SheepNES: Modern Battlefields: MAIN THREAD
- Thread starter Sheep
- Start date
Kentharu
Zebra Commander
Hormones!!!
~Darkening~
Weep, Mother.
Swiss, you are soooo dead. I'm glad I recruited all of those troops 
.
.
~Darkening~
Weep, Mother.
Columbia.
You know, the nation I offered to restore balance to but was rejected only to have him backhand his way into controling it?
You know, the nation I offered to restore balance to but was rejected only to have him backhand his way into controling it?
~Darkening~
Weep, Mother.
a 1,000 year grude? Oh no- I was beginning to work to tie South America togethor in a peaceful manner, but Swiss had to go and ruin everything. I know he knew that there is no way in hell I'd go along with this. Pretty much the same as the rest of the world 
.
.
Luckymoose
The World is Mine
sorry this wil lcome later
Swissempire
Poet Jester
Swiss, you are soooo dead. I'm glad I recruited all of those troops
Thats a little coincidental isn't it. That you recruited bunches of troops the turn that FARC got strong and threatend me enough that my circumstantial intervention orders took effect and i took the major cities, had threatening leaders eliminated and over all owned Colombia. And FYI, I'm Venezuala. And we can still peacfully unite South America, now thats its two major terrorist groups are out of the way.
BOOOOLLLLIIIIVVVVVAAAAARRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!
Oh, and get on AIM
Sheep
Orange Shrooms!
Nuke Kid, for the last time get AIM or MSN, you are at a severe disadvantage without them given your perceived lack of intelligence or diplomatic knowledge.
Furthermore I am please to announce to you all that Iraq and Afghanistan are the only two remaining parts of the update to be writted. Expect the update in the next hour to two hours to be posted.
Furthermore I am please to announce to you all that Iraq and Afghanistan are the only two remaining parts of the update to be writted. Expect the update in the next hour to two hours to be posted.
Sheep
Orange Shrooms!
Update 2 - AD2008
January
Three Gorges Dam is completed.
On the 27th of January a monument to the people of China was proclaimed open and operation. The Three Gorges Dam, a truly remarkable feat of human ingenuity and engineering was completed. The Dam itself is three times the size of the Hoover Dam in the United States of America, and supplies electricity to approximately 150 million Chinese citizens.
However the environmental ramifications are being felt already with the rapid extinction of the Yangtze Dolphin, one of the few freshwater dolphin species in the world. Furthermore there has been widespread outcry against the destruction of priceless archealogical sites that are irreplaceable and not under water. It remains to be seen if the true cost of the scheme is yet to be felt, however by all official accounts the industrial and economic benefits are already starting to be felt.
All Russian Oil Companies are re-nationalized.
In one of his final acts of his Presidency, Vladimir Putin finished a long running campaign to bring under national control all Russian Energy companies, with the buying of 50.03% of the shares in the Oil conglomerate Gazprom. While many investors, majority of them Russian retain shares in these companies, by the very nature of Russian corporation laws the government now has total say over what happens with these companies.
Already profits are expanding the Russian national budget and this money is being used to create a new level or prosperity seen unlike for over a decade for the Russian people. Employment is dropping and the Russian government is reaping the benefits of increased stability, consumer buying power and high oil prices.
Foreign forces in Germany withdraw.
Following the riots that wracked Germany last year after the twin atrocities committed by foreign soldiers, All international forces, many of the regiments that have remained in Germany since 1945 and the collapse of the Third Reich began their long awaited withdrawal. As the French marched out many Germans lined the route of their withdrawal waving German and French flags in a sign of ‘solidarity’ with their neighbors. Similar scenes were seen outside other international bases.
Meanwhile a smaller American force has been retained located at Rammstein Air Base, and under the general auspices of the NATO commander in Brussels. As Chancellor Merkel reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to the alliance, she called ‘Rammstein the beating heart of Europe’s defense and promised the Germany will once again stand proud and do their fair share in what is becoming a darker and more dangerous world’
February
Luxcom announces services to parts of Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany.
Luxcom executives announced that from March they would be offering services to eastern regions of Belgium, the Netherlands and the North-Western parts of the Rhineland in Germany. This is expected to bring more cash flow through the Grand Duchy and increase Luxembourgian budgets.
Other results however have come about unexpected with a renewed interest throughout the countries that form the Benelux Economic Union of more stringent unity and rudimentary talks have reportedly already taken place on the subject of political confederation.
Indonesian Army begins purge of Islamists.
The Indonesian Army began purging members of the armed services that had ties with Islamic movements after President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono declared the foiling of a coup attempt made from an radical Islamic sect popular in Java. The people are skeptical, many believing this to be the first of many moves of the government to remove democratic liberties won only years before.
Meanwhile the Indonesian Army continues to operate in Irian Jaya although of the autonomy given to the province. The Jakarta backed government has called in some 20,000 troops to help quell daily insurgent attacks from Independence movements.
Canadian elections held after voting rort scandal rocks NDP.
After Mr. Layton of the NDP in Canada took the Prime Ministership in a stunning victory that most of the polls even failed to predict, the Canadian Electoral Commission began the review of the election as per standard procedures. Before long large discrepancies were showing up of widespread electoral fraud. The Governor-General suspended the government and places former Prime Minister Stephen Harper as the Caretaker Prime Minister in what was Canada’s greatest constitutional crisis in history.
When the Canadian High Court declared the elections illegitimate and the Governor General responded to a double dissolution of the parliament and fresh elections the truth was told. The NDP slumped to all time low, barely 1% of the population voted and not a single seat was retained. Stephen Harper was returned with a larger majority, however in Quebec, demonstrations had begun as many were shaken in their belief of the unity of Canada. Quebecois Separatists held 69 out of the 75 provincial seats and the calls for Quebecois sovereignty will be strong indeed of the coming months.
March
Nationalist agenda in Spain continues to expand.
The new Spanish King has begun to throw his weight around, a nationalist introducing numerous policies to strengthen the army in light of the ‘clear and present danger represented by the worldwide threat posed by terrorists In March to celebrate the 1st anniversary of the King’s ascension to the throne, a large military parade not unlike that from the Franco era was held in the middle of Madrid. Also with the anniversary came the announcement of the re-introduction of military service for all Spanish boys at the age of 18 for a period no less of 6 months.
However this was not enough to get the King to send his troops back to Iraq. Parliament overruled him and the troops stayed home, much to the relief of the people.
Japanese birth rates begin to climb again.
With the continued improvement of childcare facilities and a concerted propaganda campaign aimed at young Japanese families to have children, and championing traditional Japanese values updated for the 21st century, the Japanese national birth rate has increased sharply. Japan is also reviewing several programs for further use, not unlike the Australian Baby Bonus political policy, that gives a cash bonus in the first year of the birth of a child.
Bombs rock Addis Ababa and Mogadishu.
After the collapse of the United Islamic Courts due to what was quickly being known as ‘The Ethiopian Intervention’ the Interim government of Somalia entered into negotiations with the ‘governments’ of Somaliland and Puntland. From word go it was a foregone conclusion that neither of the ‘rebel’ governments would readily return to a United Somalia.
While UIC attacks has subsided to a low level insurgency in the south and random suicide bombings against local police forces and the like, Two attacks in mid-March were as exceptional in their execution as they were daring.
In Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, a large fertilizer bomb, akin to the one used in Oklahoma in the mid-90s by Timothy McVeigh was used in an attack against the Presidential Palace. While the building was absolutely destroyed by the blast the ensuing fire, the President luckily was on a ‘black’ visit to the Somali Interim President and thus was not at home.
A couple of days later the scene was repeated outside the Mogadishu building holding the Somali peace talks. While the diplomats escaped only with minor injuries, casualties were high due to two buildings collapsing from damage sustained to their structures from the blast. Come the end of the year the peace talks still have not concluded in the reunification of Somalia, and Somaliland and Puntland are both beginning to garner support from several neighboring nations in their independence bids.
Medvedev becomes President of the Russian Federation.
See Stormbringer’s Story for details.
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpost.php?p=5034991&postcount=561
April
DPRK announces suspension of treaty from Six Party Talks and the resumption of building nuclear warheads due to ‘CIA spy’ being captured
After the alleged capture of a CIA spy in Pyongyang, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea made an immediate announcement scrapping the treaty that resulted from the Six Party Talks and commenced production of nuclear warheads from stowed away heavy water reactors that were unknown to the other parties to the broken deal.
The American administration denies all links to the spy, and it is true that the spy is more than likely a patsy. He was quickly put on trial and condemned to death, being executed within 4 weeks to his capture. However the damage is done. If it is true or not, the ‘spy’ has re-nuclearized the Korean peninsula and Kim Jong Il is now in a stronger position than before and quoted at saying that ‘Korea must look to its own defense and we must hold steady in our belief that the great enemy will one day be defeated the occupation of the South is put to an end!’ An ominous sign indeed.
Chemical terrorist attack on New York Subway.
On the bright sunny crisp April morning of the 11th the people of New York went to work as they usually do. 4.5 million people use the integrated series of above ground and underground railway lines each day for purposes ranging from going to work, amusement, or simple tourism. It is an icon of Americana, ingenuity and also depravity as many of New York’s ugliest scenes are often scene of the two metal tracks.
Ugly scenes indeed unfolded on the unassuming day of the attack. Terrorists with no affiliation from any known terrorist network committed attacks at Time Square – 42nd Street station, Broad Street Station, and finally Grand Central – 42nd Street Terminal, using a highly developed nerve agent yet unseen by American scientists.
In the second biggest terrorist attack on American soil, after the September 11 attacks against the World Trace Centre Towers, 432 people we killed and thousand more were injured. Thankfully due to the resolute determination of New Yorkers to not let the terrorists win, the impact was not as great as what it could have been and due to the quick response of the well trained and equipped Anti-Terrorism units of the New York National Guard and the New York City Police Department the damage was contained. Unfortunately no arrests were made.
India begins massive military build-up in response to recent attacks.
In response to the huge LeT attacks on Delhi last year, the Republic of India has begun an immense program of military expansion to ensure the security of their nation. Details are sketchy but it is reported that in the scheme no less than 5 carriers are being built, along with a large assortment of tanks, missiles and the like. The good news is that many Indians seeking a way out of poverty and unemployment flock to the colors and greatly bolster the strength of the armed services through patriotic service.
Sheep
Orange Shrooms!
May
Sino-German agreement signed.
