NationStates Jolt Archive

Press Release

"Look at them. Fucking parasites." The foreign minister spat, sneering out at the crowd of assembled journalists.

"Quite. Sometimes a dictatorship seems so much easier." Prime Minister Foxbury sighed, then realising it wasn't really such a wise idea to say things out loud. People might be listening.

"Yeah. Well, better get this over with."

"Uh-huh." the PM said as the crowd of journalists calmed and the wave of noise subsided so that even the drop of a penny could be heard. The Prime Minister coughed and stayed silent while the national anthem played over for the beginning of the address and the Questarian flag unfurled behind him and the foreign minister.

"Members of the Press." he began. "I am here today to formally announce that the Act Concerning Loyalty, Honour, Duty, and Fealty, to give it its full name, will be coming into full effect this tuesday. I'm sure you are all aware of the details but I will go over them in case.

Firstly, the three hundred year old law, the Act Regarding the Conscription of Individuals is to be repealed, given that its use has long extended its lifetime. The law was originally put in place to stop the parliament recruiting people illegally to fight for its wars of conquest along the continent that united our nation those years ago. Now, although we are seeing recording voluntary signups, there are still elements in our nation that seek to leach off our state without giving what their ancestors before them and their ocmrades in arms gave. People who will take what they're offered without a thought of the blood spilled so that the hand may extend to them too.

Some will say that it is wrong for us to impose upon these people our will and our values, that it defies the Liberty we claim to protect. However, in my opinion - and obviously in the represented opinion of the country, since almost sixty percent of parliament agreed wih me - this is absolute nonsense. If our state is under threat we must do what our constitution demands - that the government do everything and anything in its power to protect its people from foreign aggression, from the possible removal of our liberty by our enemies, and ultimately for the defence of the state itself. Therefore it is necessary, at this point in time, for it to be possible that the government may recruit at will those who refuse to assist their countrymen in the defence of their sovereignty, and their liberty.

Secondly, we are increasing state taxes across the board - income tax by twelve pounds a month per household, national sales tax by 2.5%, and road tax by 2.5%, and inheritance tax by 8%. Given the current national income tax flat tax rate of 28%, this is a pathetic amount, yet some people again refuse to do their Duty to King and Country. A fifty two percent victory in Parliament, I must remind the people, shows significant opposal to the Government's new taxation policy. The pass however has allowed our military the funds possible to begin further militarisation programs. Already in the past eight months over four million have been brought into work and over a staggering 90 trillion pounds has been invested into several industries key to defence, let alone the defence industry itself. Over 30 million people in the past fourteen months have heeded the Nation's Call to Arms, and thats proffesional reservists alone - casual reservists and Home and National Defence Units just recently topped 100 million volunteers.

Thirdly, our military will begin a slow phase of mobilisation. Within eleven months we will be entirely capable of waging, and winning, a war against any nation in this world. Any such nation that intends to attack us will be defended by the shield of Liberty and the sword of Conviction. Intelligence reports that stream onto my desk daily indicate hostility towards ourselves from both the top levels of NATO and the region of Gholgoth. Why? Because our nation is one in a long line to stand up for Liberty and Freedom. Unlike our nation, those before us have been weak in resisting the spread of tyranny across the globe - even British Londinium, presented with the ability to defend themselves from the Freek menace, surrendered several times without so much as a scrap. Our nation is a bastion of freedom, the armoury of democracy.

Lastly, there are a number of foreign policy measures, harsh as they may seem, that we intend to implement. My foreign minister will brief you on those."

Foxbury waved over to his foreign minister, who nodded and began to give the drastic foreign policy notices.

"Members of the Press and your associates.

From this day forward, our nation formally and fully withdraws its membership from the Global Alliance of Sovereign Nations. We no longer see it fit to be a part of this organisation, once a group of nations that we trusted as allies no longer accurately fits in line with our foreign policy. However, we would like to stabilise and normalise relations with Cravan, Carbandia, and Rosdivan, whom we still see important in our foreign policy. We would be keen to see that our withdrawal from the GASN doesn't affect our relationship with these three nations.

