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The Med


Captain Enema

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A message would be sent to all nations who reside on both sides of the Mediterrean.

 

 

The Sicilian Government under the benevolent leadership of Don Piago humbly invites you all to Palermo for espresso, pastries, and a civil discussion about our lovely Mediterrean home.

- Don Piaggo

 

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Ihsan Basara shall be sent to represent Alexandrian interests. He would arrive in Palermo within a couple of hours, on a trip sponsored by the Alexandrian government. He entered the room, looked around for a second, spotted the pastry cart and hurried over to it. Filling his plate quickly, he hurried over to the table where, he feasted on his different desserts, engaging in small talk with the other representatives. 

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With Anysus personally involved with the operations to take control of Cape Verde and the Canary Islands someone else was needed to represent Carthage at this conference. Alethea being the only one he truly trusted she would quickly receive instructions to make her way to Palermo. As she arrived at the room, backed by two Sacred Band, she would take her seat opting to remain silent for now besides the usual introductions.

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The two members of the sacred band would be ignored to ensure their honor remain intact. No protector of life would want a host to overtly see to their comfort. The guards, protectors, and sworn are not so much ignored as they are allowed the dignity their status demands to satisfy their mission. The protectors of all the groups are given living quarters that would be the envy of their peers but not so extravagant to detract from their missions, intelligence right from the tongues of various Sicilian sources, and living quarters that would be appropriate to their status. Each member of every single protective detail would be joined by a well trained Sicilian who has authorization to call on a number of various military and civilian organizations.

 

While the guards and whatnot are properly respected and cared for, Don Piaggo addresses the various heads of states. He says, "The European Community is a bad joke. I've called upon you all with the aim of forming a like minded community to increase trade and help each other with defending our borders. What say you all to such a notion?"

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Ihsan stopped gorging himself on the pastries long enough to respond. "Alexandria is currently a part of the EC, and while we share a likeminded view of it, personally, what's to stop this Mediterranean Union from falling into the same pitfalls as the EuroCom treaty?" 

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Ihsan stopped gorging himself on the pastries long enough to respond. "Alexandria is currently a part of the EC, and while we share a likeminded view of it, personally, what's to stop this Mediterranean Union from falling into the same pitfalls as the EuroCom treaty?"


Councilor Zangari echoes, with some reservations, the concerns of the Alexandrian, before adding his own.

"The European Community fell from relevance because it had no goals or vision. What ends does this proposed agreement serve? While we are certainly interested in trading, Milan would not have much to gain from agreeing to defend the entirety of the Mediterranean from outside incursions. Or would we?"

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The Spartan Councilor slammed his tiny espresso cup down forcefully.  "Sparta has no need of ninnies or pacifists.  Our armies fight as one unit unbreakable, unbending, unyielding.  We are happy to have allies from wherever, but we want those with a will to fight and who can professionally, not ones who we have to let enemies get away while we go nurse their wounds.  If you can bring us warriors worthy to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Phalanxes, Sparta shall join."

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Ihsan stopped gorging himself on the pastries long enough to respond. "Alexandria is currently a part of the EC, and while we share a likeminded view of it, personally, what's to stop this Mediterranean Union from falling into the same pitfalls as the EuroCom treaty?" 

 

"A willingness to adapt to changing circumstances."

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Councilor Zangari echoes, with some reservations, the concerns of the Alexandrian, before adding his own.

"The European Community fell from relevance because it had no goals or vision. What ends does this proposed agreement serve? While we are certainly interested in trading, Milan would not have much to gain from agreeing to defend the entirety of the Mediterranean from outside incursions. Or would we?"

 

"Trade is a common ground we can build on."

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Ihsan snorted. "Alexandria is already engaged in trading, ironically, through the EuroCom treaty and our own personal ventures. Unfortunately, this might be too much extra bureaucracy for Alexandria to participate, if that's the route we go. Is there anything else the Sicilians had in mind?" 

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Ihsan snorted. "Alexandria is already engaged in trading, ironically, through the EuroCom treaty and our own personal ventures. Unfortunately, this might be too much extra bureaucracy for Alexandria to participate, if that's the route we go. Is there anything else the Sicilians had in mind?" 

 

"Interesting point of view that you have. As a boy I watched my father barter for a chicken in a market. Is this not trade? When he and the shopkeeper agreed upon a price, the sealed the deal with a handshake, is this not trade as well? Does trade and commerce need another layer of bureaucracy or do these fine things just need more trade and commerce?" asked Don Piaggo as he replied evenly to the Egyptian. 

 

"You seem like a clever fellow, I've invited you to my home, I've offered you espresso and pastries, I've offered you my hospitality. Though, I find it curious  that for a person who feels that the Eurocom treaty is riddled with problems you seem awfully intent on not doing much about those problems, well not much more than complaining about them. Security and trade in the Mediterranean are interlocked in such a fashion that it is impossible to tell where one begins and the other ends.

 

"My Northern neighbors from Milan says he sees no need to defend the Mediterranean from outside incursions, yet the Mediterranean is an inexorable highway of materials, finished products, and people. Any disruption to that flow of people and goods would bring our economies to a crashing halt. Severing the Canal in Egypt or trouble near Gibraltar would cause untoward mayhem.

 

"To not defend our trade is as an effective death sentence as any. How to defend it and what sort of agreement to be signed in order to defend it would be something requiring discussion, I myself am a simple businessman. Such agreements are not my area of expertise," the Don concluded as he motioned for one of his assistants to refill his espresso.

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"Again, I am just a businessman, the role I fill now was appointed to me by the people of the Islands of Sicily. It seems to me though.... from my.... dealings with business over the years what we ought to be concerned with is keeping the trade routes open and safe. I for one would not be at all pleased if the Suez Canal was struck, I would not take kindly to trade through the Straits being hampered. 

 

I don't propose bureaucracy, more an agreement for us to cooperate with each other in keeping those trade lanes open. It's a simple charter, very plain, very narrow in focus, not one trapped in a tangled web of conflicting policies.

 

How exactly we keep those routes free to use is something I think others ought to speak on, those particular matters are not ones I find myself familiar with," the Don said as he concluded politely. 

Edited by Tidy Bowl Man
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Alethea had been listening to the exchange for a while and as their host finished she would decide to get involved in the discussions.

 

"First of all, I must establish that due to the African League Carthage is unable to maintain its own independent trade policy. As such we can not commit to any lowering of tariffs or the like. That being said, trade is the lifeblood of any nation and the protection of it the only way to true power. I am willing to pledge the Carthaginian military to the protection of the Mediterranean and the nations bordering it due to this simple fact"

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It is the opinion of the Kingdom of Sparta that if the mediterranean world is to secure itself, it must adopt a forward posture.  The fight cannot be allowed to come to this narrow seaway.  Rather strong military forces must be stationed to the near abroad, to dominate any opposing force.  

 

You ask what differentiates something from the EU or whatever stupid thing you call it.  That difference is Sparta, if you pull a knife on a Spartan he kills you, he does not negotiate.  You want a strong bloc, put forward a strong foot.  The next person who threatens to intervene in the Mediterranean from outside, sink their fleet and bomb their capital to show them the cost of words, let them imagine the cost of deeds.  This is Sparta's advice!  MORE CANNOLI!

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Don Piago motioned a server to bring the Spartan representative a plate of cannoli and a bottle of grappa. He mirrors the sentiments of Sparta, though, the directness not so much. To him, a meat hook through the eye to dangle an enemy in a empty storage locker before dismembering him kept things quiet and a well laid tarp kept things tidy. 

 

 

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