Tolvan
29-03-2008, 22:40
TBC Nightly News
"Hello, I'm Sandra Keith and here is our top story this hour.
In an overwhelming vote today (875-123 with 2 absent) Parliament approved legislation to increase the Commonwealth's overseas military presence. The so-called "Voyager Act" was proposed by MPs Bruce Li (C - Whitehaven) and Samuel Yarib (C - Vointic) in response to last month's deadly pirate attack on the freighter Teki Maru in the Caribbean Sea. The attack left nine Tolvanic sailors dead and six more badly wounded. The legislation will authorize the expansion and upgrade of the Commonwealth's tiny outpost in the Espadrian Islands, some 100 nautical miles southeast of the Caribbean.
The Act had been opposed by members of the Libertarian Party who oppose "excessive overseas involvement" by the Commonwealth, but many Libertarian MPs were brought on board after language they said sounded "quasi-imperialistic" was scrapped from the bill.
Members of the Progressive Coalition (Labour and Green Parties) opposed the Act almost unanimously.
While the Ministry of Defence has refused to disclose the exact nature of the build up, we have TBC's Chief Military Analyst, retired Admiral Jacob West on to discuss this story."
"Admiral, what is your take on this story and what do you think is the military's next step?"
"Well Sandra, the Espadrian Islands have been a Tolvanic holding since the Treaty of Voi in 1775 when the islands were ceded to Tolvan by the Ocic Empire. Since then they've really been home to nothing more than a few small ports and a tiny military garrison. However, in recent years the economy of the region has been booming and shipping traffic is at its highest levels in 200 years. Unfortunately with all those goods being shipped through the areas you get people who want to steal those goods and so we get the return of pirates."
"Admiral, I thought piracy was a long extinct crime?"
"That's a common misperception Sandra; piracy is indeed alive and well. While it's fallen a long way since its heyday in the 18th century pirates still plague many pars of the sea, particularly areas where the geography or political situation makes such activities lucrative. The Caribbean gives the pirate the benefit of many small island to operate from and lots of corrupt governments with weak navies."
"One more thing before we go Admiral, what type of deployment do we look for here?"
"Most likely it will primarily be a naval operation. I'd expect nothing less than two or three cruisers, three or four destroyers, at least three frigates, probably a couple littoral combat ships, and possibly a squadron of patrol combatants. In addition you'll likely see a fleet tender and probably one or two fast support ships. Finally, you'll have a land based garrison of Marines or light infantry and a few aircraft."
"Thank you Admiral, more on this story as it develops. Now over to Mohammed with Market recap."
"Hello, I'm Sandra Keith and here is our top story this hour.
In an overwhelming vote today (875-123 with 2 absent) Parliament approved legislation to increase the Commonwealth's overseas military presence. The so-called "Voyager Act" was proposed by MPs Bruce Li (C - Whitehaven) and Samuel Yarib (C - Vointic) in response to last month's deadly pirate attack on the freighter Teki Maru in the Caribbean Sea. The attack left nine Tolvanic sailors dead and six more badly wounded. The legislation will authorize the expansion and upgrade of the Commonwealth's tiny outpost in the Espadrian Islands, some 100 nautical miles southeast of the Caribbean.
The Act had been opposed by members of the Libertarian Party who oppose "excessive overseas involvement" by the Commonwealth, but many Libertarian MPs were brought on board after language they said sounded "quasi-imperialistic" was scrapped from the bill.
Members of the Progressive Coalition (Labour and Green Parties) opposed the Act almost unanimously.
While the Ministry of Defence has refused to disclose the exact nature of the build up, we have TBC's Chief Military Analyst, retired Admiral Jacob West on to discuss this story."
"Admiral, what is your take on this story and what do you think is the military's next step?"
"Well Sandra, the Espadrian Islands have been a Tolvanic holding since the Treaty of Voi in 1775 when the islands were ceded to Tolvan by the Ocic Empire. Since then they've really been home to nothing more than a few small ports and a tiny military garrison. However, in recent years the economy of the region has been booming and shipping traffic is at its highest levels in 200 years. Unfortunately with all those goods being shipped through the areas you get people who want to steal those goods and so we get the return of pirates."
"Admiral, I thought piracy was a long extinct crime?"
"That's a common misperception Sandra; piracy is indeed alive and well. While it's fallen a long way since its heyday in the 18th century pirates still plague many pars of the sea, particularly areas where the geography or political situation makes such activities lucrative. The Caribbean gives the pirate the benefit of many small island to operate from and lots of corrupt governments with weak navies."
"One more thing before we go Admiral, what type of deployment do we look for here?"
"Most likely it will primarily be a naval operation. I'd expect nothing less than two or three cruisers, three or four destroyers, at least three frigates, probably a couple littoral combat ships, and possibly a squadron of patrol combatants. In addition you'll likely see a fleet tender and probably one or two fast support ships. Finally, you'll have a land based garrison of Marines or light infantry and a few aircraft."
"Thank you Admiral, more on this story as it develops. Now over to Mohammed with Market recap."