An Amicable End?

Day 861, 10:38 • Published in USA USA • by system0101

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Our President PigInZen has wrote a lengthy article about us leaving EDEN. The responses aren't pretty. Especially those wearing the red and white of the eCroatians.

This is truly a shame. It's long past due time that the di-pole alliance structure crumbles a little bit. There are too many open fronts in this eWorld for our alliance to 'focus' on more than a couple at once. And PiZ is right that our EDEN goals became unclear.

Taxation Without Representation?

We were in EDEN, and paying into The Allied Fund (TAF), which paid for EDEN initiatives, EDEN Mobile Corps, etc. Some nations had fallen behind on payments. I don't assume to be an expert on this, but I would assume our role as one of the biggest TAF payers would have equated with one of the biggest seats at the table.

Earlier today, I was on IRC lamenting the fact that the eRepublik Defense and Economy Network didn't have much of anything to do with Defense or Economy these days, and thus wasn't operating as the intended Network.

So if we don't share economies anyway, and for quite a while have not needed a blanket defense, and have been current in our payments to EDEN HQ, then it sounds like we are the model ally on paper. Not so much in practice :/

In addition, recently the TAF formula had changed, reflecting the idea that nations with more resources should have more wealth to help the alliance. As PiZ stated, this increased our TAF payments to the point where we funded EDEN almost more than our own Marines.

Capital-neutral?

In the aftermath, some have said we're pulling an eUK. Nothing could be further from the truth. eUK sold out their friends and joined the other side, allowing our eventual near-conquest, and the destruction of eCanada. If anything, all we've said is that we have to further our own international policy instead of continuing to pay for EDENs.

So where's the 'amicable', system?

It's all about how our allies respond to this. They may leave us high and dry, though I hope we don't have fair-weather friends. They may attack, which although startling would not be the end of the world. They may ignore us, which would not stop us from pursuing complimentary goals of making PHX bleed.

In my mind the best that could come from this is to have two alliances to beat up PHX instead of one massive one. They would have to divide their forces to cover too many fronts, similar to what EDEN has to do now. EDEN can mop up Europe while we keep our friends and allies in the eastern hemisphere on the board. But for this to happen, the member nations of EDEN have to recognize that many of us still want to be a friend of EDEN, while pursuing complimentary yet different goals.

I'm no mind-reader, and even as (former) Deputy Secretary of State I was not 'in the know' like assumed. What I do know is that we have had many friends in this eWorld, and have helped more than I can remember. I hope that rash decisions are set aside in order for pragmatic, practical solutions to arise from this situation. I'm even hoping my favorite nation of eCroatia can look past this and try to use the situation for the advantage of all who are aligned against Phoenix.

The current and former members and friends of EDEN have more in common that they have differences. We can unite under one cause to make PHX bleed without being tied up in bureaucratic knots. We can band together without writing checks to each other.

Before, we were united in name but not in cause. Now I hope we'll be united in cause but not in name.