a stop to the madness around us. She knows I am the president of France, and in the mind of a child what person can be better placed to right the wrongs of the nation than its leader? I am completely powerless to act. I can do nothing but lay on the cold, hard stone of the parvis until eventually I wake up..." The president trailed off and then snapped back to the present, shaking his head with a humble smile. "But forgive me, Monsieur le Cardinal, it must be all the more difficult for you. I imagine you may have even knew some of the faithful personally." "Some of the children, yes; I'd heard their first Confessions in October, met their parents. I thank God none of the children were even wounded - clearly, it was either amazing luck or Our Lady's intervention. Even the more skeptical theologians are split on the question; the children, on the other hand? The ones who grasp how incredibly lucky they were not to be wounded, all attribute it to Our Lady." the Cardinal noted with a small smile. "If the circumstances weren't so terrifying, it'd be heartwarming." The Cardinal-Archbishop's comment made Adrien's eyes narrow slightly. His personal interpretation of free will was quite broad ? as far as he was concerned divine intervention was limited to Creation and the odd miracle here or there. He initially thought it was a bit disturbing that Vingt-Trois should be so pleased at children attributing their safety to 'Our Lady' instead of the poor aim (or perhaps very good aim) of the terrorists, but the more he thought on it the more he realized he probably looked and felt very much the same after concluding a treaty negotiation with some seemingly implacable foe. Shaking his head with a wry smile, the French president stood up from his seat and offered his hand to the Cardinal-Archbishop of Paris. "Monsieur Vingt-Trois, you and I come from very different yet very similar worlds. I'm very pleased to have stopped by. I won't go so far as to say that the doors of the Elysee Palace are always open to the Church, but I will say that you are personally always most welcome." "I'll take that in the spirit it's offered, Monsieur le President," Vingt-Trois replied, shaking the offered hand. ========== Actions: 1.) Offer membership on the new President's Council on Culture, Religion and Immigration to the Cardinal-Archbishop of Paris (details on CCRI in subsequent posts). From vampi.digitalwytch at gmail.com Fri Aug 14 02:12:58 2009 From: vampi.digitalwytch at gmail.com (Vampi Digitalwytch) Date: Fri, 14 Aug 2009 00:12:58 -0600 Subject: [War] US/Russia-Late Night Phone Calls Message-ID: "Late night phone calls" President Anastasia Malevich, Russia President Steven Dupres, USA His staff had informed him that the Russian president would be calling to discuss what had been briefed as "matters of mutual interest" So while he was waiting he had Blazing Saddles mainly on for background noise. Before she started the obligatory call to the American president, Anastasia made sure to have a fresh pot of coffee going along with having a spare pack of cigs on hand. With the time difference, she was going to need it. Once the notice of the encryption channels being active, she lit up a cig and called. The phone rang and Steven picked it up, "Yes Madame President." "Good day, President Dupres.", she said, "I hope you received our congratulations on your election letter?" "Of course thank you for your kind words, To what do I owe this pleasure?" "Nothing much in particular, just the obligatory chat between the current heads of state.", she said as she took a drag from her cig, "It's more or less become tradition over the years." "Yes it has, and at least we don't have to send letters via steamship....stuff like this would take forever." He sipped the coffee. "From what I've read, steamship had it's charms.", she chuckled, while rustling through some papers, "I hope everything is working smoothly with your change of administrations?" "So far, Congress is it's own situation, but I will always have to deal with them." "True with that.", she said, "I figure we will need to eventually set up a formal face to face meeting when the time comes, go over the current state of affairs between our nations and so forth." "We should set that up as soon as possible, also perhaps discuss joint operations with our respective services, something that had been discussed under my predecessor but went no where." "Look to your Mr. Biden.", she said, an unseen smirk on her face, "He was quite adamant that we were going to collapse and bow to whatever whims your country decreed." Granted much of the furor over that had died down, but it still left a lingering bad taste and she wasn't going to let it quite pass yet. "Mr Biden said a lot of things, I do apologies for what he did say, I have no desire to see Russia collapse and if you followed our whims I would be very surprised." "That little comment of his did upset many here.", she said, "As it is, I am still dealing with the repercussions of your adoption societies attempting to take more of our orphanage population out of the country on the basis that we are providing substandard treatment still despite our vast improvements since