NationStates Jolt Archive

Official Announcement of the United States of Allanea

We are pleased to announce that a deal has been made with the nation of Praetonia to transfer to the United States the legal ownership of its provinces of England, Scotland, and Wales, for the payment of 1.5 trillion Universal Standard Dollars in uranium ore, paid out over fifteen years. Starting tomorrow, Praetonian government facilities will be evacuated from the islands, and within fifteen days, they will be replaced by Allanean ones.

Also tomorrow, the Praetonia flag will be lowered at Backingham Palace, and the United States banner will be raised by a squad of Allanean marines. All heads of state are invited to attend this ceremony.

Uranium Reserves Secured in Allanea
NE Possessions Exchanged for 'Energy Security for the Imperial Navy'

http://www.capital-calling.com/london-areas/london/changing-guard-2.jpg
5th Grenadier Guards Parade through Whitehall during the official handing-over ceremony.
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From 'The Parliamentarian'
Page 2

His Majesty the King attended an official handing-over ceremony in the United Kingdom yesterday as the Treasury announced a deal whereby Allanea would gain living space in the United Kingdom in exchange for uranium reserves. The War Office made a statement announcing 'great satisfaction' with the deal, saying that 'all concerns about fuel for the Imperial Navy are effectively void for at least another two hundred years, based on current and new reserves.' The deal is expected to secure at legal ownership of at least fifty years worth of fuel for the navy, which is entirely nuclear powered.

During the course of the ceremony, the Purple Ensign was lowered from the roof of Buckingham Palace to salutes from the assembled troops and an Allanean flag raised in its place. The King is said to be 'upset' at losing a possession but 'happy that a mutually acceptable agreement could be reached.' The navy is reportedly pleased with the deal, saying that the United Kingdom, the smallest of Praetonia's Commonwealth Realms, was never likely to return anything near the material and strategic worth of the uranium supplies.

The Imperial & Commonwealth Society, however, was critical of the move, declaring that 'short-termist thinking has overcome the current government' and that territory should be defended at all costs. The Government was quick to retort that 'no property of private individuals will be affected by the deal, and we have obtained assurances from the Allanean government of the same' and that much of the territory's mineral, oil and natural gas wealth was already owned by Praetonian companies.

The CPI has said that many businesses based in the territory are planning to relocate to Praetonia, and government grants have been offered to both businesses and private individuals to do so, but many others are intending to stay on. No Praetonian businesses have so far expressed their intent to withdraw entirely from the territory, with some branding Allanea's free market policies 'highly laudable'. His Majesty has expressed his intent to hold on to all of his personal property in the Kingdom, including Buckingham Palace, most of the castles, Hyde Park and an estate of some 500,000 acres.

Allanean battleship New Millenium, in the British Channel

“Sailors! Atten-tion!”

The Iowa-N class battleship paused for only a second, directing it's high-powered guns in the direction of the British coast. On the deck, hundreds of sailors in brilliant blue-and-white unfiorms saluted the Allanean flag as it rose over the harbor in front of them. Then, there was thunder as all of the heavy cannon aboard the New Millenium fired at once. From the powerful combat loudspeakers aboard the New Millenium, the Allanean anthem could now be heard, rippling the water and causing ado amongst the seagulls.

[i]Oil and grease and powder
A most welcome smell
Of guns and ammo a-plenty
And of thousands fired shells

On the streets of London, new men appeared. They were wearing no uniforms at all, only silvery badges on their clothes with the word CREST inscribed carefully on the front. They walked through the corridors of the abandoned government facilities, checking and measuring - some of the buildings would become property of the State government of England, some of Wales, and some would go to the Federal government of the United States of Allanea. More, however, would be sold to private entities or even bulldozed and their records (if any were left behind by the Praetonians) burned.