In Frankfurt-Au-Main officials from both the People’s Republic of China and the Federal Republic of Germany put onto paper the formal treaty of Frankfurt, a widespread and sweeping change to Sino-German relations and also securing the European Space Agency much needed technology to slingshot their projects closer to completion.
While the full body of the treaty has not been released, citing National Security concerns, A mutual protection pact and technological sharing are believed to be parts of the treaty by many international relations experts, including Washington Think Tank Interco.
The European Space Agency has already moved up the launch date of their first manned orbital flights to late next year, and the changes that this treaty brings into place into the international political landscape could reverberate for years to come.
PRC vetoes expansion in the UNSC.
For the second year in a row the United Nations Security Council voted on a possible expansion allowing several nations, many of whom have risen to prominence since the United Nations Charter was signed in 1945 in San Francisco to have permanent seats on the Council and expanding Council numbers from 15 to 21. Many nations voted for the proposal, most notably the United States of America in which the US UN Ambassador stated ‘America looks to the future not the past in making this vote and we look forward to the continued co-operation of all the world’s peoples in this august body’
However it was not meant to be. Before the vote went fully ahead the People’s Republic of China once again vetoed the expansion and thus the resolution failed to pass the Council yet again.
Belarus President Lukashenko overthrown by Belarusian Army in a bloody coup.
President Lukashenko, the last true dictator of Europe was overthrown the Belarusian military in a quick but bloody coup in which many central figures to the Belarusian government were executed for ‘treason against the state’ A group of Army Generals led by Lieutenant-General Boris Lysenko, commander of the Belarusian Army formed the Military Council for National Salvation and immediately began a campaign that was largely pro-Moscow.
General Lysenko later in the month shocked the world in his first real international press conference, standing in front of the statue of Lenin displayed prominently in front of the Belarusian Parliament building, when he announced that he had come to power to end the Belarusian experiment of independence and had come to power to return Belarus to its true home in what is the Russian Federation.
Hugo Chavez gives speech on instability in Colombia.
Throughout the 2007 and the first few months of 2008, Bolivarist rebels and their allies, namely socialist FARC had begun a concerted campaign against the central Colombian government with new caches of weapons coming out of hiding, or simply appearing out of thin air.
In his May Day address to the nation, and his calls for the solidarity of the International Socialist Movement, Chavez gave a speech decrying the inability of the Colombian government to control its own nation and promoting general instability in the region.
As he raved on about the Colombian government and their apparent ties to the Great Satan, the United States, and the Prince of Evil, Dick Cheney, he made the astounding accusation that ‘Colombia is getting what it deserves for the depravity of the current capitalist government!’
French government continues crack-down on Islamists.
The government of President Sarkozy continued in its crackdown on Islamists regardless of the repercussions from the Muslim community in France. Daily French newspapers carried new threats that had been mailed in, or news of another mosque closure for inciting extremist fanaticism. After the suicide bombing in the middle of the Parisian shopping district of Les Halles, the French government passed the ‘Restriction of Movement for Undesirable Persons Act (2008)’ allowing the French Republic to prevent certain people from leaving certain ‘zones’ as proscribed court orders. These movement orders have been slapped on hundreds of people, and already the anti-Islamic feeling of the French people and the continued vilification of the Islamic populace is beginning to breed the air of contempt and persecution against these people, both radical and non-radical alike.
CIA agents found in Pakistani territory.
An American agent has been caught in Wazuristan near the Pakistan border. Initially Michael Howard was taken to ISI headquarters in Islamabad and was interrogated. President Musharaff calling the discretion of the USA and the continued reluctance of the agent in question to admit why he was in the frontier province a betrayal of the friendship that Pakistan had with the USA.
Protests began the next day in most major cities and large towns of Pakistan. Effigies of Cheney were burnt and the American flag was burnt on many occasions. It is often cited that Cheney’s reaction to the foreign policy disaster, that of denial may of done more damage to US-Pakistan affairs then anything else.
A public trial was held for Michael Howard and he was convicted of espionage against the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. He is now awaiting execution in an Islamabad prison.
However the affair has been destabilizing for the Musharaff government as well, which is even more troubling to the western world. Religious leaders throughout Pakistan began to call the US the Great Satan and Musharaff lapdog of the Great Satan, and the situation by late September was close to unraveling.
June
Earthquake hits Southern California, ‘The Big One’
Early on the morning of the 4th June, the moment many in California had been predicting would happen sooner or later, happened. An earthquake, dubbed ‘The Big One’ struck East Los Angeles, measuring 9.5 on the Richter scale, equal to the largest earthquake ever recorded. While the earthquake itself lasted only 90 seconds, it all but leveled the city, causing untold casualties as houses collapsed in on themselves. Downtown LA was heavily hit with several skyscrapers collapsing under the subversive affects the quake had on their structural integrity, and the rupture of several gas lines created large fires that engulfed sections of Los Angeles, while dams burst flooding yet more sections of the city, and causing a lack of fresh drinking water for the greater metropolitan area.
Having learnt from its mistakes during the New Orleans Hurricane Katrina disaster, FEMA leapt immediately into action. It was this quick response the contained the damage and also ensured that the scenes that occurred at the New Orleans Superdome did not occur again. However the once proud city of Los Angeles is now in ruins. Most typified by the Hollywood sign now reading ‘oloo’ the other letters apparently falling over.
Damage is estimated to be in the hundreds of billions, 37,000 people are reported dead, with a further 65,000 missing reported dead. California’s medical services have been stretched past breaking point and earthquake victims requiring treatment have been shipped to hospitals around the country as far away as the East Coast in some cases. It will take years to rebuild, however Governor Schwarzenegger has declared that as Los Angeles is rebuilt brick upon brick, it will rise above the ashes like a Phoenix and will return better than ever before.
Meanwhile many refugees have flocked to San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose and other cities and towns in California out of the disaster area.
UGT holds elections with incumbent winning
Present John Agyekum Kufuor has been returned with a resounding victory in the first Presidential election since the Union of Ghana and Togo was formed last year. He was the incumbent, having been the caretaker President first the Union’s first tumultuous year and his strong campaign on economic stability and political stability, not to mention he was one of three candidates, and certainly the one with the highest profile, that could speak both English and French, something that struck a chord in the now bilingual nation.
Turmoil in Indonesia as unpopular crackdown begins to spread dissent
As the purge of the Indonesian military continued and spread to other government departments, the vast majority of Indonesians, many of them moderate Muslims began protesting the events, accusing the Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of bowing to western wishes, in particular that of the United States of America and Australia. Protests were particularly fierce during June, and several western-owned enterprises including the Indonesian headquarters of Freeport Mining, a US mining consortium that is responsible for the mining of gold and copper in Irian Jaya.
Cuba announces self-sufficiency in Oil with completion of Black Mamba
On the 28th June, Acting President Raul Castro fronted the Revolutionary Council of Cuba to announce that the Republic of Cuba had completed a momentous project that would ensure the stability of the worker’s paradise and the continued vehemence of the revolution of the proletariat that started with his brother Fidel who lay in a hospital bed after an apparent relapse of his stomach cancer.
Project: Black Mamba will allow Cubans complete self-sufficiency at least for the next 20 years if not longer for all means of power required and as a consequence Cuba’s economy once again is growing by leaps and bounds, much to the distaste of the Cheney Administration.
Western Sahara surrenders to Morocco after the success of Operation: Royal Justice.
The Royal Army of Morocco in its years of occupation of the northern half of what the Moroccans call the province of Western Sahara had continuously pushed for a ultimate solution and the reunification of what many in the government itself even saw as ‘Greater Morocco’ On the 30th June 2008, delegates from the independent Arab Republic of Sahara met with Moroccan officials after a startling and crushing 2 month campaign launched by the Moroccan military. Western Sahara is now fully integrated into the Moroccan state, as most of the world already had recognized long before, and Moroccan politicians have begun renewed calls for the return of the Ceuta and Meililla enclaves from the Kingdom of Spain.
July
Turkish government announces mass reforms in an effort to gain entry to the European Union.
In an effort to allay European fears of Turkish entry into the European Union, especially know that the Cypriot issue has been resolved, and also in an effort to modernize a stagnating economy, the Turkish government has unveiled numerous modernization and reform projects of the last few months culminating in the announcement of the ambitious Anatolian Development Project which involves a complete revamp of the nation’s transportation systems, including the introduction of high speed rail services, not to mention an extensive network of highways, something lacking in the rural parts of the Turkish Republic.
It remains to be seen what the total costs of this project will be, but once completed it will strike pride in the hearts of every Turk as a major accomplishment for their nation and in the meantime provide much needed employment and other economic benefits.
Shaklain gas fields open for business.
Gazprom, with its new major shareholder, the Russian government, made an announcement on the 10th July that the Shaklain Island Gas Fields is online and ready for business. This extensive collection of natural gas, along with the ensuring oil pipelines and the like will be able to service numerous Asian nations through the quick and easy access of this much needed commodity on the foreign market. Russian economists believe that this deposit will reap large rewards for the Russian government in its quest to bring about the economic revitalization of a country that is still struggling to come to terms with the effects of mismanagement during the later Soviet years.
However Japanese Prime Minister Shinziro Abe has decreed the day a ‘black day for the Empire of Japan and the Japanese people’. It is well known of Japanese disquiet of the Russian occupation of Shaklain, an island many Japanese believe to be a part of the Empire of Japan and an extension of the Japanese home islands.
Venezuelan Army crosses Colombian frontier.
On the 5th of July, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, declared the Colombian government to be inept, and unable to prevent the violence that ‘not only is affecting Colombia but all neighboring nations including the Bolivar Republic of Venezuela!’ Earlier that morning, at 0300 the first advance elements of the Venezuelan army crossed the frontier into Colombia, to be welcomed by many residents and the rebel forces, which see the Colombian government as morally bankrupt.
Within hours the Colombian capital of Bogotá was suffering air strikes as the Venezuelan army continued its advance. The Colombian army itself fell back towards the south and the capital, while the main source of resistance came from drug barons and their private armies in the highlands.
Al Qaeda claims responsibility for bombing in London.
A large car bomb exploded in central London, outside Buckingham Palace during the changing of the guards, a ritual of British pomp and ceremony that is steeped in history, and one of which many tourists from all around the world come to witness. 17 people were reported killed, (10 Britons, 3 Canadians, 2 Australians, 1 South African and 1 New Zealander) and up to a hundred were admitted to hospital suffering a wide range of different injuries.