then." "If there is any way we can help you please don't hesitate to let us know." "I am already hearing from my people to close off such adoptions.", Anastasia said as she stubbed out her cig and took another one in hand, not lighting it yet, "While it is not my place to dictate what another should do in thier country, looking into your own policies with adoption as to why so many are looking outside your own shelters might be in order." "It is something to look in to." he made a note on a pad on his desk, why did people go overseas to adopt. "Equally, was there anything you felt to bring up to my attention before we decide to schedule the formal meeting?" "One thing.... apparently a rather stupid college student decided to, against State Department warnings attempt to smuggle in a few kilograms of marijuana in to Moscow and is now apparantly awaiting execution in Lubyanka prison.... His family has written me a few times, and their Congressman has been trying to see what's going on, is there a way we can take his custody?" Anastasia had to shuffle through papers to find information on this one to refresh her memory. It had been one of those she'd took brief note on and filed with the rest of the barely skimmed papers about foreign drug traffickers. "To my knowledge, he was aware of our policies yet still chose to willfully disregard them. Furthermore he stated repeatedly during his trial that he had rights as an American citizen and that we had no right to so much as detain him. At one point he called me specifically a fascist while saying I deserved to have a revolution rising against me for stiffling the natural flow, whatever that is." She sighed before going on, "I don't know about you, President Dupres, but I have seen with my own eyes the results of drug addition, treated the afflicted often to no avail due to the grip of addiction upon them. It was not easy enacting our policies, but so far they have proven effective." He paused for a bit, "I spent 10 years as a County prosecutor, dealt with drugs on many levels, I agree that he should be punished, and let's face it, at 18 you are pretty damned stupid, think you know all the answers." "He's an idiot, and I assure you if he comes to the United States it will not be to the loving arms of his parents but the stern clutches of the United States Marshals service then the Federal Bureau of Prisons to spend a long stretch in Leavenworth Kansas reflecting on the error of his ways. As for drugs, we will of course assist you in the arrest of drug smugglers in any way we can." "We know of your 'Club Fed', ", she said as she finally lit her cig and refreshed her coffee, "Your prisons are quite accommodating with luxuries. At this point I see nothing convincing enough to have him released. He knew the policies and still chose to willfully ignore them as if law does not apply." Steven nodded, "Well first of all, United States Penitentiary Leavenworth, is not club fed, and we have no parole or pardoning, considering I'm the guy that would pardon him, I can assure you he will NOT get special favors or treatment. But as I said, we will not be telling you how to run your country or justice system. Just asking for repatriation to serve his time in the US and that's all." "To serve his time coddled and pampered in an American prison where it is regarded as a joke with sentences not being actually what they should be.", she said incredulously, "And how long before enough pleas that it was just a silly error of judgment before he is released? I do not see cause to set precedent that we excuse only select cases for repatriation. It would open the doors for anyone of a certain age to traffic and plead that despite reaching the age of maturity that they simply do not know any better." He paused, "Why don't we discuss this in person at our next summit." "Then we should schedule that summit before his execution date.", she said, now flipping through a calendar. He picked up his Blackberry and started searching, "That would be a good idea." "How does in about two weeks sound?", she suggested as she made a checkmark on her calendar. He nodded, "Sounds good, come to the United States, we'll give you a tour of supermax to show you how we punish our worst criminals, and discuss other matters." "I will let my staff know.", she said, "It will be me, Prime Minister Federova and a small staff." "And we will welcome you with open arms." He made a note in a pad of paper, "And there will be other discussions of mutual interest on that date." "It will give us both ample time to gather our topics.", she said as she took a drag from her cig. "That it will." He nodded, "I look forward to meeting you in two weeks." "Very good." ----------------------------------------- Actions: Setting up for a joint summit between the US and Russia. -- --I know there are no lifeguards in the gene pool, but damn, there ought to be at least a few sharks in the water. From Chazenesq2b at aol.com Sun Aug 16 12:24:45 2009 From: Chazenesq2b at aol.com (Chazenesq2b at aol.com) Date: Sun, 16 Aug 2009 12:24:45 EDT Subject: [War] Et. Al.: "Beijing Gala" Message-ID: "Beijing Gala" President Xia Hong People's Republic of China Ambassadeur