Mirage wavers over the barrels
Targets look worse for the wear
We might be tired by end of the day
But, as we shall fight, we have trained

On the streets of Manchester, heavy Allanean vehicles cracked the tarmac with their sheer weight, monstrous engines roaring, the vehicles moving swiftly to new bases emptied by the Praetonian military. The locals were silent, stunned by the abruptness of this shift. Many would later sell their homes to willing Allaneans and leave. The latter did not care – this in fact fit their plan for England, Scotland, and Wales most perfectly.

In the streets of Glasgow, the most dangerous Allaneans walked. They wore no uniforms, and they rode no tanks, and they carried no shiny badges. All they carried was maps, GPS devices, and surveyor's tools. It was they who were the spearhead.

[OOC: Sorry I took so long to reply, I've been really busy lately, but this looks like it could become a good RP so I'm willing to continue where we left off if you are.]

Conflict Brewing Over Allanean 'Takeaway'
Imperial & Commonwealth Society begins anti-Allanean crusade as Government urges for calm.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v387/Praetonia/IBP.png
'I'm backing Praetonia' - The symbol of the Imperial & Commonwealth Society's campaign.
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From 'The Parliamentarian'
Front Page

The famous pro-Empire organisation, the Imperial & Commonwealth Society launched it's 'I'm backing Praetonia' campaign yesterday to much public fanfare. The campaign, primarily aimed at regaining control of Praetonia's recently sold British territories but also promoting its long-running ‘Buy Praetonian’ campaign, was launched in Empire Square in front of an audience of more than 75,000 onlookers, and was transmitted live on fifteen television channels, complemented by radio coverage on numerous channels, including General Ordinance Broadcasting. In addition to the main event, Imperial & Commonwealth Society officials handed out badges, posters, pins and manifesto sheets in shopping centres and busy public areas throughout the day yesterday, and intend to continue for several days to come. Several major retail chains have also agreed to stock 'I'm backing Praetonia' paraphernalia and some even to hand it out for free. All profits from the sale of such items are scheduled to go towards the campaign's colonial aims, most prominently the recapture of Great Britain.

Trouble is brewing in the beleaguered former colony, with the Imperial & Commonwealth Society urging Praetonian residents to maintain ownership of their homes and buy up as much land as possible. Passive resistance campaigns are allegedly also in the pipeline, as the vast majority of work in the nation is the still carried out by Praetonian workers. The Campaign has picked up a good deal of momentum in the colony, with more than 24% of the population already signed up to the ICS's 'Repatriation Petition' calling for the Praetonian government to intervene to retake the colony. The ICS claims that a further 43% of the population are expected to sign up over the next few weeks, and an independent poll commissioned by the ICS has reported that over 89% of the Praetonian population of Great Britain saying that they would like to see Praetonian repossession of the island.

His Majesty the King, who is President and current Chairman of the Imperial & Commonwealth Society, has stated his intention to hold onto his considerable possessions in Great Britain, including most of the historical castles and Palaces, including Buckingham and Blenheim, as well as a substantial estate, although he has submitted to political considerations and allowed the Allaneans to fly their flag from Buckingham Palace, and has made no official statement on the issue of repossession.

The ICS has set up an 'Action Centre HQ' at Stormont (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c8/Stormontparl.jpg) in Northern Ireland, and a 'Field Action Centre' on the King's land at Windsor Castle (http://www.royal.gov.uk/files/images/insight_dec04_focus_10_large.jpg) near London, from which to "co-ordinate activities with the aim of ultimate repossession of historically Praetonian British territory and the ultimate repatriation of all Praetonian subjects in Great Britain without their having to find abode overseas.' Currently their activities are limitted to handing out badges, banners and flags, and organising protests and marches. However, wealthy benefactors including the Managing Director of Imperial Oil & Gas (and wife of the Prime Minister) are rumoured to have offered to shut down the nation's oil refining capacity, a move that would paralyse the country and significantly stunt Allanean attempts to colonise it. Uxbridge Farm Industries, the largest landowner both in Great Britain and the Praetonian Commonwealth, has allegedly offered to cut off food supplies, and various operators, including Royal Ports Ltd., are rumoured to have offered to shut down ports.

