NationStates Jolt Archive

Weegies Press Network - Breaking News

Today, a bomb exploded in the centre of Buchanan, a major city in the southernmost island of The Weegies, killing 39 people and injuring a further 84. This atrocity is thought to be the culmination of a series of terrorist attacks in the southern islands.

Explosives expert Ken Johnstone made this statement: "The bomb, strapped underneath a parked car, is thought to have exploded at precisely 12:34 pm local time, when most people were out enjoying lunch, maximising the effect of the blast. Although this was a relatively small bomb, judging by its effects this was an extremely professional job. Not just your average nutcase with a few tools, a grudge, and a list of instructions off the Internet. Looking at the similarity with other terrorist attacks in The Weegies in the past few years, this looks to be the same group that is responsible for the other attacks."

The attacks started during the end of the short Weegies/Attican Empire War, and a few people seem to think that the Attican Empire started these attacks in the first place, by sending in covert operatives, to undermine our country. Until now, the attacks have mostly been on infrastructure, especially water supplies and power stations, with little casualties. However, recently terrorist attacks have been stepped up, with a bomb exploding in the industrial area of the capital city, Mackintosh, and more recently, the attempted assassination of the current leader of The Weegies, Alan Sharkey, although that was though to be perpetrated by a different group, Weegies Phalange, the leaders of which were recently convicted for the attempt on Alan Sharkey's life.

Council Member June Harper, Leader of the Capitalist Reform & Conservative Party, had this to say about the terrorist attack: "Surely now Mr Sharkey and his ragtag band of deluded socialists will realise that these terrible atrocities could have been avoided if he had a strong police force in place, and not such a stupidly high amount of rights for criminals on trial clogging up our courts with their excess appeals, and punishments, real punishments, not these stupid "rehabilitation courses", or a strong military so things like the Attican Empire debacle would not occur in the first place. Only then can we have a truly ordered and peaceful society."

In retort, Samantha Fung, Council Member for the governing party, The Democratic Socialist Party, said this: "Maybe Harper should stop looking in the past. We are no longer a protest group like we were in the 60's, a "ragtag band of deluded socialists", but a well-established party of more than 25 years, and popular enough to be chosen by the people to govern this country. Having a large police force would not have helped this situation, it took everone by surprise, and anyway, what would this police force do all day? Thanks to our progressive social policies, there is barely any crime at all - it's virtually non-existent. I don't think you're well, dear, since there is barely any crime, how can we be "clogging up the courts"? Indeed, if crime declines even more, we may not need criminal courts at all. Take a little lie down, dear."

Investigations are still progressing, abeit slowly. Any persons with information should contact the authorities immediately.

A cruise liner carrying politicans embarks from port, en route to The Weegies.

we have sent humanitarian aid in return for some economc trade :D

-Economics Minister
Art Bell

Political Aide enters the Council Leader's office.

"Mr Sharkey?"
"Yes, what is it?"
"We've received word from the Atticans that they're sending over a cruise ship."
"A cruise ship? I might have known. What are they sending over a cruise ship for?"
"I don't know."
"Find out."

Aide leaves.

"God, I'd hoped we'd never have to deal with this lot again."

OOC: The only thing I would have told your people is that it was a cruise ship. Politicians would not have been mentioned.

OOC: OK then, fixed.

"It's just some people coming over for a cruise."

The Free Market States of the Pilot Protectorate
Statement on Bombing

Our nation joins you in sympathy for the victims of this unnessecary violence upon innocent people.

The Talaaxian Government would like assurances from Attica that they are not at fault for these terrorist attacks. We also offer our support to The Weegies, but because of the current domestic situation in Talaax, military aid is unavailable.
Acting President R'ev Tensh

If we were supporting terrorists, why would we only cause minor acts of terrorism? If we were, you can have our assurances they would be using Attican weaponry, and they would have succeeded. So to answer your inference, no, we were not supporting these terrorists.

The Crookfur Government offers its condolences to the Weegies Poeple, and stand willing to provide intelligence, civil and military support.

If we were supporting terrorists, why would we only cause minor acts of terrorism? If we were, you can have our assurances they would be using Attican weaponry, and they would have succeeded. So to answer your inference, no, we were not supporting these terrorists.