Mei Broussard French Republic Ambassador Mihail Demerov Russia Ambassador Seno Kurita Japan Ambassador Chien Xi Pai United States 20, January 2013 ================================================ (The People's Ball Room- Executive Residence, Beijing) The Beijing Philiharmonic and the People's National Orchestra provided an incredibly beautiful musical selection for the Gala, played with the expertise and precision one would expect from two of the world's finest musical bodies. The room itself was cavernous and beautifully ornate. Hardwood floors, beautiful chandeliers, elegant dining tables, the finest china and eating utensils, handcrafted gifts of the elite to the People's Estate, often repaid with tickets to this very event. Hundreds of the most important people from across the globe adorned in their finery were assembled in the room. Politicians she'd targeted for wooing into her 'sub-party' as it had been called, businessmen looking for the next 'big deal', others seeking to receive or protect lucrative contracts, diplomats and reporters, military officers and intelligence experts... and among them as well as scattered outside a small army assembled to provide for the security of this, the Peoples Estate's first appearance to the outside world. She'd forced herself to learn to appreciate these kind of events. Her Grandfather used to take her to the military balls when she had first come home, a grand daughter of marrying age happened to garner a lot of attention from the single sons of his comrades and of defense industry specialists. She knew even then what his intention was, but was more than happy to play her role, to smile, feign timidity, and collect amazing free gifts. Her father did the same when she was in America... it must have been a world tradition showing off the kids, and currying favor with the parents by bribing said children. Then when she'd married Wen, all kinds of business executives, people she'd tried hard ignoring her entire life, suddenly wanted to know her, chat with her, meet Chan and Mei... hell one industrialist from Hong Kong provided the dress she was wearing tonight just to find out what Wen's favorite tea was. Still, none of those gatherings compared in importance to this. She walked through the room, donning a silk broccade, traditional ceremonial dress with gold embroidered trim. It was simple compared to some of the dresses submitted by China's fashion specialists wanting a little publicity for their creations, but it was comfortable and suitably elegant, so she went with it. There would be plenty of other occasions for them to get their play time. Her dark hair was clipped back with a traditional oriental clip, and a yellow carnation had been well placed in it; symbolic of the stars on China's flag so she was told. "So how do I look?" Chan turned around and grinned. "Beautiful as always Mom." Xia laughed. "I'd feel better if you weren't my son and compelled to say that." Her smile still broad on her face, she smoothed out his dress uniform. "Very handsome, the uniform suits you. Now, this room is 'full' of beautiful women..." "Mom I'm not looking..." "I didn't say you 'had' to Chan." She interrupted him. "But it would be a waste of the moment not to at least... speak... with some of them would it not? You'd be surprised, the simplistic joy that comes with the company of the opposite sex, romantic or not, is one of life's finer pleasures and I 'will not' allow my son to miss it so that he can hang onto the arm of his mother, is that understood?" His eyes avoided hers for a moment, but in a good, bashful way. "Yes ma'am." "Good, now go mingle. Where's your sister?" "Not that you can tell from here, but she's behind those three gentlemen..." "Ahhh... my daughter has good tastes." Xia smiled. "Go, I have some... guests... I need to speak with." Ambassadeur Mei Broussard of the French Republic had subtly kept her eye on the Chinese President since she'd arrived. Mei always considered other women to be more dangerous than men ­ they were more focused and less susceptible to charm. She had been selected by President Durant for just that sort of caution and precision, and she had agreed to serve as Ambassadeur en Chine for no small concessions from the Presidency. But the concessions had been worth it as far as Durant was concerned. In many ways, Mei Broussard was tailor-made for the position. Born in Macau to a French businessman and his Chinese wife, Mei was well acquainted with the Chinese language, culture and way of life but in the final analysis she had always gravitated toward her French heritage. She quickly proved her business skills at the ?cole des Hautes ?tudes Commerciales in Paris and assumed control of her father's business interests in China shortly thereafter. The Board of Directors had meticulously been stacked in her favour over the years, so she was perfectly willing to take a small leave of absence in order to serve the Republic. Mei always preferred to approach from behind, as she slowly did now. Her dress was constrictive but beautifully designed in an Indochine-style by one of Paris's premier designers. Some sort of predatory instinct told her speaking from behind someone