Al Qaeda in Europe immediately claimed responsibility for the attack calling upon the Crusader forces of the West to leave Iraq and Afghanistan immediately. There was heavy damage done the wrought iron fence of the palace however, the building itself only suffered broken windows from the blast. The Queen was not in the building at the time.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called upon the British people to stand stoically against these atrocities reminding that Britain itself has endured far worse in the past, especially during the Blitz in World War Two.
Fidel Castro dies, Raul Castro becomes President.
The world’s longest serving head of state, Fidel Castro died on the 29th of July aged 82 from stomach cancer. Immediately tributes from around the world, poured in, while other nations, most notably the United States of America and the large Cuban ex-pat community met the news with unreserved glee. However Raul Castro has used the last two years successfully to cement his control over the Republic, and was sworn in as the Republic’s second President within hours of his brother’s death.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and other notable dignitaries arrived in Cuba over the next few days for the funeral of one of Latin America Socialist Movement’s idols, the founding father of modern Cuba so to speak. Chavez himself could not hold back his emotions, breaking down at the private burial after the state funeral. He is quoted at saying ‘I have lost a dear friend and valued mentor, but the people have lost their champion!’
In a startling move Raul Castro’s first act was to enact the ‘Succession Laws’ for the first time the Republic of Cuba has set laws dictating who will be next in line, if a misfortune was to befall the President of the Republic and leader of the Revolution. Meanwhile throughout Cuba the people await anxiously, waiting to see what kind of leader Raul will make in his own accord and also what future their great communist nation has.
August
All eyes turn to Beijing as the Olympics are held
‘I announce the games of the 29th Olympiad Open!’ President Hu Jintao of the People’s Republic of China announced at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. Although several events were delayed during the course of the games due to technical glitches or weather problems, there were none of the problems that the doomsayers were predicting. No terrorist attacks, a relatively few drug scandals as opposed to recent games, in particular the scandal that rocked the Greek team at Athens in 2004.
The prize event, the Men’s 100m was won by Borat Segedev from Kazakhstan, a surprise to most punters who was tipping the heavy favorite trio from the United States, Barbados and Uganda.
At the closing ceremony the IOC Chairman declared the these games were the best ever, and the boost to the Chinese economy let alone confidence has been felt.
Iran announces project to build ICBMs
After the announcement of Iranian nuclear power last year the world has been steadily readying itself for a possible nuclear conflagration to engulf the Middle East. However that impending sense of doom was heightened on August 9th when Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared that Iran was seeking to build Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles, in response to the threats posed by the Republic of France and the United States of America and their continued insistence on owning nuclear weapons while trying to deny it to Iran itself.
‘Iran has only built the atomic bomb to ensure its security and defense and forever more we shall ensure the security and defense of every Islamic nation’ Ahmadinejad is quoted as saying. Several Middle East nations have voiced their approval, while others have condemned the destabilizing affect this will have on the region.
Bomb rips through central Rome.
On the morning of the 19th of August a car bomb ripped through Piazza del Rotunda outside the Parthenon, where numerous Romans and tourists were congregating at cafes and outside the historical landmark itself. The bomb, slightly bigger than the one that attacked Buckingham Palace earlier this year caused massive devastation to the surrounding cafes. In total 88 people were killed, 209 hospitalized, and scores traumatized the gory scenes. Italy had just been attacked.
Within hours Al Jazeera received confirmation this was indeed another attack by Al Qaeda in Europe. Indeed Al Qaeda was on a quest to prove to the west that it could strike anywhere anyhow. The call however was clear. Italy must withdraw its troops from Iraq and Afghanistan and repent in the Crusading ways of its past. The Pope called the massacre ‘a calamity’ and Prime Minister Romano Prodi declared that he would not bow down to the dictates of terrorists and announced 3 days of national mourning for the victims.
It remains to be seen if the Italian troops will be withdrawn, however Italian confidence in their security has been severely shaken.
Cyprus announces reunification by 2009. Turkish residents begin to leave the north for Turkey itself.
See announcement made earlier
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpost.php?p=5015917&postcount=473
Sino-German agreement signed.
In Frankfurt-Au-Main officials from both the People’s Republic of China and the Federal Republic of Germany put onto paper the formal treaty of Frankfurt, a widespread and sweeping change to Sino-German relations and also securing the European Space Agency much needed technology to slingshot their projects closer to completion.
While the full body of the treaty has not been released, citing National Security concerns, A mutual protection pact and technological sharing are believed to be parts of the treaty by many international relations experts, including Washington Think Tank Interco.
The European Space Agency has already moved up the launch date of their first manned orbital flights to late next year, and the changes that this treaty brings into place into the international political landscape could reverberate for years to come.
PRC vetoes expansion in the UNSC.
For the second year in a row the United Nations Security Council voted on a possible expansion allowing several nations, many of whom have risen to prominence since the United Nations Charter was signed in 1945 in San Francisco to have permanent seats on the Council and expanding Council numbers from 15 to 21. Many nations voted for the proposal, most notably the United States of America in which the US UN Ambassador stated ‘America looks to the future not the past in making this vote and we look forward to the continued co-operation of all the world’s peoples in this august body’
However it was not meant to be. Before the vote went fully ahead the People’s Republic of China once again vetoed the expansion and thus the resolution failed to pass the Council yet again.
Belarus President Lukashenko overthrown by Belarusian Army in a bloody coup.
President Lukashenko, the last true dictator of Europe was overthrown the Belarusian military in a quick but bloody coup in which many central figures to the Belarusian government were executed for ‘treason against the state’ A group of Army Generals led by Lieutenant-General Boris Lysenko, commander of the Belarusian Army formed the Military Council for National Salvation and immediately began a campaign that was largely pro-Moscow.
General Lysenko later in the month shocked the world in his first real international press conference, standing in front of the statue of Lenin displayed prominently in front of the Belarusian Parliament building, when he announced that he had come to power to end the Belarusian experiment of independence and had come to power to return Belarus to its true home in what is the Russian Federation.
Hugo Chavez gives speech on instability in Colombia.
Throughout the 2007 and the first few months of 2008, Bolivarist rebels and their allies, namely socialist FARC had begun a concerted campaign against the central Colombian government with new caches of weapons coming out of hiding, or simply appearing out of thin air.
In his May Day address to the nation, and his calls for the solidarity of the International Socialist Movement, Chavez gave a speech decrying the inability of the Colombian government to control its own nation and promoting general instability in the region.
As he raved on about the Colombian government and their apparent ties to the Great Satan, the United States, and the Prince of Evil, Dick Cheney, he made the astounding accusation that ‘Colombia is getting what it deserves for the depravity of the current capitalist government!’
French government continues crack-down on Islamists.
The government of President Sarkozy continued in its crackdown on Islamists regardless of the repercussions from the Muslim community in France. Daily French newspapers carried new threats that had been mailed in, or news of another mosque closure for inciting extremist fanaticism. After the suicide bombing in the middle of the Parisian shopping district of Les Halles, the French government passed the ‘Restriction of Movement for Undesirable Persons Act (2008)’ allowing the French Republic to prevent certain people from leaving certain ‘zones’ as proscribed court orders. These movement orders have been slapped on hundreds of people, and already the anti-Islamic feeling of the French people and the continued vilification of the Islamic populace is beginning to breed the air of contempt and persecution against these people, both radical and non-radical alike.
CIA agents found in Pakistani territory.
An American agent has been caught in Wazuristan near the Pakistan border. Initially Michael Howard was taken to ISI headquarters in Islamabad and was interrogated. President Musharaff calling the discretion of the USA and the continued reluctance of the agent in question to admit why he was in the frontier province a betrayal of the friendship that Pakistan had with the USA.
Protests began the next day in most major cities and large towns of Pakistan. Effigies of Cheney were burnt and the American flag was burnt on many occasions. It is often cited that Cheney’s reaction to the foreign policy disaster, that of denial may of done more damage to US-Pakistan affairs then anything else.
A public trial was held for Michael Howard and he was convicted of espionage against the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. He is now awaiting execution in an Islamabad prison.
However the affair has been destabilizing for the Musharaff government as well, which is even more troubling to the western world. Religious leaders throughout Pakistan began to call the US the Great Satan and Musharaff lapdog of the Great Satan, and the situation by late September was close to unraveling.
June
Earthquake hits Southern California, ‘The Big One’
Early on the morning of the 4th June, the moment many in California had been predicting would happen sooner or later, happened. An earthquake, dubbed ‘The Big One’ struck East Los Angeles, measuring 9.5 on the Richter scale, equal to the largest earthquake ever recorded. While the earthquake itself lasted only 90 seconds, it all but leveled the city, causing untold casualties as houses collapsed in on themselves. Downtown LA was heavily hit with several skyscrapers collapsing under the subversive affects the quake had on their structural integrity, and the rupture of several gas lines created large fires that engulfed sections of Los Angeles, while dams burst flooding yet more sections of the city, and causing a lack of fresh drinking water for the greater metropolitan area.
Having learnt from its mistakes during the New Orleans Hurricane Katrina disaster, FEMA leapt immediately into action. It was this quick response the contained the damage and also ensured that the scenes that occurred at the New Orleans Superdome did not occur again. However the once proud city of Los Angeles is now in ruins. Most typified by the Hollywood sign now reading ‘oloo’ the other letters apparently falling over.
Damage is estimated to be in the hundreds of billions, 37,000 people are reported dead, with a further 65,000 missing reported dead. California’s medical services have been stretched past breaking point and earthquake victims requiring treatment have been shipped to hospitals around the country as far away as the East Coast in some cases. It will take years to rebuild, however Governor Schwarzenegger has declared that as Los Angeles is rebuilt brick upon brick, it will rise above the ashes like a Phoenix and will return better than ever before.
Meanwhile many refugees have flocked to San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose and other cities and towns in California out of the disaster area.
UGT holds elections with incumbent winning
Present John Agyekum Kufuor has been returned with a resounding victory in the first Presidential election since the Union of Ghana and Togo was formed last year. He was the incumbent, having been the caretaker President first the Union’s first tumultuous year and his strong campaign on economic stability and political stability, not to mention he was one of three candidates, and certainly the one with the highest profile, that could speak both English and French, something that struck a chord in the now bilingual nation.
Turmoil in Indonesia as unpopular crackdown begins to spread dissent
As the purge of the Indonesian military continued and spread to other government departments, the vast majority of Indonesians, many of them moderate Muslims began protesting the events, accusing the Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of bowing to western wishes, in particular that of the United States of America and Australia. Protests were particularly fierce during June, and several western-owned enterprises including the Indonesian headquarters of Freeport Mining, a US mining consortium that is responsible for the mining of gold and copper in Irian Jaya.
