Where do we go from here?

Day 724, 10:39 • Published in USA USA • by PigInZen
A little background music

Where do we go from here?

Just like this love song to a woman who can't decide how to evolve her relationship with her boyfriend, we too need to figure this shit out.



With the recent departures of France, Italy and Indonesia from PEACE the USA is at a crossroads of sorts. Our old foreign policy strategy of confronting PEACE around the globe is no longer applicable and a future strategy must be developed. Our foreign policy MUST EVOLVE or we'll end up behind the curve on world events. I believe in evaluating the influences and status of events around the globe and making some common-sense suggestions for some guilding principles for US Foreign Policy is the way to go. I also believe that the USA should develop a flexible and nuanced approach to foreign affairs. This is going to be more difficult for us in the past since we're coming off of a monolithic bi-polar (not in the medical but rather political science sense) world structure that was focused around PEACE GC and those in opposition to PEACE GC.

Current influences or OH SHIT MY HEAD'S EXPLODING!!!



1. MPP rules changes

The recent change in the cost of MPPs from 30 g to 100 g a month PLUS the requirement that this cost be paid to keep MPPs open after a war is opened means that we need to seriously think about with whom we ally with. Do we NEED a power alliance ala EDEN? Or do we need to think of MPPs strategically to provide protection to like-minded friendly countries?

2. The Brolliance

The USA-Canadian Brolliance should be the lynchpin of any foreign policy strategy. Our lengthy shared border alone should necessitate this, irrespective of the common language and culture influences. Those are just icing on the cake.

3. Russo-Serbian power

Russia and Serbia are quickly becoming serious powers. Serbia is undergoing a baby-boom and harbors genuine anger towards Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovinia among other neighbors that stem both from in-game and real life events. Russia has made no secret about its desire to move into the top power status of nations and has been very aggressive towards its neighbors, Norway, Finland, Sweden, North Korea and the USA as well. Their continued growth in power will require the USA to be dedicated to stopping any plans these powers have for domination of foreign regions. I can easily foresee a path through Italy into France as a likely source of European conflict pushed by Russia and Serbia.

4. Hungarian occupation of foreign territory

Hungary still controls a good deal of the world. This hasn't changed and it should be easy for the USA to dedicate itself and encourage friendly nations to join us in freeing these occupied regions. Until Hungary turns away from occupying other nations we should remain in confrontation with them.

5. Indonesian-Malay war.

This is the most interesting development of all. Indonesia has been slowly returning occupied regions to powers both willingly and unwillingly. What the motivation is for Indonesia to attack its weaker neighbor I'm not entirely sure of but let's be real here: Malaysia is NO match for Indonesia. Malaysia will need support via MPP if the USA believes it is in her interest to keep Malaysia around. I believe that this conflict will serve as a template for future conflicts - larger powers attacking weaker neighbors for reasons of conquest, occupation and experience building.

6. Costs associated with joining EDEN

A little bird told me that the joining EDEN will be VERY EXPENSIVE - upwards of 2000 gold a month plus the requirements of committing and supplying troops to the EDEN Mobile Corps. While the EMC was the whole reason why I am supportive of joining EDEN if we're seeing PEACE GC members slowly leave that superalliance. We should remain eternally grateful to EDEN and its members for giving us access to the EMC during WWIII and our efforts to free our occupied regions. We should NOT, however, lock ourselves into a potentially unneccessary and expensive membership in EDEN if at all possible. The current geopolitical situation is much too volatile to warrant this step.


Future principles or NINJAS > PIRATES



Future principles:

1. Fight occupation around the globe

This is a principle that I believe all US citizens will rally around. MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE - PUNCH OCCUPIERS IN THE FACE.

2. Resist the urge to become occupiers.

Don't fall into a hypocritical trap. This is what befell PEACE GC and why France and Italy have left that alliance. All we need to do to move from "good guy" to "bad guy" is a poorly-thoughtout attack, resistance war or alliance. LET'S LEARN THE LESSON FROM PEACE HERE.

3. Confront aggressive power blocs (Hungary, Indo, Russia/Serbia)

There will be power blocs that arise from the rubble of PEACE GC. Some will include former members of PEACE, some will lure formerly neutral but rising powers to join their ranks. We should make it abundantly clear that our opposition to PEACE GC was not based on WHO was a member but rather WHAT they did as members. TARGET AGGRESSIVE POWER BLOCS DIPLOMATICALLY AND MILITARILY.

4. Reach out to like-minded powers

Likewise, we should be creating a Power Bloc of our own that is dedicated to resisting aggression and occupation. The Brolliance was formed from the crucible of our joint occupation so we have first-hand knowledge of how much this sucks. Let's find other powers that believe what we believe and that will committ their resources to joining us in pushing our policies. Should we really exclude from our potential circle of friends nations that really never did anything directly to us? Nations like Brazil, Lithuania, Bulgaria? No. Former membership in PEACE should not be a reason to remain in conflict. Actions > Words.

5. Keep an open mind

Flexibility will be the key. Closing old wars (France, Indonesia, Russia, etc.) should be considered first and foremost where they make sense. No longer will we be able to fall back on the "them bad, we good" refrain. The world is going to be shades of gray.


EVEN MR. T AGREES - DON'T BE A FOOL!



The Chinese characters for crisis is actually two separate characters that are combined. The first character, wei, means &quot😉ANGER" and the second, ji, means "INCIPIENT MOMENT; or when something changes". Folks, this is a crisis, make no mistake about it. We have reached an incipient moment - France and Indonesia have pulled out of the umbrella of PEACE. This presents a DANGER to the USA if we fail to react to it properly. Our response to it will have a dramatic impact on the game for the next several months and could decide the storyline of the USA. The past four months have been about defeat, occupation, resistance and redemption. Over that period we as a nation grew in strength and hopefully, in wisdom too. But I fear that too many voices shouting for RETRIBUTION will lead us down a hasty path that takes us to a far sinister place in the eRepublik world than we now occupy.

All me to remind people that our previous aggressive adventures in Mexico, France, Canada and Russia were used as justification for the conquest and occupation of Canada, North Korea, Switzerland, Spain and the USA. The decisions we make in the next 7 - 21 days will determine whether or not we see countries align with our beliefs and principles (and by extension, the USA in general) or we see them arise in opposition to our policies. Let us choose wisely, from a position of strategy and logic and not from a position of emotion and revenge-seeking.

Those nations that deserve confrontation will continue to follow policies that warrant it. Those nations that cast aside aggression and occupation should not warrant our enmity.

Let's be ninjas, not pirates. Ninjas > Pirates