gave her some small advantage, and she was just as pleased with that as she was with the small difference in height (in her favour, thanks to heels) with the Chinese President. Mei recognized the man she was speaking with as a Hong Kong-based businessman; she knew his company grossed less than her own, so she felt it was more than appropriate to interrupt. Aside from that she was the Ambassador of the French Republic after all. "Madam President, forgive me for interrupting, but I just wanted to say it's a pleasure to see you again," Mei said, flashing a cosmetically perfected smile (the Ambassadeur was competing with some Hollywood actresses for number of plastic surgeries done). She extended a hand in the other woman's direction and pressed on. "The People's Estate is quite something to behold; if I didn't know any better, I'd say someone is trying to construct the Versailles of the East. Please don't misunderstand me, I'm as big a fan of grandeur and largesse as any Frenchman, and I quite think the People's Republic is in a better position than the rest of us to afford all of this." Xia offered a congenial smile in return, graciously accepting the French Ambassador's hand. Xia had always been pretty tall in comparison to her countrywomen, the result of half American genes, so 'not' being the tallest in the room was a strange, albeit welcomed, change of pace. "The People of China deserve nothing less, and I'm quite honored that you would think it the Versailles of the East. It may not have the prestige of age, but for too long the seat of Chinese government had been without a permanent home. We in the Congress felt it was time to provide a central locale for the Executive, rather than the numerous, classified, locations that had been used in the past. The fewer secrets between a Government and its people, the better, wouldn't you say Ambassador?" The French Ambassador arched an eyebrow in amusement. "Try telling that to the North Koreans." "The North Korean situation is... depressing." Xia frowned momentarily, steeped in contemplation. "An entire society subjected to the whims of a dynasty is not one that can survive indefinitely. Unfortunately, the North Korean government is determined to test that fact. We as foreign nations have no right to interfere in Korean matters, however North Korea's people deserve better." "I'm sure the Americans will be happy about a Chinese regional non-interference policy but those of us concerned about human rights and North Korea's nuclear weapon's programme would like to see some movement taken on both accounts. The Northerners aren't good for regional stability and regional instability is not good for investment," Mei replied. Her own business interests gave her a vested interest in the matter of North Korea and unbeknownst to the Chinese the French Foreign Minister had just wrapped up a teleconference with Ambassadeur Broussard and President Durant discussing the issue of North Korea. France remained one of only two European countries which refused to recognize North Korea, instead recognizing South Korea's sovereignty over the entirety of the peninsula. Despite the lacked of recognition they still had a number of options before them, including denying North Korean students the right to study in France and instituting a complete economic embargo. "President Durant and I have discussed unilateral action on the matter; however, he would much rather work through a regional framework to address the problem. But if China is unprepared to move on the issue, we completely understand, and I'll relay to the President that we should seek other ways to address the Koreas," she continued, sipping from her champagne and glancing tellingly over the edge of the champagne flute at the Japanese ambassador. "I'm sure President Durant is more appreciative of the delicacies of diplomatic protocol than to suggest that France might engage in some sort of action without the consent of those it would effect. Such an action would be most undemocratic, most Bush-like. One would hope such a fine man as himself, in the role of leader of such a fine nation as France, would know the lesson of that era... Pre-emptive war is an ultimate act of desperation. One that has the unfortunate consequences, historically, of forcing the hands of regional powers whom would otherwise be content to pursue a normalization of relations with the instigating country. Particularly given that this particular region has a long history of hostility towards Western imperialism... and certain nations may... strenuously... object to the occupation of even a hated neighbor by clear foreigners. I certainly could not guarantee China would not be swayed to defend such a neighbor under like circumstances." Xia gave a wan smile, hoping the message was nuanced, but clear, enough. "I have been instructed by President Durant to deliver our official congratulations to you on the completion of the facility. I believe he is sending along something to help outfit it and some champagne or something," Mei said, waving a hand as if to dismiss the gesture. In her opinion they were so common and frequently so insincere as to be inconsequential. "More to the point, he