Exham
25-04-2004, 05:06
FNW
First New Wire begins an in-depth look at the new government of Exham in this follow up, to see where the nation is now. Will begin with a piece on military spending
There has been a huge increase in Exham’s military budget, most of the money coming from raised taxes, but yet there has been little materialization and FNW is asking where is the money going? I sat down with Minister of Defense, Herbert West to ask him in an interview earlier this year.
Rodeizio Delgiliesoni: Let’s get right into it. Where is taxpayer money going?
Herbert West: Well I think that is a very complicated question, the money is going to a lot of places inside the military.
RD: Could you tell me about what the military’s priority is right now, then?
HW: Research and development mainly.
RD: Is that why we aren’t seeing any improvements now?
HW: Well I wouldn’t say there haven’t been any improvements, but yes that is the reason the money seems so disproportional.
RD: Can you tell me about any of these projects?
HW: [laughs] Well as you know most projects are top secret right now, but one that we have gone public with is the AMUS project.
RD: That new infantry suit?
HW: Yes, and in the next ten-fifteen years I’m sure the public will agree the money was well spent.
RD: What about nuclear devices?
HW: We looked into nuclear devices shortly, but for the time being I don’t think we are going anywhere with a nuclear program, it would just be too expensive.
RD: I know that the army is working on something inside the underground RECOM base; can you give me some insight into what you’re working on?
HW: …magnets.*
Following that interview I got the chance to go up to Fort Boom, just west of Innsmouth and got the chance to see our soldiers training. I toured the large base, and got a chance to privileged chance watch CQB or close quarter battle training as a squad stormed a building in the live action training. Later I talked to two star general Hammel, the base commander about his troops. “We aren’t being given enough funding,” lamented the general as we walked around the barracks, “my men don’t even have body armor or helmets. Those suits in Innsmouth need to realize that the common soldier is putting his ass on the line and the least we can do is try to bring him back in one piece.”
FNW has looked over international transactions and public reports on weapons production in an attempt to gauge Exham’s relative military strength. The army uses the Finnish made Valmet 62, an assault rifle which fires 7.62 bullets; and the military is producing a sufficient number of the rifles and 7.62 bullets to keep every potential recruit equipped. Exham also produces the H&K UMP, a cheaper alternative to the popular MP-5 submachine gun, or in military jargon an “S.M.G”. From other countries Exham has imported a number of P-90s-which seem to be popular among units which fight urban battles-along with advanced sniper rifles and anti-tank weapons. It is even rumored missile silos and SAM have been deployed but FNW hasn’t confirmed the fact.
Rodeizio Delgiliesoni reporting, FNW.
*OOC:Cookie for the reference
First New Wire begins an in-depth look at the new government of Exham in this follow up, to see where the nation is now. Will begin with a piece on military spending
There has been a huge increase in Exham’s military budget, most of the money coming from raised taxes, but yet there has been little materialization and FNW is asking where is the money going? I sat down with Minister of Defense, Herbert West to ask him in an interview earlier this year.
Rodeizio Delgiliesoni: Let’s get right into it. Where is taxpayer money going?
Herbert West: Well I think that is a very complicated question, the money is going to a lot of places inside the military.
RD: Could you tell me about what the military’s priority is right now, then?
HW: Research and development mainly.
RD: Is that why we aren’t seeing any improvements now?
HW: Well I wouldn’t say there haven’t been any improvements, but yes that is the reason the money seems so disproportional.
RD: Can you tell me about any of these projects?
HW: [laughs] Well as you know most projects are top secret right now, but one that we have gone public with is the AMUS project.
RD: That new infantry suit?
HW: Yes, and in the next ten-fifteen years I’m sure the public will agree the money was well spent.
RD: What about nuclear devices?
HW: We looked into nuclear devices shortly, but for the time being I don’t think we are going anywhere with a nuclear program, it would just be too expensive.
RD: I know that the army is working on something inside the underground RECOM base; can you give me some insight into what you’re working on?
HW: …magnets.*
Following that interview I got the chance to go up to Fort Boom, just west of Innsmouth and got the chance to see our soldiers training. I toured the large base, and got a chance to privileged chance watch CQB or close quarter battle training as a squad stormed a building in the live action training. Later I talked to two star general Hammel, the base commander about his troops. “We aren’t being given enough funding,” lamented the general as we walked around the barracks, “my men don’t even have body armor or helmets. Those suits in Innsmouth need to realize that the common soldier is putting his ass on the line and the least we can do is try to bring him back in one piece.”
FNW has looked over international transactions and public reports on weapons production in an attempt to gauge Exham’s relative military strength. The army uses the Finnish made Valmet 62, an assault rifle which fires 7.62 bullets; and the military is producing a sufficient number of the rifles and 7.62 bullets to keep every potential recruit equipped. Exham also produces the H&K UMP, a cheaper alternative to the popular MP-5 submachine gun, or in military jargon an “S.M.G”. From other countries Exham has imported a number of P-90s-which seem to be popular among units which fight urban battles-along with advanced sniper rifles and anti-tank weapons. It is even rumored missile silos and SAM have been deployed but FNW hasn’t confirmed the fact.
Rodeizio Delgiliesoni reporting, FNW.
*OOC:Cookie for the reference