Furthermore, diplomatic ties with NATO are formally and officially cut. Any nations in NATO are also restricted from purchase of spare parts from any Questarian equipment they may have bought. Embassy staff from NATO active in Questers are immediately required to leave within 24 hours, with the exception of the Allanean and Skyian embassies which will serve as communications hubs for any diplomacy with NATO. We would also like to stabilise and normalise our relations with The Silver Sky, a NATO member but also previously a close ally of Questers.

Further notices will come as the cabinet finalises its decisions regarding our other foreign commitments. Thank you, adn are there any questions for myself or the Prime Minister?"

A short, bald journalist raised his hand.

"Irwin O'Neil, Soviet News Network, may I ask how will this affect your relations with the Global Union of Socialist Nations?"

"With the GUSN?" the Foreign Minister affirmed. "This doesn't affect relations with the GUSN in any way, but you can be rest assured relations with the Socialists will stay negative."

A young Reporter who carried the colors of WTI industries rose his hand. His clam exterior giving a good camo for his true feelings of strangeness. His faces turning beat red as he asked his question"

" It was mentioned that your nation will be raising taxes.. if this is so, how much will be going to military spending and with whom are possible military contracts going to?"

"The money will almost entirely be spent increasing the expenditure of the military." The Prime Minister replied. "Contracts will almost all be internal, or from key nations such as Doomingsland. I'm afraid there's most likely no room for contracts from WTI, if thats what your're thinking."

A reporter from the Golden Triangle Broadcasting Company raised his arm next, notepad in hand as he snapped his finger to his camera crew to be ready.

"You say you wish to normalise relations with Cravan and Carbandia, however you make no mention of them in your exceptions to NATO nations. Are you aware of the fact that both the Empire and Carbandia are newly inducted members of the New Alliance Treaty Organization? And does this affect your relations with either at all?"

The young man laughed and quickly replied :

" No, sir. I am only trying to get a look into national dealings... I am an intern with the WTI journalism scholarship program. But I have one more question...
You stated that most will be internal.. if this is so I was wondering about the current state of the military defense contracting companies in your nation. Do you believe you current defense contractor will have the capacity to fill the orders of this military expansion?"

A Vetalian journalist, identified by his abnormally expensive clothing and cringing demeanour raised his hand and asked with a light Vetalian accent " Vladimir Lyubimov, Bellatrix News Broadcasting Corporation. If I may ask, sir, what effect will this new policy have on your foreign policy in the future and how will it potentially affect the economic and diplomatic relations between our nations?"

"Prime Minister Foxbury!" called a short, smartly-dressed journalist. "Davian Brend, Kregaian Imperial News Network. You claim that the new armament of the Crown Imperium will be used for defense; however, you also stated that such armament would allow you to wage war against any nation in the world. How do you expect the world will react to news of such a potentially offensive capability?"

The reporter for Izistan National Broadcasting shot up out of her seat like a signal rocket. "Mr. Prime Minister, what should those of us in Haven expect in the coming months? Sea and air traffic restrictions?"

With only a step forward, and a loud throat clearing, a dark haired, brown skinned man stepped forward. He bore no notepad, or camera crew, or even a suit jacket. He simply wore a white shirt with a tie, and of course pants and shoes.

"Azahan News Network. Simple Question here..." He spoke in a very heavy accent, but used perfect use of english words and grammer. "What is to happen with the Commonwealth in its entirity? Will they be called on to fight this seemingly blind and belligerent war?"

A little green tentacle lifted above the crowd. Then, a Blub reporter wearing a cap with a press pass on it peeked eyestalks upwards. "Erm. 'scuse me? This doesn't mean Questers is calling off its friendship with the Blub Colony?"

A short while later, Arda responds. Not having any agents present at the press conference proper required the Foreign Office to reply with a stock diplomatic communique. Foreign Minister Tiloka Kit appears on screen in short order: a tall, gaunt and aged Easterling dressed in a modest dark blue business suit, sans necktie. The light bounces off his thick glasses briefly as he swings his head around to face the camera.