is interested in exploring Franco-Chinese relations. No doubt you have noted that the European Union is losing some degree of cohesion; France regards it as a temporary setback on the road to greater European integration but we cannot disregard our own foreign policy while waiting for the E.U. to recover." "Please pass on my personal, and the people's general, gratitude for your gift. As for France's foreign affairs agenda, China would most certainly accept friendship with open arms. I feel there are many areas where cooperation would be mutually beneficial. Where would the President prefer beginning?" "My last conversation with him indicated he was looking into exploring cooperation on energy issues, especially in Central Asia. You may be aware of the impending completion of the Nabucco pipeline running into Central Europe. France is interested in hooking up to the pipeline, and I believe President Durant is interested in developing a partnership with China to develop the energy resources in the region." "That is quite an interesting proposal madame Ambassador. I look forward to discussing the topic with him in person, but you'll have to forgive me if I cannot give you an answer today. The people deserve a leader whom makes well informed and educated choices, unfortunately I'm not familiar with the pipeline or the issues surrounding it. I'd be happy to speak with the you, or President Durant, at a later date. I wish we could continue this discussion Ambassador, but..." Xia peered over at Aaryn who was continuing to make a subdued 'get here now' wave. "I believe I'm needed elsewhere. Please enjoy the banquet." Mihail arrived and had quickly melted into the formally dressed throng. It was an old habit of his, best to eavesdrop on the conversations around him since you never could guess at what conversations abounded. Even if there was nothing of potential import, at least the food was good here so coming wouldn't be a total loss. Though, in all honesty he did have a strong liking for China. Funny enough to think it stemmed from when he was a child and his friend Demitri who's father did well in the black market had acquired some of what the Americans called 'chop socky' martial arts films. The acting was horrible, the dubbing even worse, but it was the backgrounds that pulled him into wanting to know more, even backpacking through some of the rural country and giving his Chinese a more Szhewan/Canton twang than the usual Mandarin. He saw President Hong making the rounds, she was a pleasing enough woman, though too skinny in his opinion. He would bide his time for when she had a moment so they could speak the obligatory pleasantries. Having finished her conversation with the French Ambassador, and the more pushy business people in the crowd, Aaryn had non-challantly directed her boss to the Russian Ambassador. After all, their governments were likely destined to work together and thus keeping the man waiting was by no means desirable. "Mister Ambassador, welcome to Beijing. I understand your President recently appointed you as Chief of Mission to our fair nation?" "If you asked Madame President Malevich, I nagged for the position.", Demitri chuckled, "Your country is exquisite and I look forward to my time here." It was clear that he truly meant the sentiment rather than the generic platitudes that tended to abound at these sort of affairs. "I look forward to working with you towards the mutual benefit of both our nations, Ambassador." Xia smiled, at least he seemed to be comfortable. He could be nice to work with. "As do I.", Mihail said with a warm smile and polite nod. In the corners of his eyes he could see the others milling about much like sharks ready to descend. While not a literal blood frenzy, he'd been to enough of these gatherings to know that many would treat this like a press to push forth whatever agendas or points they could as if the world would end tomorrow. Had that been the case, who really cared about matters of state? He simply faded slightly as the others approached. While there were a few points that would need to be discussed as far as trade matters went, now was not the time when first impressions were to be made as far as he was concerned. There would be ample time for weighty discussions later, and to be honest, the tray of dumpling appetizers was looking particularly divine. As all this was going on, a graying Asian man doted on the food table. Ambassador Seno Kurita was an old hand at diplomacy, a career civil servant who had been rewarded for his years of skilled (and non-partisan) service with the highly prestigious spot as Japan's ambassador to Red China. Prime Minister Ahkahita had hoped to send the Foreign Minister himself to this event but the recent shakeup in Tokyo stemming from the last Cabinet Secretary's assassination had prevented that from coming about. Still, Kurtia was a senior and respected figure in the MFA so his presence, combined with Omaguchi's very public death, his attendance instead of the Foreign Minister would not be construed as a slight. Japan and China had such a complex relationship, often a tense one. The Chinese had never really forgiven Japan as (most) of Europe