Intergalactic Summit

It's been almost ten years since Malaetu Shakor stepped into office as the Republic's prime minister (later 'Sanmatar').

While more patient minds cautioned against it, many clans supported him, because he made them promises of new glory, of a full-out war at last, the final throwing off our shackles. At his inaugural speech, he seemed confirm their hopes: "Sons and daughters of Matar, make no mistake about it. [---] Let it be known from this day forth that we are a race of warriors, not slaves, and that we will fight to the last drop of blood for what we hold dear."

Almost a decade. Not slaves but warriors.

And what do we have to show for it?

Oh, we have fought the Militia wars. We have even won it, for a short while, and some of us have metal to show for it. But where was the push on from that victory? The Empire was in turmoil, we held the field, slaves were returning and turning into warriors, and then what? The next step is causing a controversy with his choice of companion and attire?

I am sure our sisters and brothers still in the darkness rejoiced and complimented his bravery.

Where is our war, Sanmatar Shakor?

This would be a fine argument, if the Sanmatar had not pretty much ran for office with the contrary opinion.

Politicians say one thing to get into office, and do another when they get in. What a novel and new concept!

My stance is, is that it's a problem with the Republic's system of Governance, and therefore is your problem. Though I'm not sure how much it continues to be, or will continue to be.

I still think Thal has the right of it, neither side wants war as it pulls the Federation and the State into it as well. Whomever wins, pretty much every nation's common populace loses with a war on that scale.

I'm not sure one could describe his appointment as 'running for office.' He was, if I recall, 'elected' unopposed and with a very small turnout.

The Sanmatar appears to be a dictator, in the sense that he wields largely untrammelled power with the consent of a docile tribal oligarchy. If he changes his mind about policy, it is not put to the people for a mandate.

Obviously, as a democrat, I consider this an unsatisfactory approach to running the Republic. Nonetheless, the Minmatar as a whole seem to be comfortable with the arrangement (not speaking of the many who prefer representation here in the Federation as a matter of choice). If so, you can hardly be annoyed if he simply changes his mind about the realpolitik. Surely that sort of pragmatic and immediate decision making is one of the few strengths of dictatorship?

I should imagine that Sanmatar Shakor took an earnest look at his peers, Executor Heth and Empress Sarum, and came to understand the fate of populist autocrats who fail to perceive when to step back from their ambitions.

It depends on whether that war would be justified and winnable.

We could argue on those answers; I have always held yes for justified and I think we at least had a stellar opening last midyear and after. Might have botched it already, of course.

However, let's concentrate on your other point. What I find interesting about that is that when Shakor has stopped, so seems to have everyone else. When Midular was still in power, there were plenty of people calling out for the war. There were even those who were willing to engage in terrorism and incite a civil war over the issue. Where are all those people now? Was it, after all, never about fighting for freedom, but rather about seeing their man on the top?

Because people are easily pacified, the republic is probably in the best shape it could be. at least for the time being, it has already over extended its resources when it comes to actually being able to take care of more people. I've seen it first hand, with the overflow who are being failed heading outside the empires, or to the federation.

a token gesture was made, some key victories where achieved. and the populace is satisfied, now is the time to rebuild and secure the position not to push for more. even if war where declared today, and even if by some miracle the republic won. it would be the death of the republic because it simply does not have the infrastructure or capacity to deal with such a massive surge in population when it can barely take care of the people it has now.

as for the capsuleers who fell silent, i suspect thats because they had already fought their war, and they had lost.
are there any matari loyalist alliances left? electus matari is gone from what i've heard, and ushra'khan is a shadow of its former self. meanwhile CVA stands like a monolith in providence with no real signs of them toppling any time soon.

the calls for war have fallen silent because to continue them is to write our own funeral song.

Where is our war? The moment has yet to come. Shakor is not stupid and won't drop us into a fire we will only blister in instead charr. Our war has not arrived yet leaving us with ample time to improve our art as warriors. Hes picking our battle so we don't have to fight another war after it. This isn't the rebellion anymore, we have time to prepare, we have time to train, we have time as an ordinance we can use. Strike while the irons hot and behold a crafted blade, a masterpiece, strike while it smokes and recieve a shattered blade.