"Big words indeed," he starts boldly. He enunciates each word carefully and vigorously. "But Arda would like to take this opportunity to remind mister Foxbury that 'waging, and winning, a war against any nation in this world' does little to establish Questerian credibility regarding basic sovereign rights. Makes you sound a little too aggressive. There is a fine line between boldness and stupidity, and you're teetering all over it."

He lifts a finger and levels it at the camera. It's so close that it blurs. "And we would also like to remind you that a Pax Imperica army corps is en route to Gholgoth to secure the peace." His voice raises a bit but he manages to maintain a calm demeanor. "While Arda doesn't care to editorialize on your previous relations with GASN or NATO--" he shrugs, "--we don't really care about them either, but we will be very vocal if your flag-waving leads to problems with the Pax."

"So be careful," he warns sternly, "and don't paint with too broad a brush. You might just paint yourself into a messy little corner."

Tiloka Kit,
Foreign Minister of the Five Kingdoms
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The young Asgarnian journalist, in his 2nd month, posed a question for the foreign minister.

"Sir, Paul Uribe, Asgarnian National Gazette, how will this move affect Quester's relationship with Asgarnieu and the ADAN?"

A nicotined-stained hand is raised from the back of the crowd of journalists as its owner pushes, kicks and squeezes his way through the journalists, camermen and other assorted dignitaries. With a final grunt, Trander Utah, reporter for the Skinnian South-Eastern Times, makes his way to the forefront of the crowd and a few feet away from the podium from which the Prime Minister is answering the questions. From top to bottom, Utah seems to be a mass of eccentric and insane contradictions, akin almost to the stereotype of a nineteenth century explorer and journalist.

On his head he wears a wide-brimmed felt hat with a chinstrap, similar to an Australian slouch hat, which is torn ragged and pockmarked with holes and tears, as well as being so stained as to make its original colour unknown. As he takes it off to dust at it as he beats a path through the journalists, an obviously futile activity, an observer could note with interest the sharp, attentive look and dark-green eyes, and the tightly-trimmed moustache as well as the also fastidiously-trimmed and hideously out of fashion goatee. Replacing his hat, the man straightens the brown coat he wears, which might once have been a mackintosh of some description before its current owner acquired it, but which now could have fit the profile of any dozen styles of coat. His trousers are grey, and fitted with a number of pockets from which items of all descriptions bulged, several all but falling out from sheer pressure. On his feet are a pair of thick-soled walking boots, scarred and pitted and now the colour of chocolate, their original colour unknown. Finally, suck in the belt in a typically rakish-fashion is the darkened-hilt of a combat knife.

With a final snarl at the journalist from the Soviet News Network and a possibly slanderous comment about the state of Mr Neil's lack of hair and short stature, Utah removes the cigarillo from his mouth and stubs it out on the floor, rubbing it into the floor with the sole of one thick, black boot. This done, he turns to the podium and bows to the Prime Minister before launching into something that is part question, part speech, and quite possibly the beginnings of a Libel suit conducted by numerous Gholgoth nations.

"Mister Prime Minister, Trander Utah, reporter for the venerated 'Skinnian South-Eastern Times. Ah have just been back from the front-lines of the Eurasian war, where those brave Eurasian men and women have been steamrollered by the evil and wicked barbarian hordes of Gholgoth."

Utah pauses for dramatic effect, as if pausing for some hidden camera or photographer, and briefly gazes over the rest of the journalists present, lips curling back in a sneer.

"I fought alongside those brave Eurasian souls; I watched as they killed thousands upon thousands of those Gholgoth freaks, and were ultimately swamped by sheer numbers, and I'm proud to say that I managed to kill a few m'self with my trusty revolver and knife."

At this he unsheathes a small, blunt-looking combat knife and waves it about for a few seconds before sheathing it again; despite his claims, the knife has obviously never seen use in combat, unless peeling macadema nuts has suddenly become listed as 'close combat' of some description. Smiling, Utah continues, perhaps aware that as a journalist an actual question is required at a press conference, and not just amateur dramatics.