had forgiven Germany, and any number of little issues had always kept ties between the two nations at a lukewarm level. But China was quickly equalling Japan as the biggest economy in Asia and second largest in the world. Ahkahita's more left-wing political stance was more accommodating towards Beijing, more interested in trade and commerce than pissing matches over human rights and free speech done at the behest of Washington. Kurita was a patient man, a hallmark of his career, and was inclined to let the President make her rounds on her own time. They would speak when his turn came. The Japanese Foreign Minister had always been on the 'hot list'... the short list of names that Xia 'had' to meet, if she did nothing else that night. China had money and a willingness to invest... Japan had technology and a willing to sell... it would be sad if a war settled before the births of the leading generation prevented them from better representing the interests of their own people. On that note, Xia smiled and offered her hand in addition to a respectful, well rehearsed bow. "Minister, I'm honored you could join us. I hope the evening's events meet with your approval?" After a brief chat, which unfortunately included nothing more than exchanges of pleasantries and personal greetings, Aaryn was rushing her off to the next person of importance. It had been a long path from the scared child who got on a flight out of Taipei when Chang Kai Shek was defeated, but he was now in Beijing where he was ending his career with the State Department as Ambassador to China, Representing his adopted homeland in the country his father fought for, though not on the winning side. "Ambassador... I'm glad you have taken an opportunity to return to your homeland." Xia smiled as she offered one of the millions of the Sino-diaspora both her hands. She had been privied to the man's dossier prior to the meeting. "Welcome to Beijing." "Thank you Madame President, it is good to be back." He took her hands. ACTIONS 1. Standard Political Gala. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://esteroic.com/pipermail/war_esteroic.com/attachments/20090816/83b5041f/attachment-0001.html From Chazenesq2b at aol.com Sun Aug 16 21:29:19 2009 From: Chazenesq2b at aol.com (Chazenesq2b at aol.com) Date: Sun, 16 Aug 2009 21:29:19 EDT Subject: [War] China: "Streamlining" Message-ID: "Streamlining" President Xia Hong The People's Republic of China 5, March 2013 ============================================= (The Red Room- People's Estate) "You're asking for... considerable changes, Madame President." Xia folded her hands and stared at the three men on the opposite side of her desk. In the center was Genao Hu, the newly minted speaker of the People's National Congress (PNC). Flanking him were the two major faction leaders, Xi Jinping, the chief of the Politburo and moderate, as well as Zhou Yongkang, the long standing Chinese Police Chief and appointed leader of the hard-liner 'Maoists'. Three people whom either directly represented, or had connections to, all the various political groups in China. Although she was a veritable dictator at the moment, given the amount of power placed in a President's hands, she really needed these men to be onboard with her plan. "The People cannot afford the continued, needless, squandering of resources and political infighting that has enveloped the agencies of their government." Xia folded her hands together. "Clearly, something must be done to minimize this burden. The plan before you allows us to do just that." "Your plan has us removing the Chief of National Police as a Politburo member." Zhou frowned. "The people would be dissatisfied to here an important security position is being undermined." "The importance of the Chinese National Police is hardly being undermined," Xia smiled politely. "In fact it will become the lead organization of the new Ministry of Justice under an appointed National Attorney." "An attorney appointed by you." Zhou shot back. "And confirmed by the PNC." Xia defended herself. "You are wanting us to give you the power to reshape the Politburo." Jinping clasped his hands together. "May I ask Madame President, why?" "You mean other than the estimated 9 billion dollars in savings?" "At the cost of thousands of Civil Service jobs." Zhou countered. "Unnecessary jobs filled by employees who will have no problem finding like work elsewhere now that the global economy is back on track." Xia perried. "But additionally, as we are all aware from our Constitutional classes back in school, the power of China rests in her people; it is the promise of a socialist system." She didn't raise the point by chance, it was the 1980's amended constitution that emphasized that point... one written by Deng Xiaoping back in the Tienemen days... and Deng was a mentor of Xi Jinping. Everyone nodded. "Then the people need to better understand how it is their government works. Quite simply there are so many overlapping jurisdictions for various agencies and bureaus that our finest legal minds are often vexed to keep up. My proposal takes into account the advice of China's finest legal consultants and judicial specialists. In addition, I've consulted