We don't doubt that there is no longer an Attican presence in The Weegies, but wish to enquire if while relations between our two countries was very strained, you sent in covert troops into our nation to cause havoc, and if they took advantage of small fascist/extremist groups in our nation to aid their cause, giving them training in terrorist activities, which have since carried on.

If they did, they did so on their own accord.

Are you telling me that you don't even know what they did while in The Weegies? Or that you'd prefer not to tell?

Well, the report that came to the Kaiserbuero said that they were killed. Past that, we have no idea.

That Attican Cruiser Liner docks in Weegie harbor, and the politicans step out.

OOC: I have to go for a little while. Are you docking in the city where this has taken place, Buchanan?

They are docking at the capitol.

OOC: That'll be Mackintosh, then.

SeOCC sends, belatedly, our condolences to the people of the Weegies, and wish our neighbor and CACE comrades a swift and just conclusion to their inquiries. We pledge whatever resources may be needed from SeOCC and hope no further violence will come.

MFA Frontdesk

OOC: Weegies, it is your turn to RP about the cruise liner.

OOC: Sorry, I was away for a couple of days. This may go a little slower than planned.

To all countries that have sent their condolences: We thank you for your consideration and solidarity at such a terrible time in our history, but we have a long history of rejecting much aid. It's just our nature, we don't like to be indebted particularly to any nation. We can get through this on our own.

Council Leader Alan Sharkey.

A woman in plain clothes approaches the politicians. She is wearing a gold-coloured badge with the words "Weegies Port Authority" on it.

"Excuse me, could you come this way please? We just need you to make your way to the port building, you know, to check passports, make sure you aren't carrying anything illegal, all the usual things."

She motions the politicians to follow her and makes her way toward a large sandstone building.

OOC: I know she doesn't sound very official, but we're very lax about those things here.

OOC: If this is a closed RP, ignore this post.

IC: Sir Gerard Bonney stepped from his converted V-32 VIP transport onto the tarmac of the Mackintosh international airport.

He wore an expensive suit, dark glasses, and a designer tie. He carried a tan leather attache case, handcuffed to his left wrist.

Behind him, two members of the RPU (OOC: Now moved from Royal protection to more general protection of high ranking VIPs) stepped off the transport, similarly dressed, but without attache cases.

OOC: Nah, it's not closed. Post away. Just make your way to the airport terminus in RP. Are you travelling incognito, or would the transport be recognisable as a McLeod03 plane?

*just-yer-average-BUMP*

A plane can be seen circling above, which then proceeds to land

OOC: wtf is OOC?

The people of Chicken Island would also like to express their sympathies, as we have lost several hundred of our citizens to an airline crash, which is still pending investigation.

OOC: wtf is OOC?

OOC: OOC stands for Out Of Character. It's for when you want to say something - a joke, a comment on the RP, etc. - that would sound odd if you said it in character, or IC for short.

Damnit, Attican Empire, McLeod03, where the hell are you?

The politicans follow.

Inside the large sandstone building, there is a customs desk.

"Okay, sirs, can I check your passports? Anything to declare?"

OOC: What are their names?

OOC: Sorry, been offline for a while.

OOC2: Its a Royal Flight craft, so its hardly incognito.

IC: Sir Gerard Bonney walked across the tarmac towards the terminal building, flanked on both sides by the RPU agents, bulges under their shoulders betraying MIH-1 .50 caliber handguns, chambering Meteor rounds, designed not to pass through a human body, but effectively disintegrate inside it.

In response to the horrible acts committed in The Weegies, The Principality of Idleminded has rushed 20 doctors and nurses from the Intensive Care unit of Idleminded national Hospital via helicopter to Buchanan during the early morning hours to assist in the care of the 84 injured. The helicopters are scheduled to land within four hours and begin treatments within a few hours after that.

OOC2: Its a Royal Flight craft, so its hardly incognito.

OOC: Yeah, I suppose so.. :lol:

IC: (Airport) A harried looking man rushes over to the McLeod03 group.

"Hello. I'm George Whelan. I work with the Diplomatic Service here in The Weegies. Welcome to Mackintosh. If you'll follow me, we've commandeered a private subway train to take you to the centre of the city. Before you ask, we can't get you a car. We don't use cars around here, at least until we build ones with renewable energy fuels."

"I'm sorry the Council Leader couldn't be here, but he's meeting another delegation."