Cuba announces self-sufficiency in Oil with completion of Black Mamba
On the 28th June, Acting President Raul Castro fronted the Revolutionary Council of Cuba to announce that the Republic of Cuba had completed a momentous project that would ensure the stability of the worker’s paradise and the continued vehemence of the revolution of the proletariat that started with his brother Fidel who lay in a hospital bed after an apparent relapse of his stomach cancer.
Project: Black Mamba will allow Cubans complete self-sufficiency at least for the next 20 years if not longer for all means of power required and as a consequence Cuba’s economy once again is growing by leaps and bounds, much to the distaste of the Cheney Administration.
Western Sahara surrenders to Morocco after the success of Operation: Royal Justice.
The Royal Army of Morocco in its years of occupation of the northern half of what the Moroccans call the province of Western Sahara had continuously pushed for a ultimate solution and the reunification of what many in the government itself even saw as ‘Greater Morocco’ On the 30th June 2008, delegates from the independent Arab Republic of Sahara met with Moroccan officials after a startling and crushing 2 month campaign launched by the Moroccan military. Western Sahara is now fully integrated into the Moroccan state, as most of the world already had recognized long before, and Moroccan politicians have begun renewed calls for the return of the Ceuta and Meililla enclaves from the Kingdom of Spain.
July
Turkish government announces mass reforms in an effort to gain entry to the European Union.
In an effort to allay European fears of Turkish entry into the European Union, especially know that the Cypriot issue has been resolved, and also in an effort to modernize a stagnating economy, the Turkish government has unveiled numerous modernization and reform projects of the last few months culminating in the announcement of the ambitious Anatolian Development Project which involves a complete revamp of the nation’s transportation systems, including the introduction of high speed rail services, not to mention an extensive network of highways, something lacking in the rural parts of the Turkish Republic.
It remains to be seen what the total costs of this project will be, but once completed it will strike pride in the hearts of every Turk as a major accomplishment for their nation and in the meantime provide much needed employment and other economic benefits.
Shaklain gas fields open for business.
Gazprom, with its new major shareholder, the Russian government, made an announcement on the 10th July that the Shaklain Island Gas Fields is online and ready for business. This extensive collection of natural gas, along with the ensuring oil pipelines and the like will be able to service numerous Asian nations through the quick and easy access of this much needed commodity on the foreign market. Russian economists believe that this deposit will reap large rewards for the Russian government in its quest to bring about the economic revitalization of a country that is still struggling to come to terms with the effects of mismanagement during the later Soviet years.
However Japanese Prime Minister Shinziro Abe has decreed the day a ‘black day for the Empire of Japan and the Japanese people’. It is well known of Japanese disquiet of the Russian occupation of Shaklain, an island many Japanese believe to be a part of the Empire of Japan and an extension of the Japanese home islands.
Venezuelan Army crosses Colombian frontier.
On the 5th of July, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, declared the Colombian government to be inept, and unable to prevent the violence that ‘not only is affecting Colombia but all neighboring nations including the Bolivar Republic of Venezuela!’ Earlier that morning, at 0300 the first advance elements of the Venezuelan army crossed the frontier into Colombia, to be welcomed by many residents and the rebel forces, which see the Colombian government as morally bankrupt.
Within hours the Colombian capital of Bogotá was suffering air strikes as the Venezuelan army continued its advance. The Colombian army itself fell back towards the south and the capital, while the main source of resistance came from drug barons and their private armies in the highlands.
Al Qaeda claims responsibility for bombing in London.
A large car bomb exploded in central London, outside Buckingham Palace during the changing of the guards, a ritual of British pomp and ceremony that is steeped in history, and one of which many tourists from all around the world come to witness. 17 people were reported killed, (10 Britons, 3 Canadians, 2 Australians, 1 South African and 1 New Zealander) and up to a hundred were admitted to hospital suffering a wide range of different injuries.
Al Qaeda in Europe immediately claimed responsibility for the attack calling upon the Crusader forces of the West to leave Iraq and Afghanistan immediately. There was heavy damage done the wrought iron fence of the palace however, the building itself only suffered broken windows from the blast. The Queen was not in the building at the time.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called upon the British people to stand stoically against these atrocities reminding that Britain itself has endured far worse in the past, especially during the Blitz in World War Two.
Fidel Castro dies, Raul Castro becomes President.
The world’s longest serving head of state, Fidel Castro died on the 29th of July aged 82 from stomach cancer. Immediately tributes from around the world, poured in, while other nations, most notably the United States of America and the large Cuban ex-pat community met the news with unreserved glee. However Raul Castro has used the last two years successfully to cement his control over the Republic, and was sworn in as the Republic’s second President within hours of his brother’s death.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and other notable dignitaries arrived in Cuba over the next few days for the funeral of one of Latin America Socialist Movement’s idols, the founding father of modern Cuba so to speak. Chavez himself could not hold back his emotions, breaking down at the private burial after the state funeral. He is quoted at saying ‘I have lost a dear friend and valued mentor, but the people have lost their champion!’
In a startling move Raul Castro’s first act was to enact the ‘Succession Laws’ for the first time the Republic of Cuba has set laws dictating who will be next in line, if a misfortune was to befall the President of the Republic and leader of the Revolution. Meanwhile throughout Cuba the people await anxiously, waiting to see what kind of leader Raul will make in his own accord and also what future their great communist nation has.
August
All eyes turn to Beijing as the Olympics are held
‘I announce the games of the 29th Olympiad Open!’ President Hu Jintao of the People’s Republic of China announced at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. Although several events were delayed during the course of the games due to technical glitches or weather problems, there were none of the problems that the doomsayers were predicting. No terrorist attacks, a relatively few drug scandals as opposed to recent games, in particular the scandal that rocked the Greek team at Athens in 2004.
The prize event, the Men’s 100m was won by Borat Segedev from Kazakhstan, a surprise to most punters who was tipping the heavy favorite trio from the United States, Barbados and Uganda.
At the closing ceremony the IOC Chairman declared the these games were the best ever, and the boost to the Chinese economy let alone confidence has been felt.
Iran announces project to build ICBMs
After the announcement of Iranian nuclear power last year the world has been steadily readying itself for a possible nuclear conflagration to engulf the Middle East. However that impending sense of doom was heightened on August 9th when Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared that Iran was seeking to build Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles, in response to the threats posed by the Republic of France and the United States of America and their continued insistence on owning nuclear weapons while trying to deny it to Iran itself.
‘Iran has only built the atomic bomb to ensure its security and defense and forever more we shall ensure the security and defense of every Islamic nation’ Ahmadinejad is quoted as saying. Several Middle East nations have voiced their approval, while others have condemned the destabilizing affect this will have on the region.
Bomb rips through central Rome.
On the morning of the 19th of August a car bomb ripped through Piazza del Rotunda outside the Parthenon, where numerous Romans and tourists were congregating at cafes and outside the historical landmark itself. The bomb, slightly bigger than the one that attacked Buckingham Palace earlier this year caused massive devastation to the surrounding cafes. In total 88 people were killed, 209 hospitalized, and scores traumatized the gory scenes. Italy had just been attacked.
Within hours Al Jazeera received confirmation this was indeed another attack by Al Qaeda in Europe. Indeed Al Qaeda was on a quest to prove to the west that it could strike anywhere anyhow. The call however was clear. Italy must withdraw its troops from Iraq and Afghanistan and repent in the Crusading ways of its past. The Pope called the massacre ‘a calamity’ and Prime Minister Romano Prodi declared that he would not bow down to the dictates of terrorists and announced 3 days of national mourning for the victims.
It remains to be seen if the Italian troops will be withdrawn, however Italian confidence in their security has been severely shaken.
Cyprus announces reunification by 2009. Turkish residents begin to leave the north for Turkey itself.
See announcement made earlier
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpost.php?p=5015917&postcount=473
Sheep
Orange Shrooms!
September
Liftport Group announces creation of prototype carbon nanotube furnace, and the commencement of construction of an operational one.
Liftport Group in conjunction with both the ESA and now NASA announced on the 3rd of September that they were successful in construction of a prototype of the furnace they hope will create the carbon nanotubes that will one day create the much publicized and vaunted Space Elevator project that both the ESA and NASA hope will revolutionize space technology.
Liftport CEO Michael Laine declared this as a great day for the company, and both space agencies. He also announced that a fully operational model of the furnace should be online by late 2009.
Resolution bringing sanctions against Iran passes the United Nations Security Council after Russia and China abstain.
After the nuclear tests in the Iranian desert occurred late in 2007, the United States of America spearheaded a campaign through the United Nations Security Council to implement economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran for its ‘destabilizing influence’ over the region. The resolution they proposed first met skepticism from several quarters, most notably the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation, two governments with historically good relations with the Islamic Republic. However as the time to vote came closer and closer, the continue ravings and proclamations of impending nuclear holocausts by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, support in the Chinese and Russian government dwindled and when the vote was held both nations which would of vetoed the resolution abstained from the vote, thus allowing the resolution to pass.
It remains to be seen if said economic sanctions will have the desired affect, however Iranian support for Ahmadinejad has actually risen due to his defiance of the United States in the issue, and the national pride generated from the Islamic Republic being a nuclear power.
Moldova reunifies with the break-away regions after the successful conclusion of peace talks
On the 15th of September the Republic of Moldova and Trans-Dniester Moldovan Independent Republic came to an agreement reunifying Moldova under the government in Chisinau, under the leadership of Prime Minister Vasile Tarlev. Many throughout Europe and the world proclaimed this to be a step forward for peace, while many in the Tran-Dniester question what the future holds. Under the terms of the deal the Tran-Dniester continues to hold the highest degree of autonomy, only deferring foreign affairs, customs and defense to the central government, however this is a new age for the Republic of Moldova and already investors begin to see the Republic as a more stable place, creating a great cash flow and increase in prosperity for its people.
Worldwide condemnation is sparked after the death of 12 inmates at Guantanamo Bay.
On the morning of the 21st of September 12 inmates in an effort to bring international attention to their plight in Guantanamo Bay committed suicide, in a mass protest against their indefinite imprisonment without charge or trial. Trials have twice been scheduled to start and twice been stopped after the US Supreme Court has both times ruled that the Military Tribunals that the late President Bush had tried to set up were illegal.