a number of former contacts in the PNC. The Politburo has been briefed... I know this 'looks' like a big change on paper, but all we are doing is simply renaming the members of the Politburo by the ministries they will be running. I've got several nominations for each position, again upon consultation, and I'm sure we can all agree that those names represent accurately the diversity that is China." Sure enough Xia's nominations did 'just' that. The new Politburo would resemble in great detail a western style cabinet, featuring a number of advisors: Prime Minister Minister of Defense Minister of State Affairs Minister of Security and Intelligence Minister of Justice Minister of the Treasury Minister of the Interior Minister of Health Minister of Education Minister of Social Services Minister of Commerce Minister of Science and Technology Minister of Agriculture Minister of Transportation Under each Ministry would rest certain agencies, increasing the size of the Politburo and thus centralizing the power of the various agencies under unified offices, as the architects of the Constitution had intended. Additional, minute details, included rules regarding the civil service, a modest pay raise and raise in benefits, and rules regarding the reduction of the workforce. In her eyes it was a series of plainly beneficial moves that should be adopted without hesitation. To some however, it could be seen as an unwelcome interruption to daily business as agencies were reorganized under new leadership. She knew that... which is why they were having this meeting. There was silence as the three men once again reviewed the names, each one grimacing or nodding with approval as they considered the specific persons. It was probably the longest 5 minutes in Xia's life, at least since Wen's eulogy. "Are you negotiable on these names?" Jinping raised an eyebrow. He knew some were locks, the Prime Minister for example already existed, and thus was locked in. Xia grinned victoriously. "There is always room for negotiation." ================================================== ACTION 1. Remodeling of Government: Using constitutional powers afforded by the last few Amendments to China's Constitution, centralize the various Chinese agencies, such as the CNP, the PLA, etc. under a Ministerial system, created out of the old Politburo, and appointed by the President and confirmed by the PNC. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://esteroic.com/pipermail/war_esteroic.com/attachments/20090816/31c0d5a2/attachment.html From john.penta at gmail.com Fri Aug 21 18:02:51 2009 From: john.penta at gmail.com (John Penta) Date: Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:02:51 -0400 Subject: [War] WAR World Report, Volume 3 Message-ID: World Alliances and Rivalries: World Report Volume 3 For all actions since Volume 2, advancing the timeline to 6 March 2013 to 20 March 2013. United Nations Security Council (Permanent Members): United States, United Kingdom, France, China, Russia United Nations Security Council (Non-Permanent Members as of 3 February 2013): Until May 30, 2013: Canada, South Africa, Panama, Poland, Australia Until July 31, 2013: Japan, Brazil, Ethiopia, Denmark, Afghanistan Pending UN Security Council Actions: none Pending UN General Assembly Actions: None United Nations Secretariat: No news. ======================= GM Notes ======================= It's not exactly 2 weeks, but trying to get back into the habit of sending the WR out by Friday. A word re Bryan's JP with me: I'll happily write the Holy See or local Church hierarchy if you need it, among other NPCs. Don't in any way take it as GM opinion - I write pretty straight, pulling from what I know/have heard of the RL clerics involved, inventing new ones (or drawing up personalities from whole cloth if all I know is a name) if I need to. (It's actually pretty surprising what I can dig up given enough time.) When they speak on doctrinal matters, I do my best to reflect actual Church positions - or at least the theology as I know it - including where they speak on the intersection of doctrine and politics. Ian (Brazil), as noted, is on LOA til mid-September. I hope he comes back soon. Oh, also. New feature down below. In parentheses after the ratings, if there's been a change from the last WR, is the amount of change; that way you don't need to flip back to the previous WR and compare the two. Thank Bryan for suggesting it. In less-happy news: After this WR, I'm going to start applying the activity policy as written - in summary, if you can't post, that's fine...Just say something to me. LOAs will be granted liberally - *before* the due date.:) 3 consecutive WRs without word, which roughly equals 6 weeks, and I presume you've left us, and your country becomes open. You're welcome back at any time - as your country previously, provided someone hasn't taken it up in the meantime, or as another country if someone has. To be fair, everybody will start with a clean slate. Finally, a newbie status report: We have 2 newbies in various stages of the joining process as of 6 PM EDT, 21 August. One wants Venezuela (and is on the lists - say hi), one picked Australia (and is not yet on the