Intergalactic Summit

Oh, wonderful.

This argument never flew two inches when the Ray of Matar was in power and did the exact same thing. Now when Shakor has promised to end that policy and bring a war, it suddenly is the best thing since sliced bread.

The Republic has enough problems dealing with its severe economic issues, I don't think taking on billions more refugees is smart when they don't know how to deal with the ones they already have. And losing millions of their people in the process.

Why, such wonderful, pro-peace, moderate, patient answers!

And how delighted I would have been reading them, ten years ago, when it was I and mine who advocated for that stance, when we were constantly called traitors, collaborators, appeasers for it.

I'm sorry, but it is laughable to claim that when Shakor got into power with his pro-war cabinet, what resulted is that suddenly every warmonger in the galaxy simply saw the light and decided peace was best after all, nevermind about our kin in Darkness.

It is especially laughable considering that our odds are probably better now than they used to be, what with the Empire having gone through their repeated succession problems, and with technological advances.

Yea, like I said, possible we botched it already.

Shakor did not take the chance when he had it. Now the Empire has a competent leader, we have a self-styled backboneless 'Sanmatar' whose only accomplishment during his reign has been to ruin our century-old free government.

Now we are in fact losing ground every day, after decades of slow gains.

Soon it will be too late.

You were not traitors back then, far from it. You were ahead of the curve and I hope you knew that back then.

Also, don't take my words as peaceful in any way. We have less numbers, and atleast for a long time less materials, I don't know current details on where we stand. In order for us to triumph we NEED to be better than them in all accounts. Any less than better won't do. I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants the next war to be the last one we need to fight. That the longest time of peace for any nation that we once held to be a drop in the bucket compared to what comes of this. So, are we at that level yet? I know I'm not. Are you and your own? I'd hope so but knowing your limitations is far from being a weakness, a strength if anything.

They probably are, I don't spend much time in republic space. but thats also probably why the ferver has died down, the populace is finally starting to make some progress and get comfortable, why would they want to go back to being stretched razor thin?

I used to think that the Republic was somewhat of a basket case, and my constituents often complained about paying taxes to support the perceived failures of economic policy. Last year however, I was privileged to be part of a delegation from our regional assembly to meet with a number of Republic agencies, and we found the situation very much improved from the rather lurid and prejudiced stories that the yellow press is so fond of promulgating.

The Republic's economy is, in my view vibrant and growing. There are significant areas of deprivation but any nation developing from almost a standing start would face such inequalities. The Federation has been at this sort of thing for centuries, and we still fail on a number of levels to address equitable distribution of wealth.

Further to Captain Rhiannon's opening question, there appears to be somewhat of an assumption built into the desire for war. That is that the Federation would be willing, as an ally, to bankroll the adventure. I fear this is an erroneous leap of faith. Whilst we value the Republic as our ally, and would certainly defend her interests if threatened, I sense absolutely no appetite for supporting an aggressive war against the Empire (outside the agreed parameters of CEWPA). I expect the Senate would immediately pull the plug - financial and military - on such a Quixotic and doomed invasion and require immediate attendance at peace talks.

This would prove rather humiliating for the Sanmatar, revealing just how dependent the Republic is on Federation goodwill. I'm sure he had this explained clearly to him just days after his accession, thus accounting for his change of mood.

We are seeing the Empire move gradually towards enlightenment vis-
å-vis slavery and the human rights of their captive populations. Glacial perhaps, but discernible. The Federation welcomes that and will, I feel, try to encourage the new Empress further in that direction. If she feels threatened, all that progress may be lost.

The view from the top is often different one expects. It's possible that once Sanmatar Shakor entered office and became privy to the Republic's records and intelligence reports he realized the Republic was in no position to support total war. Most of the Republic's resources are geared towards infrastructure projects and improving industry, gear them towards war and it's the people who were relying on those projects who will suffer.

What's more there is a balance of power in the cluster that needs to be considered. Do you think the Federation would agree to be drawn into total war with the Amarr? Do you favour the Republic's chances without them?

In the end is it worth the deaths of countless soldiers and civilians alike to of slaves? Who's lives are worth more? Does the equation end up positive or is it a zero sum game? This is the kind of cold calculus a leader must engage in.

I fully agree with this, only thing is in the last ten years have we not been improving steadily? As I said before, with time tactics and thoughts change. I hope we don't rest on our laurels if that trend changes for the worse.

Not all wars are won with brute force and all those friends with sharp smiles are not really "committed to peace" after all, maybe Shakor finally understood those basic things.