[EPD4CP] Foreign Affairs in the Age of CTRL

Day 1,780, 07:53 • Published in Canada USA • by Derphoof


During the past month, things have changed. Terra has all but dissolved, we’ve lost most of our MPP stack, we’ve allied with Indonesia, and we are, unsurprisingly, being attacked by Poland once more. America and Canada still maintain strained relations as well. The biggest news is that CTRL has actually come to fruition. Does CTRL have its problems? Yes. However, we have to respect it. Three out of four countries are pressing on our borders and can easily wipe us at any time.

As we look for a home in the international community, CTRL looms large over all of our dealings. As such, we must be wary of our actions. Some say CTRL will not last, that it has too many problems. Although this could certainly prove true, we cannot operate under this assumption. We must assume that CTRL is here to stay for the long term. Seeing as we are surrounded on all sides by this new bloc, they can easily occupy us at a moment’s notice. We have no allies strong enough to prevent this. Our best allies at the moment seem to be Portugal, Colombia, Germark and France. Although they may be our best allies, we, by no means, make a truly formidable force. Portugal is routinely occupied by Spain. Colombia is typically attacked by Mexico, Venezuela and Spain. France is typically under perpetual occupation by virtue of the Polish empire. Canada itself is always under constant threat of wipe for trying to directly help any of these countries.

So what is the strategic value of allying with these nations? Currently, the answer is little to none. We are too small to help these nations against a large bloc such as CTRL. They are largely unable to help us. The reason we are allied with them is because we see them as our friends and someone who will stick by us. However, when we had a chance to support them recently, we did not. We decided to NE FYROM. Why? Because people thought it would appease the US. Although we may have wanted to help our allies before, we are now beginning to realize the harsh reality of today’s world political climate.

We are at a crossroads. We have approached a time wherein it may not be feasible to help our traditional allies, and they largely cannot help us. So what are our options? Where could we go from here?


EDEN:
Personally I absolutely loathe the idea. Its not that I don’t like the countries in EDEN, they are typically supportive and good allies. However I don’t like their size and their location. Let’s face it, we are no superpower. We are ranked 35th in terms of global strength. We are a small nation, and a middling power. In EDEN, we would just be lost in a superpowered conglomerate. We would just be used for the extra little boost we can provide. They gain nothing from supporting us, were we to be attacked. Another problem is location. EDEN nations are entrenched in a battle for the Balkans, as well as Eastern Europe, and have been since June 2011. It is an absolute stalemate that attracts most of the attention of the bloc. None of their nations, except Portugal and Ireland could really help us in a direct war right now. If we tried to help our allies directly, we would be easily blocked by a swift attack from one or more CTRL nations, subsequently blocked from helping, and then wiped.

Pro-EDEN Bloc:
We could try to create a smaller pro-EDEN bloc. This bloc would essentially be made up of mainly our old allies. Such allies could include Colombia, Portugal, France, Germark, Russia and Ireland. Of these countries, only 3 nations are not currently in an alliance. Colombia, Portugal, and Ireland are full members of EDEN. It would be incredibly difficult to lure them out. France can be seen as too much of a liability. They are in a constant struggle for independence from Poland and relatively unsuccessful. We would be unable to directly help them in that quest for freedom. So that leaves only two good allies left, Germark and Russia. We would seriously have to branch out and do some major bargaining to get others to join. Even then, most countries would likely be affiliated with EDEN and EDEN itself would be quite unhappy to see countries ripped away from their bloc.

Another major problem with supporting EDEN and sticking with our traditional allies is the basic lack of fun. We have NO options for expansion or conquest. The most excitement we get is a training war with the eUK....

CTRL Alt:
No. Simply no. I refuse to have Canada be used as a pawn in a global power struggle by nations 10x larger than ourselves. I also refuse to fight against nations such as Portugal, France and Colombia. These countries have supported us and I will not resort to fighting them.

CTRL-Neutral Bloc:
This option appears to provide the most stability, fun, and strategic value to Canada. This alliance would be able to comfortably include some traditional allies and expand our horizons to include new allies. A CTRL-Neutral bloc is also likely the most fun option for Canada. By being largely independent of EDEN, this alliance gives us the opportunity to expand. While currently allied mainly to EDEN, our option to “expand” is to attack CTRL nations. Obviously this is not feasible. If we were more friendly to CTRL and fostered positive relations with the USA, it opens up a better possibility for a region swap for Alaska and a gateway to Asia for expansion. As shocking as it may seem, a CTRL-Neutral Bloc could possibly be our best option. We can expand, gain new allies and foster positive relations with old allies. We can do all of this without lending military support to Spoland, being wiped by CTRL, or attacking our allies in Portugal and Colombia among others. Did I mention that we can have lots of fun without getting wiped by Poland? Yeah, sounds good to me!

I will actively pursue a CTRL-Neutral Bloc above all the other options. After examining the geo-political climate, I have come to the conclusion that this is the best option. It is the most strategically advantageous, and stable option on the table for Canada moving forward.

It would ensure our safety, give us option for expansion, and increase the overall entertainment value of the game for average eCanadian players.

So, these are our options. As we enter into an age wherein CTRL looms large over Canada and its international dealings, we must be aware of the consequences of each action we take. We have come to a pivotal fork in the road. However, we cannot sit idly by and become a stagnant nation without direction. We must choose. We need to go down the path that proves most strategic, and stable for Canada in the long term. I am committed to the long term success of our nation and I plan to figure out which path best fulfills that commitment. Over the course of this month, I will be talking to the CP’s of various countries. From there, I hope to keep Congress informed and present a preliminary plan to them in the second half of my term. From there, it will be open to, what I’m sure will be, lengthy discussion.

The direction of the Foreign Affairs of Canada is not an issue to take lightly. I will be examining all options over the course of the next month. I will put Canada on a path to respectability, stability, and growth while enhancing the entertainment value of being a Canadian citizen.

Thank you for reading,
ElPatoDiablo