lists). Generally, I sign people on to the lists after the first draft of their country writeup is received, right after I send back my comments. -John ACTION RESPONSES ======================= BRAZIL ============= Population Approval: 50% Government Approval: 50% International Favor: 50% Economic Growth: 5% Inflation: 5.8% Unemployment: 9% ---------------------------- LOA CANADA ============= Population Approval: 47% Government Approval: 43% International Favor: 50% Economic Growth: 3.1% Inflation: 1% Unemployment: 6.8% ---------------------------- No significant news to report. CHINA (PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF) ============== Population Approval: 50% Government Approval: 48% (-2%) International Favor: 50% Economic Growth: 2% Inflation: 6% Unemployment: 9.1% (+.1%) ----------------------------- No matter how you portray it, 20 thousand job cuts don't go down easily, especially in a still-fragile global economy...And especially when the jobs of question are government jobs, generally considered secure jobs in, well, any other country. It's not like there are protests in the streets or anything (this is China, after all), but officials seem to be...waiting for the other shoe to drop. With that said, reorganization is proceeding apace, and should be complete by the first week of May, though the after-effects will continue for some time. JAPAN ====== Population Approval: 53% Government Approval: 48% International Favor: 50% Economic Growth: 2% Inflation: 1.8% Unemployment: 4.4% ----------------------------- No significant news to report. FRANCE ==== Population Approval: 52% (+2%) Government Approval: 48% (-2%) International Favor: 48% Economic Growth: 1.8% Inflation: 1% Unemployment: 9.2% ----------------------------- (OOC: Holding off on the post re the Cardinal, since I'm presuming there are more posts to come on the CCRI) The President's hunt for the leaker goes about as expected - namely, not very successfully. A low-level staffer is fired, but then promptly sues for unwarranted dismissal. This all hits the papers, naturally. Combined with the austerity measures, this doesn't make the President especially popular with (respectively) the media (who see him as going after their sources), or the civil service (who see him as going straight after them). The audit of the National Assembly has members up in arms, claiming a breach of separation of powers, as well. The austerity measures do gain the President a small degree of popularity with the public, though. UNITED STATES ============== Population Approval: 55% Government Approval: 53% (-2%) International Favor: 50% Economic Growth: 1.9% Inflation: 4.8% Unemployment: 6.2% ---------------------------- The case of Brayden Smithe-Jenkins has exploded onto the front pages with the sentencing of the American college student to death on drug-smuggling charges. Smithe-Jenkins's member of Congress and senators have all requested that the White House intervene with the Kremlin - and both senators from his home state (California) have announced their intention to put a hold on any of the President's cabinet nominations that come up for a vote unless Smithe-Jenkins at least is given a reprieve from a death sentence. This is widely denounced (even by other Democrats) as obstructionist, however, and the holds have yet to be formally made. Yet. UNITED KINGDOM ============== Population Approval: 50% Government Approval: 50% International Favor: 50% Economic Growth: 2.0% Inflation: 3.8% Unemployment: 7.1% ---------------------------- No significant news to report. RUSSIA =============== Population Approval: 50% Government Approval: 50% International Favor: 50% Economic Growth: 6.2% Inflation: 13.9% Unemployment: 6% ---------------------------- As expected, the tabloids have a field day. First with the President's alleged amorous adventures, then with the release of documents on Tunguska - which have even serious papers digging, asking "what else are they hiding?" The Ministry of Defense, in particular, is growing increasingly concerned re media and other digging in regards to activities in various closed cities, warning of the possibility of leaks and foreign infiltration. In other news, the case of Brayden Smithe-Jenkins, an American college student facing execution by firing squad in Russia for allegedly smuggling marijuana, has hit the papers worldwide. European nations are protesting that Russia would violate European norms by executing anyone; the US Government is also said to have protested and sought commutation of the death sentence. Within Russia, though, there isn't much protest, except from human-rights groups. ETHIOPIA =============== Population Approval: 50% Government Approval: 50% International Favor: 50% Economic Growth: 8% Inflation: 41% Unemployment: 11% ---------------------------- No significant news to report. ITALY =============== Population Approval: 50% Government Approval: 50% International Favor: 50% Economic Growth: 1.1% Inflation: 3.6% Unemployment: 10.1% ---------------------------- No significant news to report. ================ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... 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