Already there is widespread condemnation of the facility and the mass suicide has just heaped more scorn on a country which considers itself the leader of the ‘Free World.’ It remains to be seen if the facility can be kept open or that the inmates there will have to be transferred or released. Raul Castro of Cuba called ‘Guantanamo Bay a cancer on the island of Cuba like that the one that claimed my late brother, our departed father of revolution, Fidel’, and the Cuban military has continued to make calls for Raul to close the facility by force.
US Consulate in Pakistan attacked
In September the situation in Pakistan had reach fervor pitch. An angry mob gathers outside the US Consulate in Karachi. The security guards are unable to prevent them storming the consulate grounds. Many consulate staff were able to escape, however 3 workers (2 Americans and a Pakistani) are captured and killed by the rampaging mob. Within an hour the entire building was destroyed by flames.
Five hours later all US diplomatic staff in Pakistan other than essential embassy staff was evacuated to India and all US citizens advised to leave immediately. Finally the Army and the Riot Police move in as the protests spread to other cities and threaten to pull the government down. Martial law is enacted and civil liberties are once again revoked.
October
Pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square crushed by People’s Liberation Army.
Students from Beijing University converged on Tiananmen Square, calling for democratic reforms after yet another year of economic growth, and noting the benefits that Hong Kong enjoy under the One Nation, Two Systems policy of Beijing that was started when the Hong Kong handover was made in. Immediately guards from the People’s Liberation Army called for the protestors to disperse, however they did not and throughout the day their numbers were bolstered by other democracy activists and Falun Gong followers. They camped in the square that night continuing their verbal assaults against the Chinese Revolutionary Council and calling for the implementation of democracy throughout China.
Finally just before daybreak a complete media blackout was enacted on the square as the tanks and soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army moved in. By signs of first light all that remained of the protest was papers, fallen signs, and ominous signs of a brutal struggle including bloodstains on the pavement. Although foreign media suggests there was some 15,000 people in the square before the blackout came, they have yet to make contact with anyone willing to admit that they were indeed at that protest. Furthermore the Chinese government had refused to comment on the fate of those arrested.
Australia occupies former US bases and begins using them.
Australia under its disengagement from Iraq and Afghanistan, to fulfill the declared Rudd Doctrine, also asked the bases that the United States leased from Australia to be handed back to the Commonwealth government. Come 17th October the final US forces left Australian shores, and the Australian Defense Forces moved in and occupied the bases.
This was coupled with an uptake of defense spending within the country, beefing up Australia’s capabilities within the region quite considerably. The Solomon Islands was one are that these increases were of benefit, the country stabilizing and the election of a new Solomon government after the previous one collapses amid ethnic tensions to be held early next year.
Colombian government collapses, Venezuela announces Union of the two countries. Colombian leadership arrives in the USA to head government in exile.
With the offensive from Venezuela starting in July the Colombian government knew it was only time before the complete collapse of resistance in the nation. Within weeks of the invasion the Colombian President Alvaro Uribe Velez began transferring government agencies to its ally in the United States of America. When the capital, Bogotá was lost to the Venezuelans in late September, the end was near. What was left of the government that remained on Colombian soil retreated to the south with the bulk of the remaining Colombian military. However incessant attacks, all but reduced this military force to nothing more than a band of guerillas, in which they have performed admirably especially in the south where support for an independent Colombia is at its highest.
By 10th of October the Colombian government in Colombia was all but destroyed. President Alvaro Uribe Velez himself had left the country for New York City and the United Nations on the 8th. On the 15th by Presidential decree, Hugo Chavez declared the dissolution of the independent Republic of Colombia and the creation of the Bolivarian Union. However the reality on the ground remains that Colombia is under military jurisdiction for the time being, while talks with FARC and other anti-Colombian government groups being held in Caracas with Hugo Chavez on what role they will play in the new Union.
November
Presidential elections in the USA are held.
Hillary Clinton has won the US Presidential elections in a tight race with Independent Rudi Guiliani coming a close second and Republican John McCain coming a distant third. Clinton has made history as the first female President of the United States and will easily become the single most powerful female in human history once her term begins early in 2009
President Cheney however rose above the partisan politics and congratulated President-elect Clinton and promised to make her transition to the White House as easy as possible.
Japanese military expansion continues with new laws passing the Diet.
Prime Minister Abe of Japan passed legislation through the Japanese National Diet this month that allows a greater Japanese presence in military affairs around the globe. Abe is quoted at saying ‘Japan for too long has used its economic prosperity for the good of only itself. It is time now that Japan looks to the aid of others in strife, and the defense of its own territory instead of relying on the financial commitments of others we can readily fulfill ourselves.’
The new laws allow the Diet to spend in peacetime up to and including 20% of the national GDP on military hardware, training and other military related activities. A further constitutional amendment signed by the Emperor himself allows for the deployment of Japanese armed military forces overseas legally, the first time since 1947 and the signing of the current constitution in the era of the Macarthur administration.
Union of Ghana-Togo reveal new flag.
The Union of Ghana-Togo which was formed late 2007 took another step closer after elections to the successful full integration of the two nations. A new flag was unveiled that showed elements from both former flags.
This coupled with the nations first Olympic Gold Medal in the 5000M Men’s Sprint is lifting the spirits of this nation making it one of the most stable for its region.
December
Belarusian Military Junta declares Belarus to be a constituent Republic of the Russian Federation.
General Boris Lysenko of the Belarusian Military Council of National Salvation and President Medenev of Russia held talks in Moscow on the first week of December to come to an understanding due to the new circumstances resulting from the coup a few months earlier. Lysenko stunned the Russian establishment by offering the complete integration of Belarus into the Russian Federation effective immediately so long as Belarus became known as what would soon be called a ‘constituent Republic’
Under the scheme the Belarusian armed forces have been folded into the Russian Federation forces, Moscow will take care of all foreign, defense and other essential ‘national’ services for Minsk, and the Minks government merely becomes an autonomous region of the Russian Federation. Lysenko, whose lineage is mixed Russian and Belarusian left proclaiming the meeting a complete success and announced fresh Belarusian elections in 2009, for the new autonomous constituent Republican government, and Moscow has reclaimed a strategic territory that it lost in the break up of the former Soviet Union.
West Papuans declare independence from Indonesia citing blatant human rights violations on Jakarta’s behalf.
The independence movements in West Papua backed with new financial aid and armaments of Russian manufacture, although Russian arms can be found anywhere these days. Captured the provincial capital of Papua, Jayapura. As government control collapsed, the Jakarta backed government of Papua retreated to Suluwesi.
Immediately reports of some reprisal attacks for years of human rights abuses by the Indonesian government against the Indonesian colonists, especially in the western part of the province began, and by the end of December the entire province was in the hands of the separatists, including the mineral rich mines that were leased from Indonesia to Freeport, and several Indonesians are being held for ‘crimes against the Papuan people and state’, while the western workers that were on site have been allowed to leave via Papua New Guinea.
As Indonesian colonists fled on boats from their farms, some of whom whose parents had come over not longer after 1969, the Republic of West Papua was proclaimed independent in the centre of Jayapura on the 31st December 2008.
American economy emerges from recession.
Although there had been a few tough years for the American people, through natural disasters, terrorist attacks and assaination, the people remained resilient. In fact the rebuilding effort in Los Angeles, a major city and one of America’s cultural icons in Hollywood, Unemployment was on the down, and the economy began to recover. The large public works programs kicked start the ailing economy and began a startling growth period that became more and more evident as each month passed.
With the election of a business friendly President in Rudi Giuliani and a strong figure and a known leader of men in the face of adversity, the American people had begun to reclaim confidence that had hadn’t been experienced since the declaration of the late President Bush that the Iraq War was over once the Iraqi military had surrendered.
Liftport Group announces creation of prototype carbon nanotube furnace, and the commencement of construction of an operational one.
Liftport Group in conjunction with both the ESA and now NASA announced on the 3rd of September that they were successful in construction of a prototype of the furnace they hope will create the carbon nanotubes that will one day create the much publicized and vaunted Space Elevator project that both the ESA and NASA hope will revolutionize space technology.
Liftport CEO Michael Laine declared this as a great day for the company, and both space agencies. He also announced that a fully operational model of the furnace should be online by late 2009.
Resolution bringing sanctions against Iran passes the United Nations Security Council after Russia and China abstain.
After the nuclear tests in the Iranian desert occurred late in 2007, the United States of America spearheaded a campaign through the United Nations Security Council to implement economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran for its ‘destabilizing influence’ over the region. The resolution they proposed first met skepticism from several quarters, most notably the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation, two governments with historically good relations with the Islamic Republic. However as the time to vote came closer and closer, the continue ravings and proclamations of impending nuclear holocausts by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, support in the Chinese and Russian government dwindled and when the vote was held both nations which would of vetoed the resolution abstained from the vote, thus allowing the resolution to pass.
It remains to be seen if said economic sanctions will have the desired affect, however Iranian support for Ahmadinejad has actually risen due to his defiance of the United States in the issue, and the national pride generated from the Islamic Republic being a nuclear power.
Moldova reunifies with the break-away regions after the successful conclusion of peace talks
On the 15th of September the Republic of Moldova and Trans-Dniester Moldovan Independent Republic came to an agreement reunifying Moldova under the government in Chisinau, under the leadership of Prime Minister Vasile Tarlev. Many throughout Europe and the world proclaimed this to be a step forward for peace, while many in the Tran-Dniester question what the future holds. Under the terms of the deal the Tran-Dniester continues to hold the highest degree of autonomy, only deferring foreign affairs, customs and defense to the central government, however this is a new age for the Republic of Moldova and already investors begin to see the Republic as a more stable place, creating a great cash flow and increase in prosperity for its people.
Worldwide condemnation is sparked after the death of 12 inmates at Guantanamo Bay.
On the morning of the 21st of September 12 inmates in an effort to bring international attention to their plight in Guantanamo Bay committed suicide, in a mass protest against their indefinite imprisonment without charge or trial. Trials have twice been scheduled to start and twice been stopped after the US Supreme Court has both times ruled that the Military Tribunals that the late President Bush had tried to set up were illegal.
Already there is widespread condemnation of the facility and the mass suicide has just heaped more scorn on a country which considers itself the leader of the ‘Free World.’ It remains to be seen if the facility can be kept open or that the inmates there will have to be transferred or released. Raul Castro of Cuba called ‘Guantanamo Bay a cancer on the island of Cuba like that the one that claimed my late brother, our departed father of revolution, Fidel’, and the Cuban military has continued to make calls for Raul to close the facility by force.
