Intergalactic Summit

The entity that received sanctuary with the Guristas is no different that the many other sanctioned private armies in the State, or are you implying that the security forces of the Eight are no more than thugs as well?

I also counter the implication that the silence from the agressors constitutes automatic guilt on their targets. It is also quite common for agencies such as them to give themselves a big PR pat on the back for breaking up a large crime ring etc. It is also as common as the silence when things go horribly wrong or actions that are not good are made public.

So, facts become tricks eh?

What is the difference than the scale between them and say, Ishukone Watch? Do you know that each member is in fact a State citizen or not? Or do you know more of this story than you are telling?

And some of you wonder why these people declined your offers of evacuation. Obviously you are all so cowed into submission to the CPD that you would have handed them over without question the moment you heard Provist boot heels approaching.

Can I see some evidence for your characterization of Intara Directive Action? I have indicated my lack of familiarity with this organization earlier in this discussion. My inquiries and the intel that I've received has stated that the Intara Family are State Citizens in good standing. Obviously not at the level of influence as the "Big Eight" but a corporation with longstanding legitimate participation in the Caldari State. IDA has been characterized as their private military / security force.

Are we to take from this that only the sovereignty of the Megacorps is of any consequence? The thousands of smaller independent or subcontracting corporations in the Caldari States are to be reduced to "thugs" as soon as the CPD attacks them?

Ishukone Watch is in fact capable of being bought. Or have you forgotten the failed ORE contract? I also ask, do you know they were for hire or under retainer by the IDA?


The fact of the matter is we do not know why CPD or CalNav forces were directed to atack them and until we do the State's actions are in doubt as to whether it was warranted.

We were engaged in flight operations in-system. We'd heard about Orbital Bombardments aimed at civilians and were patrolling above the districts of the planet (no ships sighted, by the way) when one of our scouts reported a fleet action above the planet.

By the time I arrived our scout, Scherezad, possibly the mildest mannered Loyalist of any faction in the cluster, had already been engaged by the Gurista forces who were in combat with Cal Nav ships. This is not a hard decision to make and doesn't require 'mind control' from CPD.

Gurista Battleships were in orbit around a Caldari world. They were fighting Caldari Navy forces. They aggressed and destroyed our scout.

Of COURSE we came in shooting.

I will be honest, the decision would be informed by the consequences. I'm all about principle, but you've got to pick the battles that are worth fighting.

...and the circumstances, of course. The CPD are an authority in the State and mere disagreement with them isn't enough reason to automatically defy them. I'm not a big fan of SuVee either, but I'm not about to refuse them a reasonable request.

Long story short, I'm not going to tie myself down into an "I would never..." the situation is too fluid and murky for that.

In short? I would have asked them and gone with what they want (with some restrictions). Recommendations would have been SSOE or Mordu's Legion if they didn't know where to go.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is all that any of you who value law, order, and proper civilization need worry about in this matter.

It don't matter who they were or where they worked or what they were doing - the moment these people decided to accept the assistance and shelter of the Guristas they were effectively defecters to them. The Guristas themselves are, much like all other pirate factions, an infectious blight. No matter where they are, or what they are doing, or who challenge them, they are after their own enrichment only, usually at the cost of whoever happen to be in thier way. As such they should be opposed and supressed at all times whenever and wherever found.

Shoot on sight and shoot to kill is the standard greeting when these vermin are involved, that and foiling any objective or agenda they might have. I honestly hope the objective the Guristas was after here fails or is stopped cold and the involved parties dealth with according to whatever laws they have broken.

As for the CPD's actions across the State, they will prove to be justified in accordance with STATE standards - the only standard that matters IN THE STATE - or the CPD will do itself a dis-service and prove to their own people to be a drain on the State in all the ways that matter - to them - and speed up their own demise.

As such, for all my fellow Federals who may feel this is unjust and wrong - that is your opinion, and as far as the involved parties are concerned, your opinions are irrelevant. Save yourself the time and face complaining, and observe, for now. There might be a reason for us to get involved, should for instance, this turmoil spill into the Federation.

The Guristas are NOT the ninth mega - they would love to keep this illusion up and for people to believe it, but it's not a fact. You would do well to not claim this publicly, you are spreading a lie the Guristas hope grant their existance more legitimacy.

Scherezad, harden your heart against such notions. If you are loyal to and value the State, the Guristas are your enemies. End of story. There are no practical reasons to entertain any notion of their 'nobility', in any way. They have none. The State, on the other hand...

The scenarios are not equivalent. Orbital bombardment is a widespread fire support tactic, and it is only this week's high-profile use of it that has suddenly catapulted it to the status of being a byword for genocidal atrocity. an orbital bombardment is simply the use of orbit-to-ground ordnance. The term makes no reference to the size of the gun, the target area, or the body count. One small howitzer loaded with tactical EMP rounds is an orbital bombardment, but unless you're a household appliance it's also about as destructively lethal as sneezing.

Intara were the target of precision strikes with light weapons targeted at tactical objectives in support of a ground assault. Firepower was very carefully not allowed to encroach on civilian residences (source: Ohminen Sin, a woman who has every good reason to want to make the CPD look like monsters).

The homeworld bombardment, on the other hand, was siege firepower - large guns, big explosions, indiscriminate targeting, the death of civilians by the thousand, including children, serious ecological damage from which Caldari Prime has still not fully recovered.

Don't compare the two, Soter, it just makes it clear to people how much of a scumsucker you really are, and that's something you really should be doing your best to keep a secret.