The Campaign has proved just as successful at obtaining grass roots' support, and specially produced 'I'm backing Praetonia' flags can be seen hanging from a small majority of houses, with the vast majority of the population donning 'I'm backing Praetonia' pins in something of a fashion craze. The Campaign has also been successful at home, with the Imperial & Commonwealth Society's 'direct action' campaign (which has gained the unofficial nickname 'Shoot the Bunny’) has lead to a boycott of Cute Bunny Burger Corporation outlets, the Allanean burger multinational that has hitherto experienced moderate success in Praetonia. Pickets have formed outside some CBBC outlets, and a large swathe of their Praetonian workforce has failed to turn up.

Meanwhile, two separate statements from both the Prime Minister and Foreign & Commonwealth Office have called for calm, stating that 'The legitimate sale of the British Isles was a vital strategic move for safeguarding the future of the Imperial Navy's energy supply.' and that 'Violence will serve only to exacerbate the situation.'

The latter statement was in response to a series of isolated incidents in which Allaneans have been assaulted and Allanean businesses attacked and looted both in Praetonia herself and (mainly) in the British Isles. The Imperial & Commonwealth Society has tried to distance itself from the incidents, stating that 'Such attacks undermine our campaign and tar us with the image of extremism and terrorism; they give Allaneans and others in our own government an excuse to ignore our legitimate concerns.' and has urged the perpetrators to hand themselves in.

Worried about the possibility of further violence, the King has ordered the contents of the British Museum, the London Science Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the National Gallery and the Tate Galleries evacuated to Praetonia via sea under the armed military escort of the former British Colonial 1st and 2nd fleets currently stationed in the North Sea, along with collections from other museums which both want to evacuate and can reach the port in time. The former British 3rd Colonial fleet is to remain on station in the North Sea and monitor the situation.

The tension looks set to heighten especially if Praetonian corporations make good on their alleged offers and economically paralyse Allanean Great Britain. All eyes remain fixed on the Allanean response, which could either cool the situation or blow it out of all proportion.

Somewhere aboard an Allanean ship in the Channel

“So let me get this straight. Someone has flown an Allanean flag from Buckingham Palace. And... this someone is a sailor in the United States Navy.”

“A naval officer, Sir.”

“Just great. Have him arrested and put on trial on criminal incompetence charges, violation of property rights, and whatever else you can think of. Make it as public as possible. Further, about the riots.”

“Aye, Sir.”

“I'm not done yet, Admiral. Now, you know that I have been appointed as the United States UnderSecretary for the British Isles. But this doesn't mean I have to rule over them. And I have no intention of doing so.”

“What?!” - the clerk looked at the Secretary in perfect horror.

“This is right. I intend to run management as within the guidelines of the Federal Territory Act. This means that until such a time that the British Islands enter the United States of Allanea as states, there will be no Federal taxes levied off their population in any way, shape, or form.”

“Oh.”

“I want you to begin an advertisement campaign explaining Allanean policy for the Island. Congress has further budgeted fifty billion dollars as a preliminary grant for the reconstruction of the Islander economy. This should be a nice start, don't you think?”

The clerk was frantically writing it all down.

“Now, there's the problem of private landowners refusing to cooperate.... I want you to publish their names on the Internet. Explain to the British people that the nationalists – Uxbridge, British Gas, and so forth – are deliberately causing shortages and raised prices. In the meanwhile, I want you to call out three million barrels of gasoline and diesel from the Navy reserves, sell them off as a decent price – that's an Allanean price, of course. Let them find out for themselves what gas should really cost.”

Both laughed.

“Oh, and I want you to start a rumour circulating on the Internet or something that I desire to meet with the leaders of the community, so to speak. I have a fine offer.