US Consulate in Pakistan attacked
In September the situation in Pakistan had reach fervor pitch. An angry mob gathers outside the US Consulate in Karachi. The security guards are unable to prevent them storming the consulate grounds. Many consulate staff were able to escape, however 3 workers (2 Americans and a Pakistani) are captured and killed by the rampaging mob. Within an hour the entire building was destroyed by flames.
Five hours later all US diplomatic staff in Pakistan other than essential embassy staff was evacuated to India and all US citizens advised to leave immediately. Finally the Army and the Riot Police move in as the protests spread to other cities and threaten to pull the government down. Martial law is enacted and civil liberties are once again revoked.
October
Pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square crushed by People’s Liberation Army.
Students from Beijing University converged on Tiananmen Square, calling for democratic reforms after yet another year of economic growth, and noting the benefits that Hong Kong enjoy under the One Nation, Two Systems policy of Beijing that was started when the Hong Kong handover was made in. Immediately guards from the People’s Liberation Army called for the protestors to disperse, however they did not and throughout the day their numbers were bolstered by other democracy activists and Falun Gong followers. They camped in the square that night continuing their verbal assaults against the Chinese Revolutionary Council and calling for the implementation of democracy throughout China.
Finally just before daybreak a complete media blackout was enacted on the square as the tanks and soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army moved in. By signs of first light all that remained of the protest was papers, fallen signs, and ominous signs of a brutal struggle including bloodstains on the pavement. Although foreign media suggests there was some 15,000 people in the square before the blackout came, they have yet to make contact with anyone willing to admit that they were indeed at that protest. Furthermore the Chinese government had refused to comment on the fate of those arrested.
Australia occupies former US bases and begins using them.
Australia under its disengagement from Iraq and Afghanistan, to fulfill the declared Rudd Doctrine, also asked the bases that the United States leased from Australia to be handed back to the Commonwealth government. Come 17th October the final US forces left Australian shores, and the Australian Defense Forces moved in and occupied the bases.
This was coupled with an uptake of defense spending within the country, beefing up Australia’s capabilities within the region quite considerably. The Solomon Islands was one are that these increases were of benefit, the country stabilizing and the election of a new Solomon government after the previous one collapses amid ethnic tensions to be held early next year.
Colombian government collapses, Venezuela announces Union of the two countries. Colombian leadership arrives in the USA to head government in exile.
With the offensive from Venezuela starting in July the Colombian government knew it was only time before the complete collapse of resistance in the nation. Within weeks of the invasion the Colombian President Alvaro Uribe Velez began transferring government agencies to its ally in the United States of America. When the capital, Bogotá was lost to the Venezuelans in late September, the end was near. What was left of the government that remained on Colombian soil retreated to the south with the bulk of the remaining Colombian military. However incessant attacks, all but reduced this military force to nothing more than a band of guerillas, in which they have performed admirably especially in the south where support for an independent Colombia is at its highest.
By 10th of October the Colombian government in Colombia was all but destroyed. President Alvaro Uribe Velez himself had left the country for New York City and the United Nations on the 8th. On the 15th by Presidential decree, Hugo Chavez declared the dissolution of the independent Republic of Colombia and the creation of the Bolivarian Union. However the reality on the ground remains that Colombia is under military jurisdiction for the time being, while talks with FARC and other anti-Colombian government groups being held in Caracas with Hugo Chavez on what role they will play in the new Union.
November
Presidential elections in the USA are held.
Hillary Clinton has won the US Presidential elections in a tight race with Independent Rudi Guiliani coming a close second and Republican John McCain coming a distant third. Clinton has made history as the first female President of the United States and will easily become the single most powerful female in human history once her term begins early in 2009
President Cheney however rose above the partisan politics and congratulated President-elect Clinton and promised to make her transition to the White House as easy as possible.
Japanese military expansion continues with new laws passing the Diet.
Prime Minister Abe of Japan passed legislation through the Japanese National Diet this month that allows a greater Japanese presence in military affairs around the globe. Abe is quoted at saying ‘Japan for too long has used its economic prosperity for the good of only itself. It is time now that Japan looks to the aid of others in strife, and the defense of its own territory instead of relying on the financial commitments of others we can readily fulfill ourselves.’
The new laws allow the Diet to spend in peacetime up to and including 20% of the national GDP on military hardware, training and other military related activities. A further constitutional amendment signed by the Emperor himself allows for the deployment of Japanese armed military forces overseas legally, the first time since 1947 and the signing of the current constitution in the era of the Macarthur administration.
Union of Ghana-Togo reveal new flag.
The Union of Ghana-Togo which was formed late 2007 took another step closer after elections to the successful full integration of the two nations. A new flag was unveiled that showed elements from both former flags.
This coupled with the nations first Olympic Gold Medal in the 5000M Men’s Sprint is lifting the spirits of this nation making it one of the most stable for its region.
December
Belarusian Military Junta declares Belarus to be a constituent Republic of the Russian Federation.
General Boris Lysenko of the Belarusian Military Council of National Salvation and President Medenev of Russia held talks in Moscow on the first week of December to come to an understanding due to the new circumstances resulting from the coup a few months earlier. Lysenko stunned the Russian establishment by offering the complete integration of Belarus into the Russian Federation effective immediately so long as Belarus became known as what would soon be called a ‘constituent Republic’
Under the scheme the Belarusian armed forces have been folded into the Russian Federation forces, Moscow will take care of all foreign, defense and other essential ‘national’ services for Minsk, and the Minks government merely becomes an autonomous region of the Russian Federation. Lysenko, whose lineage is mixed Russian and Belarusian left proclaiming the meeting a complete success and announced fresh Belarusian elections in 2009, for the new autonomous constituent Republican government, and Moscow has reclaimed a strategic territory that it lost in the break up of the former Soviet Union.
West Papuans declare independence from Indonesia citing blatant human rights violations on Jakarta’s behalf.
The independence movements in West Papua backed with new financial aid and armaments of Russian manufacture, although Russian arms can be found anywhere these days. Captured the provincial capital of Papua, Jayapura. As government control collapsed, the Jakarta backed government of Papua retreated to Suluwesi.
Immediately reports of some reprisal attacks for years of human rights abuses by the Indonesian government against the Indonesian colonists, especially in the western part of the province began, and by the end of December the entire province was in the hands of the separatists, including the mineral rich mines that were leased from Indonesia to Freeport, and several Indonesians are being held for ‘crimes against the Papuan people and state’, while the western workers that were on site have been allowed to leave via Papua New Guinea.
As Indonesian colonists fled on boats from their farms, some of whom whose parents had come over not longer after 1969, the Republic of West Papua was proclaimed independent in the centre of Jayapura on the 31st December 2008.
American economy emerges from recession.
Although there had been a few tough years for the American people, through natural disasters, terrorist attacks and assaination, the people remained resilient. In fact the rebuilding effort in Los Angeles, a major city and one of America’s cultural icons in Hollywood, Unemployment was on the down, and the economy began to recover. The large public works programs kicked start the ailing economy and began a startling growth period that became more and more evident as each month passed.
With the election of a business friendly President in Rudi Giuliani and a strong figure and a known leader of men in the face of adversity, the American people had begun to reclaim confidence that had hadn’t been experienced since the declaration of the late President Bush that the Iraq War was over once the Iraqi military had surrendered.
Sheep
Orange Shrooms!
Iraq
In Iraq the situation went from bad to worse, The American strategy of containing the violence through a series of maneuvers although bringing initial results backfired exponentially after that assaination of a much loved Shiite figure in Iraq (who was found to be fanning the flames of sectarian violence) was attributed to US Special forces in the country.
The US efforts to seal the borders with neighboring countries met with mixed results. Along the Saudi border control was returned, however the borders are far too porous with miles and miles of desert making the mission given to US troops on the border all but impossible in reality.
While the Iraqi army was beginning to show the shape of a proper military with several new divisions being available for peacekeeping missions. However the loyalty of some of the troops in these divisions is questionable. The situation furthermore in this regard of the American plan to use other foreign troops was not helped with the withdrawal of several nations most notably Australia and the Japanese engineers that they were protecting, under the new Rudd Doctrine.
Several arms caches of the insurgents were discovered and a July strike on a Baghdad suburb gave pause to Al Qaeda in Iraq with several of its top ranking members being killed at once. However this had a less than desired affect as it seems that the group has splintered and although the sum of all parts are not greater than the whole in this regard, the fact that their fluidity and ability to strike in several directions at once have made Iraq all that much more dangerous.
A crack down in Fallujah, for the second time in four years began in September after militants seized control over the city yet again. Amour and airpower was committed and civilian casualties are reported to exceed 5000 in the battle. It was a blow to the insurgency none the less.
Public education efforts on the price of Civil War went largely unheeded, as Shiites and Sunnis continued in a vicious cycle of attacks and retaliation. It also seems that no matter how many cache’s are destroyed another one springs up, giving thought to the theory of the Pentagon that another power is at play here. In fact several Iraqi government officials have gone as far to call for the dissolution of the Republic and a unification of the Shiite people in Iran, however this movement has quickly been silenced for now. Meanwhile Sunni civilians not wishing to stay have begun to cross the border into Saudi Arabia, forcing the latter nation to set up refugee camps in the desert close to the border, which seem to not be all that safe as Shiites from Iraq continue attacks in a cycle of violence that refuses yet to be broken.
Finally the capture of a Turkish agent in the Kurdish north has sparked outrage from the Kurdish people and the Kurds have begun lobbying for the creation of an independent Kurdistan in the north.
The Palestinian Affair
The Israeli occupation of the West Bank continued, with 20,000 new colonists being authorized to settle in the heavily guarded Jewish settlements. Israeli Defense Force operations continued in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, including the failed assaination of the Hamas Leadership in Ramallah in October.
Meanwhile in the Gaza Strip and West Bank Hamas and Fatah fighters continued to clash on almost a daily basis, with the President and Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority claiming overall control. It has become increasingly clear that Palestine itself has come into a state of civil war.
Across the walled imposed border, Israel waits nervously, secretly giving support to Fatah fighters considering them the lesser of two evils. Hamas has not done itself any favors on the international stage by once again declaring that ‘Israel must be wiped off the map’ and in leading no less that seven attacks on the wall at various locations, although the damage was repaired before too long.