"Having fought the Gholgoth hordes myself, I applaud the actions you're taking here to help combat these freaks, as I'm sure my readers do. But my question is simple. Will these here anti-Gholgoth measures be spread throughout Haven? Perhaps as some sort of 'Havenic Anti-Gholgoth Alliance', as I have often called for in the pages of the South-Esstern Times?"

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Official Government Statement
Constitutional Matriarchy of Reloria
"For a brighter tomorrow."

In your rather blustered statement of nationalistic nonsense you make claims as to how your Kingdom (the beginnings of an oxymoron if ever I heard one) is "a bastion of freedom, the armoury of democracy", and yet everything else in your speech is contrariwise to these self-proclaimed titles. Conscription for those who fail in their "Duty to King and Country", increased taxation to fuel your military machine, and various promises of extreme and unwarranted aggression against 'any nation in the world', and general statements of outright imperialism.

Now I am not quite sure what this makes Questers, aside from hypocritical - but a bastion of freedom, the armoury of democracy, it is not. I have seen nations in this rather unfortunately named Gholgoth alliance with greater values of liberties than those you are espousing here.

Do a real service for democracy and freedom; stop blowing things up to satisfy your testosterone-fuelled ego, and start making real and positive changes. And start making them in your own country first.

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Ministeress Jenn Pichi
Ministeress for Foreign Affairs

Simon Dean, Allanean podcast host

“So on the other hand, we have Questers. For some deranged, misguided reason of their own, they’ve allied with Doomingsland. Fucking Doomingsland of all people. Fucking cannibals that burn Jews in the streets for illumination. And then they claim to be defenders of freedom. Riiight.”

“And on the other hand we have… Reloria. On one hand, they condemn Questers. On the other hand, they criticize Questers for the entirely wrong things.”

“Apparently, they blame the Questarians for having “increased taxation to pay for the military” – nevermind how high Reloria's own taxes are. At least Quester's taxes aren't 'progressive'. Did anybody say pot, kettle, black?”

“Further, they claim that imperialism and liberalism are somehow mutually exclusive. This is frankly idiotic – look at Thomas Jefferson’s version of permanent revolution, ages before Trozky. Look at Kipling. Look at the existence of a giant alliance, the Sovereign League, based on the ideals of liberal imperialism.”

“And there’s nothing wrong with blowing shit up. Some shit – like Urbus Doomanus, for example – deserves to be blown up.”

“As a matter of fact, Questers is in many ways superior to Reloria – they have much more personal and economic freedom, they have better wages and better lifestyles. Their money isn’t taken away to pay for useless make-work government projects. They have the right to hold property and be tried in a honest trial by jury – rights that are either denied or ‘reasonably limited’ in Reloria, among others.”

“So Jenny?”

“Do a real service for democracy and freedom; stop whining about those infinitely superior to you to satisfy your estrogen-fuelled ego, and start making real and positive changes. And start making them in your own country first.”

The soviet journalist raised his hand again.

"How do you think these measures and new taxes will affect the economy, the population's adquisitive power and the market?"

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Statement from the Foreign Ministry of the Supreme Commonwealth of Rosdivan

Though the Supreme Commonwealth of Rosdivan finds the recent rhetoric and militarization steps taken by the Crown Imperium of Questers troubling, we look forward to the normalization of relations between Rosdivan and Questers, a normalization that may be considered long overdue given much of the trade relations between our two great nations.

In addition, the Supreme Commonwealth of Rosdivan would like to take this opportunity to condemn the feminazi rhetoric of the Constitutional Matriarchy of Reloria.

A journalist from the Steel and Fire Chronicle was busy scribbling in her notebook something along these lines: "Questers mobilising for definite war against NATO/Gholgoth; predict future mobilisation from Praetonia and Questarian Commonwealth as well, Clandonia, some Sovereign League and CAD powers. Likely targets unknown, but we can guess. Probable outcome: Stalemate/war of attrition; Gholgothan pyrrhic victory likely if Questarian forces on the light side. Foreign policy recommendation: Wait, watch, maybe landgrab a bit in the chaos; offer to help either side after the war, become world power, etc etc."