IC: (Port)

"That won't be necessary." says a voice behind them. "I think we can tell that these are the Atticans sent here by the Empire. Of course, the question is why?"

Behind the Atticans stood a fairly genial looking man of medium height and dark, almost black hair in his mid-20's.

The man held his hand out. "Council Leader Alan Sharkey. I like to meet as many official visitors as I possibly can, for whatever reason. We aren't far from the Parliament, and the other main official buildings. I can take you straight to them, if you wish."

"Oh, and you are...?"

'I am Herr Sturm, of the Attican Tory Party'
'I am Herr Petinski, Representative of the Attican Reichstag, Obnama district.'
'I am Frau Kuxdal, Assistant to the Kaiser.'

'I am Herr Sturm, of the Attican Tory Party'
'I am Herr Petinski, Representative of the Attican Reichstag, Obnama district.'
'I am Frau Kuxdal, Assistant to the Kaiser.'

"Ah, good. Welcome to Mackintosh. Like I said, we aren't far from the official buildings. Should we take this up to my office?"

Sure.

OOC: Extremely sorry again, been weighed down with stuff.

The Council Leader takes the Atticans out of the building and into a large, open square, mostly covered in grass and plants, with a few people dotted around it.

"That's the People's Square. It used to be called Lyle Square, after the 18th-century discoverer of The Weegies, Adrian Lyle. Of course, it also had all of those huge statues that normally dot places like this, but we removed them, placed the National Museum and replaced it with... this. I always felt a city should have greenery around it, and now, it does. A place where people can meet, chat, and relax. We did that with a few of the large squares around Mackintosh - the old town planners certainly loved their squares - but I'm afraid I never get a chance to relax in them myself. Far too busy."

Alan Sharkey then led them off to the side of the square, down a wide road, and into another square, slightly smaller, although with orangey-red tarmac instead of grass. Large stone monuments were dotted around the square, seeming to refer to long dead politicians and generals.

"See what I meant? Squares all over the place. Aperin Square. This is our governmental area, mostly. There isn't a building here that isn't to do with governmental processes. Over there, for instance, you might recognise the Talaaxian flag. That's their embassy here. And this building," as they approached a large sandstone building, topped with a large copper dome, corroded green with the wear and tear of centuries. "is the Parliament. And in there, my office. I think we should get there as soon as possible. The tropical heat down here seems to be getting to one or two of you."

They followed him through a revolving door, past a security guard, and into a marble hall. "It's too opulent for my tastes, you know. A reminder of the bad old days. I'd prefer a much simpler building, but... it's a purose-built building, and it'd be a shame to see it go to waste."

"Ah, here we are." He motioned towards a heavy-looking oak door, which led into... a paper strewn mess of an office. Files, folders, and books everywhere, a computer on the desk almost obscured by paperwork. Alan sat down in his leather chair. He motioned for the Atticans to do the same.

"So... I hope you don't mind me asking, but why exactly are you here? I still don't fully understand."

*BUMPness*

I did the Terrorist Attack on your Country

OOC: That's lovely.

*BUMP for Attica*

One of the 'diplomats' responded: "Are there political parties in The Weegies?"

Alan looked at him incredulously. "Of course! We are a free, open and democratic society. Apart from the numerous small parties in the Weegies, there are 5 currently represented in Parliament; The Democratic Socialist Party, my party, the Social Liberal Party, the Marxist - Leninist Proletariat Party, the Environmental Socialist Party, and the Capitalist Reform & Conservative Party. There's an Election coming quite soon, in fact."

OOC: besides the fact that political parties lead to a more conservative, republican approach to government...

IC:
"Then we would like to create a political party in The Weegies."

"Excuse me?" Alan stared at the diplomats. "A political party, here? I'm not sure I understand why."

"Because we believe your current 5 political parties cannot hope to represent everyone in The Weegies."

"That's true, I suppose, but there are many parties, as I have said before, that exist throughout the nation that haven't been elected. Since we apply a proportional representation election system, it's the case that the percentage of the vote you receive reflects the amount of seats you recieve. This means it's quite easy for a minor party to gain a seat. If the small parties not represented in government cannot even get the small amount of the vote needed to gain a seat, they are obviously not well supported, and therefore it can be deduced that a minimal amount of people vote for them, and that we are a parliament very reflective of the political views of our nation, while not totally."

"So, can we create a political party or not?"