Finally Corporal Shilat, the young soldier captured by Hamas militants in 2006, was finally found in late November, his throat slit from ear to ear. With the look of a man that has gone through absolute hell, the Corporal’s corpse had a message pinned to his tattered Israeli uniform, although to this day the Israeli government refuses to comment on its contents.
African Civil Wars
Africa, what was once known as the dark continent, has been suffering numerous civil wars over the past years, a legacy of the colonial era when borders were drawn by Europeans thousands of miles away instead of the Africans themselves.
In Dafur, the deployment of United Nations troops under the guidance of the African Union and bolstering the African Union peacekeeping forces in the region already has done less that what was expected. The Republic of Chad was successful in preventing further cross-border raids from the warlords in Dafur, and even succeeded in ensuring that the border regions under the control of said warlords had control returned to the government in N’Djamena. Meanwhile the situation in Dafur itself continues to deteriorate. Widespread famine is pandemic of the causes of three failed crops due to the warfare that has blighted the province for the last several years, Dafur itself remains one of Africa’s worst trouble spots and continues to capture attention of the world’s media, although little is being done on the ground.
Meanwhile in Cote d’Ivorie the arrival of troops from the Union of Ghana-Togo in late 2007 heralded the beginning of the end of the Civil War that has torn this country in two for close to two decades. UGT troops working with Ivorian government forces pushed steadily northwards waging an intense campaign, but also winning the hearts and minds of the people by building new public works and the like. By October the rebellion was all but finished, the leaders of said rebellion fleeing into exile in a yet unknown locale.
However Cote d’Ivorie especially the northern reaches of the country lie in ruins after the brutal civil war, and numerous men, women and children have been killed, maimed or left destitute by it. It will take years to rebuild this shattered country to its former heights.
Abductions of foreign workers in Nigeria continue in the oil rich but rebellious provinces in the south-east of the country. In July 3 Britons were captured by militants and executed for their crimes ‘against the Nigerian people’ the Nigerian government in Abuja led by President Olusẹgun Ọbasanjọ has repeated recent calls for assistance and it remains to be seen if the African Union or the United Nations is able to do something.
Afghanistan (spotlight)
‘History admires the wise, but it elevates the brave’ – Edmund Morris.
The Taliban and their Al Qaeda allies started the year on a high in Afghanistan, with the early January capture of the city of Kandahar, the Taliban capital of Afghanistan. Assassinations also increased during the early part of 2008, with several attempts on Presidents Karzai’s life, one of which wounded him greatly, and caused confusion to the Afghan government supported by NATO forces. However as Karzai rallied so did the government and the people behind the government.
The major thrust that was committed to battle was to securing the highly fluid border of Afghanistan-Pakistan, and in particular that near the Tora Bora complex and up to the border of Wazuristan province and Pakistan. The Brazilian contingent in particular distinguished themselves greatly when they captured Abu Ayoub al-Iraqi, the Senior Operations Chief of Al Qaeda in a stunning campaign that bore heavy casualties from both sides, causing a stunning blow although not preventing continue Al Qaeda attacks and also raising doubts in the NATO hierarchy of the actual importance of capturing high ranking Al Qaeda members.
In the south, Taliban militias fell back from Kandahar in disarray after the concerted bombing campaign from the US Air Force based at Diego Garcia which began in mid-March. In early May, an opportunity presented itself with the trail of Osama bin Laden becoming hot once again, however this was to no use as an agent that was tracking him was captured by the Pakistani Inter-Service Intelligence Agency and detained, allowing for the fugitive terrorist’s escape.
In July, Al Jazeera received a tape from Al-Qaeda stating that bin Laden remained uncaptured, unsubdued and would not cease his work until the Crusaders left Islamic territory. Meanwhile during this month there seemed to be a resurgence of strength displayed by Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan with an increase of guerilla warfare type raids, and suicide bombings targeting prominent officials.
The continued instability of the nation and the perceived lack of commitment from NATO in relation to the Afghan Reconstruction Project (only some 14 billion dollars was committed this year) did not help matters. The intended hearts and minds campaign backfired due to the conservative Islamic nature of the Afghan populace, and the Afghan governments policy of supplanting Opium as the cash crop for many farmers failed, as warfare continued to play havoc for more traditional agriculture.
However all was not lost. The insurgents themselves were forced to fall back and while Allied control on the ground could often be illusionary, Allied Air Power ruled the skies above the beleaguered Islamic Republic and its US backed government. The nation itself stands at a crossroads, with democracy, and western ideals one the one hand and a return to the ultra-conservative Taliban on the other. It remains to be seen if Karzai, his government, and NATO as a whole can continue their recent success.
In Iraq the situation went from bad to worse, The American strategy of containing the violence through a series of maneuvers although bringing initial results backfired exponentially after that assaination of a much loved Shiite figure in Iraq (who was found to be fanning the flames of sectarian violence) was attributed to US Special forces in the country.
The US efforts to seal the borders with neighboring countries met with mixed results. Along the Saudi border control was returned, however the borders are far too porous with miles and miles of desert making the mission given to US troops on the border all but impossible in reality.
While the Iraqi army was beginning to show the shape of a proper military with several new divisions being available for peacekeeping missions. However the loyalty of some of the troops in these divisions is questionable. The situation furthermore in this regard of the American plan to use other foreign troops was not helped with the withdrawal of several nations most notably Australia and the Japanese engineers that they were protecting, under the new Rudd Doctrine.
Several arms caches of the insurgents were discovered and a July strike on a Baghdad suburb gave pause to Al Qaeda in Iraq with several of its top ranking members being killed at once. However this had a less than desired affect as it seems that the group has splintered and although the sum of all parts are not greater than the whole in this regard, the fact that their fluidity and ability to strike in several directions at once have made Iraq all that much more dangerous.
A crack down in Fallujah, for the second time in four years began in September after militants seized control over the city yet again. Amour and airpower was committed and civilian casualties are reported to exceed 5000 in the battle. It was a blow to the insurgency none the less.
Public education efforts on the price of Civil War went largely unheeded, as Shiites and Sunnis continued in a vicious cycle of attacks and retaliation. It also seems that no matter how many cache’s are destroyed another one springs up, giving thought to the theory of the Pentagon that another power is at play here. In fact several Iraqi government officials have gone as far to call for the dissolution of the Republic and a unification of the Shiite people in Iran, however this movement has quickly been silenced for now. Meanwhile Sunni civilians not wishing to stay have begun to cross the border into Saudi Arabia, forcing the latter nation to set up refugee camps in the desert close to the border, which seem to not be all that safe as Shiites from Iraq continue attacks in a cycle of violence that refuses yet to be broken.
Finally the capture of a Turkish agent in the Kurdish north has sparked outrage from the Kurdish people and the Kurds have begun lobbying for the creation of an independent Kurdistan in the north.
The Palestinian Affair
The Israeli occupation of the West Bank continued, with 20,000 new colonists being authorized to settle in the heavily guarded Jewish settlements. Israeli Defense Force operations continued in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, including the failed assaination of the Hamas Leadership in Ramallah in October.
Meanwhile in the Gaza Strip and West Bank Hamas and Fatah fighters continued to clash on almost a daily basis, with the President and Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority claiming overall control. It has become increasingly clear that Palestine itself has come into a state of civil war.
Across the walled imposed border, Israel waits nervously, secretly giving support to Fatah fighters considering them the lesser of two evils. Hamas has not done itself any favors on the international stage by once again declaring that ‘Israel must be wiped off the map’ and in leading no less that seven attacks on the wall at various locations, although the damage was repaired before too long.
Finally Corporal Shilat, the young soldier captured by Hamas militants in 2006, was finally found in late November, his throat slit from ear to ear. With the look of a man that has gone through absolute hell, the Corporal’s corpse had a message pinned to his tattered Israeli uniform, although to this day the Israeli government refuses to comment on its contents.
African Civil Wars
Africa, what was once known as the dark continent, has been suffering numerous civil wars over the past years, a legacy of the colonial era when borders were drawn by Europeans thousands of miles away instead of the Africans themselves.
In Dafur, the deployment of United Nations troops under the guidance of the African Union and bolstering the African Union peacekeeping forces in the region already has done less that what was expected. The Republic of Chad was successful in preventing further cross-border raids from the warlords in Dafur, and even succeeded in ensuring that the border regions under the control of said warlords had control returned to the government in N’Djamena. Meanwhile the situation in Dafur itself continues to deteriorate. Widespread famine is pandemic of the causes of three failed crops due to the warfare that has blighted the province for the last several years, Dafur itself remains one of Africa’s worst trouble spots and continues to capture attention of the world’s media, although little is being done on the ground.
Meanwhile in Cote d’Ivorie the arrival of troops from the Union of Ghana-Togo in late 2007 heralded the beginning of the end of the Civil War that has torn this country in two for close to two decades. UGT troops working with Ivorian government forces pushed steadily northwards waging an intense campaign, but also winning the hearts and minds of the people by building new public works and the like. By October the rebellion was all but finished, the leaders of said rebellion fleeing into exile in a yet unknown locale.
However Cote d’Ivorie especially the northern reaches of the country lie in ruins after the brutal civil war, and numerous men, women and children have been killed, maimed or left destitute by it. It will take years to rebuild this shattered country to its former heights.
Abductions of foreign workers in Nigeria continue in the oil rich but rebellious provinces in the south-east of the country. In July 3 Britons were captured by militants and executed for their crimes ‘against the Nigerian people’ the Nigerian government in Abuja led by President Olusẹgun Ọbasanjọ has repeated recent calls for assistance and it remains to be seen if the African Union or the United Nations is able to do something.
Afghanistan (spotlight)
‘History admires the wise, but it elevates the brave’ – Edmund Morris.
The Taliban and their Al Qaeda allies started the year on a high in Afghanistan, with the early January capture of the city of Kandahar, the Taliban capital of Afghanistan. Assassinations also increased during the early part of 2008, with several attempts on Presidents Karzai’s life, one of which wounded him greatly, and caused confusion to the Afghan government supported by NATO forces. However as Karzai rallied so did the government and the people behind the government.
The major thrust that was committed to battle was to securing the highly fluid border of Afghanistan-Pakistan, and in particular that near the Tora Bora complex and up to the border of Wazuristan province and Pakistan. The Brazilian contingent in particular distinguished themselves greatly when they captured Abu Ayoub al-Iraqi, the Senior Operations Chief of Al Qaeda in a stunning campaign that bore heavy casualties from both sides, causing a stunning blow although not preventing continue Al Qaeda attacks and also raising doubts in the NATO hierarchy of the actual importance of capturing high ranking Al Qaeda members.