The journalist does not ask any questions, but merely departs for her plane back to Acheron. Within a few days a news article will be up detailing the situation, although with the elections occurring in Steel and Fire it's unlikely anyone will pay attention.

A hand raised, and a lone reporter stood to ask the question that everyone knew the answer to.

"Sir, what nation are you planning on fighting with your new military? Do you plan on seeking neutral nations to assisst you in this inevitable conflict between you, the side of good, and evil?"

A Stevidian journalist belonging to Stevid International News raised his own hand after the other questions were answered.

"Hello Sir, Thomas Hanes S-I-N... Sir, understanding that you a furthering relations with select nations from the GASN and NATO is one of your goals, is Questers considering furthering relations with nations NOT in these alliances that still conform to your country's principles and foreign policies?

"Also we were unaware that NATO were excerising there polictical might or flexing any military muscles, metaphorically speaking of course, doesn't one consider this move a bit rash? This sudden build up militaristic- Questers, in the eyes of those who study politics would say Questers has taken a very large step towards the realms of a Military Dictatorship! Do you agree with this sir?"

A porcelain white hand sheathed in a stark long black sleeve clutched at a an electronic touchpad, her other hand racing over the surface tapping away on other responses to questions, “Itvarien, an objective question if you will,” curled her distinctly novan accent, the strange word she had first uttered, Novan respective conotation word for Honoured Leader surely would have thrown the intended recipient, if only for a moment seemed out of place, a word from a different time, a word that seemed to dance about the room heralding better times of a forgotten age.

“Your Critics could claim that such admittedly narrow victory margins in parliament on these new measures are a sign that the Questerian Government are forcing measures against what could potentially be the good of the people, while others would say that the common voter does not always know what is best for them, and national interest must take interest over the perceived good of the people, but do you worry for the future if say for example a cold war came about of this situation, and do you regret that things have been forced to the fore like this,” her words curled ever so slightly, couched in that veiled Novan accent millennia old, the woman smiled gently, her black and blue tunic indicating her status, as either a reporter for one of the state owned newspapers or a foreign official, she was clearly not a freelance or a member of one of the independent publications such as the Kravirez Herald or the Technopolis Times, or else she’d have been in green, although Novans often hid their purpose, their garb was often more descriptive than met the eye, a thing much true of any Novan.

Her companion, a tall gaunt man in Black and red, with an unusual insignia with the device of an eye gracing the collar stood beside at casual attention, a head mounted camera moving gently at eye movements from the man his hands hidden clasped behind his back, hidden somewhere in the traditional volumous tunic. He canted his head ever so gently as he got in a shot of the other politician aside the prime Minister, suppressing a smirk as his ever receptive feelings felt a surge of impatience at the proceedings, so the Questerians share a dislike of the pussyfooting of politics as well, this bodes well

Trander Utah was not the only slightly strange figure present at the Questerian news conference. Standing some way behind him, and listening with the aid of what appeared to be a genuine nineteenth-century ear-trumpet, was a journalist from the renownedly nationalistic Rising Sun Daily by the name of Aronui Kensingstone. Ostensibly a foreign affairs correspondent, Kensingstone was in fact little more than an itinerant vagrant with a pen and paper handy; his clothing, long since worn to a uniform shade of dull grey by many years of semi-washed residence on his wrinkled, wiry body, hung loosely from his person, his tattered belt struggling against the odds to hold up trousers filled with pockets full of anything and everything; loose change from a dozen lands, spare films for his aging camera, the odd tube of some medicine he'd picked up at some far-flung bazaar in one of the scuzzier districts of one of the worst cities in one of the most desperate countries on this foetid planet. Even his hat, itself shot through with several holes, could manage little more than to stay on his head at a curiously rakish angle.