In the south, Taliban militias fell back from Kandahar in disarray after the concerted bombing campaign from the US Air Force based at Diego Garcia which began in mid-March. In early May, an opportunity presented itself with the trail of Osama bin Laden becoming hot once again, however this was to no use as an agent that was tracking him was captured by the Pakistani Inter-Service Intelligence Agency and detained, allowing for the fugitive terrorist’s escape.
In July, Al Jazeera received a tape from Al-Qaeda stating that bin Laden remained uncaptured, unsubdued and would not cease his work until the Crusaders left Islamic territory. Meanwhile during this month there seemed to be a resurgence of strength displayed by Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan with an increase of guerilla warfare type raids, and suicide bombings targeting prominent officials.
The continued instability of the nation and the perceived lack of commitment from NATO in relation to the Afghan Reconstruction Project (only some 14 billion dollars was committed this year) did not help matters. The intended hearts and minds campaign backfired due to the conservative Islamic nature of the Afghan populace, and the Afghan governments policy of supplanting Opium as the cash crop for many farmers failed, as warfare continued to play havoc for more traditional agriculture.
However all was not lost. The insurgents themselves were forced to fall back and while Allied control on the ground could often be illusionary, Allied Air Power ruled the skies above the beleaguered Islamic Republic and its US backed government. The nation itself stands at a crossroads, with democracy, and western ideals one the one hand and a return to the ultra-conservative Taliban on the other. It remains to be seen if Karzai, his government, and NATO as a whole can continue their recent success.
Sheep
Orange Shrooms!
Sheep
Orange Shrooms!
Olympic Medal Count
1 United States (USA) 35 26 33 94
2 China (CHN) 34 16 17 67
3 Russia (RUS) 29 28 28 85
4 Australia (AUS) 18 25 17 60
5 Germany (GER) 15 17 26 58
6 France (FRA) 13 14 11 38
7 Italy (ITA) 13 8 13 34
8 Netherlands (NED) 12 9 4 25
9 Great Britain (GBR) 11 10 7 28
10 Cuba (CUB) 10 11 7 28
11 Romania (ROM) 10 6 8 24
12 South Korea (KOR) 8 10 10 28
13 Hungary (HUN) 8 6 3 17
14 Poland (POL) 6 5 3 14
15 Japan (JPN) 5 8 5 18
16 Bulgaria (BUL) 5 6 2 13
17 Greece (GRE) 4 6 3 13
18 Sweden (SWE) 4 5 3 12
19 Norway (NOR) 4 3 3 10
20 Ethiopia (ETH) 4 1 3 8
21 Ukraine (UKR) 3 10 10 23
22 Kazakhstan (KAZ) 3 4 0 7
23 Belarus (BLR) 3 3 11 17
24 Canada (CAN) 3 3 8 14
25 Spain (ESP) 3 3 5 11
26 Turkey (TUR) 3 0 2 5
27 Iran (IRI) 3 0 1 4
28 Czech Republic (CZE) 2 3 3 8
29 Kenya (KEN) 2 3 2 7
30 Denmark (DEN) 2 3 1 6
31 Finland (FIN) 2 1 1 4
32 Austria (AUT) 2 1 0 3
33 Lithuania (LTU) 2 0 3 5
34 Azerbaijan (AZE) 2 0 1 3
35 Slovenia (SLO) 2 0 0 2
36 Switzerland (SUI) 1 6 2 9
37 Indonesia (INA) 1 3 2 6
38 Slovakia (SVK) 1 3 1 5
39 Mexico (MEX) 1 2 3 6
40 Nigeria (NGR) 1 2 0 3
41 Algeria (ALG) 1 1 3 5
42 Uzbekistan (UZB) 1 1 2 4
43 Bahamas (BAH) 1 1 1 3
Latvia (LAT) 1 1 1 3
Yugoslavia (YUG) 1 1 1 3
46 New Zealand (NZL) 1 0 3 4
47 Estonia (EST) 1 0 2 3
Thailand (THA) 1 0 2 3
49 Croatia (CRO) 1 0 1 2
50 Cameroon (CMR) 1 0 0 1
Ghana-Togo (UGT) 1 0 0 1
Mozambique (MOZ) 1 0 0 1
53 Brazil (BRA) 0 6 6 12
54 Jamaica (JAM) 0 5 2 7
55 Belgium (BEL) 0 2 3 5
South Africa (RSA) 0 2 3 5
57 Argentina (ARG) 0 2 2 4
58 Chinese Taipei (TPE) 0 1 4 5
Morocco (MAR) 0 1 4 5 60
North Korea (PRK) 0 1 3 4
61 Moldova (MDA) 0 1 1 2
Saudi Arabia (KSA) 0 1 1 2
Trinidad and Tobago (TRI) 0 1 1 2
64 Ireland (IRL) 0 1 0 1
Uruguay (URU) 0 1 0 1
Vietnam (VIE) 0 1 0 1
67 Georgia (GEO) 0 0 6 6
68 Costa Rica (CRC) 0 0 2 2
Portugal (POR) 0 0 2 2
70 Armenia (ARM) 0 0 1 1
Barbados (BAR) 0 0 1 1
Chile (CHI) 0 0 1 1
Iceland (ISL) 0 0 1 1
India (IND) 0 0 1 1
Israel (ISR) 0 0 1 1
Kuwait (KUW) 0 0 1 1
Kyrgyzstan (KGZ) 0 0 1 1
FYR Macedonia (MKD) 0 0 1 1
Qatar (QAT) 0 0 1 1
Sri Lanka (SRI) 0 0 1 1
Total 302 300 330 932
(All figures shown are Gold, Silver, Bronze, then Total Medals.)
1 United States (USA) 35 26 33 94
2 China (CHN) 34 16 17 67
3 Russia (RUS) 29 28 28 85
4 Australia (AUS) 18 25 17 60
5 Germany (GER) 15 17 26 58
6 France (FRA) 13 14 11 38
7 Italy (ITA) 13 8 13 34
8 Netherlands (NED) 12 9 4 25
9 Great Britain (GBR) 11 10 7 28
10 Cuba (CUB) 10 11 7 28
11 Romania (ROM) 10 6 8 24
12 South Korea (KOR) 8 10 10 28
13 Hungary (HUN) 8 6 3 17
14 Poland (POL) 6 5 3 14
15 Japan (JPN) 5 8 5 18
16 Bulgaria (BUL) 5 6 2 13
17 Greece (GRE) 4 6 3 13
18 Sweden (SWE) 4 5 3 12
19 Norway (NOR) 4 3 3 10
20 Ethiopia (ETH) 4 1 3 8
21 Ukraine (UKR) 3 10 10 23
22 Kazakhstan (KAZ) 3 4 0 7
23 Belarus (BLR) 3 3 11 17
24 Canada (CAN) 3 3 8 14
25 Spain (ESP) 3 3 5 11
26 Turkey (TUR) 3 0 2 5
27 Iran (IRI) 3 0 1 4
28 Czech Republic (CZE) 2 3 3 8
29 Kenya (KEN) 2 3 2 7
30 Denmark (DEN) 2 3 1 6
31 Finland (FIN) 2 1 1 4
32 Austria (AUT) 2 1 0 3
33 Lithuania (LTU) 2 0 3 5
34 Azerbaijan (AZE) 2 0 1 3
35 Slovenia (SLO) 2 0 0 2
36 Switzerland (SUI) 1 6 2 9
37 Indonesia (INA) 1 3 2 6
38 Slovakia (SVK) 1 3 1 5
39 Mexico (MEX) 1 2 3 6
40 Nigeria (NGR) 1 2 0 3
41 Algeria (ALG) 1 1 3 5
42 Uzbekistan (UZB) 1 1 2 4
43 Bahamas (BAH) 1 1 1 3
Latvia (LAT) 1 1 1 3
Yugoslavia (YUG) 1 1 1 3
46 New Zealand (NZL) 1 0 3 4
47 Estonia (EST) 1 0 2 3
Thailand (THA) 1 0 2 3
49 Croatia (CRO) 1 0 1 2
50 Cameroon (CMR) 1 0 0 1
Ghana-Togo (UGT) 1 0 0 1
Mozambique (MOZ) 1 0 0 1
53 Brazil (BRA) 0 6 6 12
54 Jamaica (JAM) 0 5 2 7
55 Belgium (BEL) 0 2 3 5
South Africa (RSA) 0 2 3 5
57 Argentina (ARG) 0 2 2 4
58 Chinese Taipei (TPE) 0 1 4 5
Morocco (MAR) 0 1 4 5 60
North Korea (PRK) 0 1 3 4
61 Moldova (MDA) 0 1 1 2
Saudi Arabia (KSA) 0 1 1 2
Trinidad and Tobago (TRI) 0 1 1 2
64 Ireland (IRL) 0 1 0 1
Uruguay (URU) 0 1 0 1
Vietnam (VIE) 0 1 0 1
67 Georgia (GEO) 0 0 6 6
68 Costa Rica (CRC) 0 0 2 2
Portugal (POR) 0 0 2 2
70 Armenia (ARM) 0 0 1 1
Barbados (BAR) 0 0 1 1
Chile (CHI) 0 0 1 1
Iceland (ISL) 0 0 1 1
India (IND) 0 0 1 1
Israel (ISR) 0 0 1 1
Kuwait (KUW) 0 0 1 1
Kyrgyzstan (KGZ) 0 0 1 1
FYR Macedonia (MKD) 0 0 1 1
Qatar (QAT) 0 0 1 1
Sri Lanka (SRI) 0 0 1 1
Total 302 300 330 932
(All figures shown are Gold, Silver, Bronze, then Total Medals.)
Sheep
Orange Shrooms!
OOC NOTES
- You are able to change your tax rate, especially if it’s the standard 10% that I gave all nations that I never received orders for last year.
- From now on if you are changing the name of your nation, your leader or your capital can you please include these in the orders
- Stats will be done over the next couple of days. A deadline for 2009 orders will be released at that time.
- You may post now.
- You are able to change your tax rate, especially if it’s the standard 10% that I gave all nations that I never received orders for last year.
- From now on if you are changing the name of your nation, your leader or your capital can you please include these in the orders
- Stats will be done over the next couple of days. A deadline for 2009 orders will be released at that time.
- You may post now.
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