About the only even remotely presentable features of Kensingstone's person were his forearms, decorated with a pair of brightly-coloured, unusually vivid tattoos; one depicting the form of a dragon coiled around a sword, and the other his name in the country's ancient native tongue. All things considered, it was a minor wonder that the men on the door hadn't simply hurled Kensingstone out into the street to serve his time with the rest of the hoboes.

Now, however, he was in his element. Having listened intently to Utah's pronouncements, and those which followed, he raised a wizened, tanned hand, cleared his throat noisily, spat into a conveniently-located patch of empty floor and began:

"Aronui Kensingstone, Rising Sun Daily," he bellowed genteely, raising his other hand and waving his "press ID card" - in fact a surplus business card from a firm of portable wood-chipper hirers - "Mister Prime Ministeh, can yeh guarantee that your government, already well-known fer its less-than-pacific attitude toward the oeautside world, will not be launchin' another, er, war of aggression against any pooer soul wi' whom it don't 'appen to agree?" He spat out a small wodge of last night's dinner that had been hiding between his teeth and continued: "Y'see, what wi' your countreh bein' as heavily-armed as it already is 'n' all, I find it hard to believe that all this is merely to keep the nasty likes o' us outta yer precious Kingdom." He paused, but seeing no obvious contenders decided to press on.

"Moreover, Mister Prime Ministeh" - Kensingtone's accent, always fairly broad, was now reaching fever pitch - "much as I don't like to disperse the dreams o' every pooer deluded soul in 'ere, it's worth notin' that the operation in British Londinium mentioned by me... colleague o'er there is in fact far less bloody, destructive and all-round evil than the occupation yer precious Sov'reign League carried out under th' mantle o' freedom's defence. That doen't exactly fill the rest of us wi' confidence as regards the purity of yer motives." He glanced pointedly at Utah, and concluded: "Nor, fer that matter does it give anyone much feelin' of safety when you include among your number such obvious fantasists as this gent 'ere!"

[OOC: Alriht, I got a history exam this morning and firefox thought it'd be a good laugh to chew up my post yesterday, should have a post up in a couple of hours though, after the exam.]

A petite woman (at least by Imperial standards) of Japanese ethnicity slowly made her way forward, a touch to a shoulder or back parted the crowd for her. She exuded a Zen-like calm, although anybody who looked into her eyes would see the potential for quite the opposite. As she reach Utah she gently bumped her shoulder into him, which nicely covered the depositing of a little porcelain skull; anybody who had watched the recent public, not to mention gruesome, execution of a terrorist in British Londinium knew such little trinkets were the calling cards of certain segments of the Imperial Armed Forces. When the reporter finally reached a comfortable speaking position she asked her question, "Ryoko Tsunado, Imperial News Network. Do you not feel 24 hours is something of a short timeframe considering all the work that must be done by vacating embassy personnel?"

Once Ryoko received her answer she turned around and, with a little smile that held just a hint of menace thrown Utah's way, headed out the door. Her toke question, such that it was, meant she could get to writing her column.

Fondling the dagger at his side the Borman journalist turned and sneered at Utah. Restraining himself from his instincts, slaughtering the man, he wrapped his hand around the blade, ready to draw it, and locked eyed with Utah.

“You shut your face and sit down Utah, before I gut you like you claim to have done several Gholgoth soldiers. When we fight, we don’t do so for unjust reasons! Gholgoth marches to war when called to do so, whether by aggression such as that displayed by Questers, or British Londinium, or whoever the hell it is, or by whatever else draws us out to war. The true freaks, barbarians, and threats to safety reside within the Sovereign League, albeit not all of them, but most! So you shut up and stop your spin before I spin you to the ground.”

It mattered not whether Utah had heeded his threats, the man proceeded on with his question for the Questerian government, “Marus Rexari sir, Borman Imperial News. May I ask how this new policy will affect new Gholgoth members, such as The Borman Empire? Further, why do you view Gholgoth as a threat? It seems that the bigger threat of the two is the constant militarization, mobilization, and imperialism from yourself and the Sovereign League.”