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Imperial Decree - New Polar Order


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Imperial Decree

One year ago, Polaris sat in crisis. Public opinion had turned against us, our diplomatic ties were being smashed on the rocks as waves of treaties were canceled. We had been ejected from OneVision and, apart from our good friends STA and BLEU, we sat pretty much alone. Our Emperor, Electron_Sponge had been forced from the throne and replaced by the current Emperor. We sat on the brink of disaster. That disaster came a little later, we could see it coming and so when it did, it wasn't really a big shock.

Twelve months on I have taken the liberty of indulging in some reflection on the past twelve months and I invite you to read some thoughts that I think important, not only for Polaris, but for some or all of you. Take what you wish from my statements, reject as you please, but also know that I don't speak often without something to say.

Why was Polaris judged so harshly, what was the catalyst for the tide turning so rapidly. It seemed that shortly before the upheavals, there was no great cause for concern. We were a large alliance, sanctioned, lots of prominent, loyal and dedicated members. We were influential, had strong and experienced leadership and good treaty coverage. In our own minds we were doing it right, apart from a few outspoken antagonists, everyone seemed to get who we were and what we were about, and if they objected to that, it wasn't really that relevant to us.

Lets be clear, there were multiple causes to the end result, political agendas of some coincided with the overspilling of rage from others, the ambition of some matched up with the hate of some others and so forth. To say there was one goal to the exercise that became our harshest lesson to date would be over simplifying the issues. These matters have been discussed ad finitum, please feel to search the pages of the forums for enlightenment.

Regardless of the causes, Polaris was called to account, called to account at the point of a gun. Our nations were invaded, our infrastructure and technology stolen and destroyed in the name of great justice, great revenge or great repayment for our sins perceived or otherwise. As the dust settled, we accepted terms that at the time were outrageous, unprecedented and unjustifiable in many respects, but accept them, fulfill them and move past them we did.

We also took a long hard look at ourselves, at how we conducted our affairs, how we treated people and how we projected our image to the whole community. As an alliance we accepted that some things we were doign as matter of course were fundamentally flawed and that we would not engage in such things again. We accepted that the most important thing to an alliance was its community and as ours grew stronger and more committed throughout the war and surrender process we learned some valuable lessons about ourselves and what we are capable of. It was during such reflection that Polaris chose to end all "remains in play'' actions against unsurrendered enemies, people like the NAAC, GOONS and \m/. People who had their communities influenced negatively by our direct actions in the past.

We choose to end the practice of starting diplomacy with threats, our standards for resolving issues with other alliances changed. We will not call representatives of any alliance into secret chambers to be ambushed by multiple world leaders, we will not engage in premptive hostility and we do not condone these practices. Polaris will allow the other party to set the tone for our agenda, not because we are weak or soft, but because treating others with a degree of civility is not too hard if you can understand the other side's position as well.

(the tl:dr so far is simple. Polaris was called to account by the world, we learned from that experience)

When all was said and done, we entered the world with hopefully a clean sheet. Our punishment was complete and we reached out to many old enemies, we found in many cases we had much in common, we have discussed our issues and in most cases resolved them. Apart from one alliance with whom we shall never be friends on sheer principle, we wiped our grudges off the slate and we choose now to believe that every alliance starts from zero with us (and the said alliance starts from zero as well). To date no one has really annoyed me enough to move from zero and lets hope that this remains the case.

Which brings us to the Karma war build up. In the weeks and months leading up to this current conflict I was approached numerous times asking where Polaris would stand, would we fight for X or would we fight for Y. I was shown matchup lists (surprisingly for a side that didn't form until recently I had an almost complete list from a long time ago that looks pretty accurate) and it was explained why it needed to happen and what would happen and would I be a part of the glorious revolution. I spoke to all my allies, including Pacifica, and discussed the ramifications given we held treaties where we did at that stage, Polaris debated at government level and ultimately I made a decision based on what I believed to be in our best interests given our conflicts.

When Karma launched their counter offensive to the NPO-OV theatre, I noted the rhetoric and propaganda spewing forth. I have a great respect for Archon and his alliance, likewise for LiquidMercury and his former alliance. I read with interest their published goals and intents, I didn;t necessarily agree with them all, declared same quite frankly several times, then we sat back to watch as our allies fought it out.

When I saw things happening that I felt were unfair, I approached people in a position of influence and indicated my feelings. In many cases my logic was accepted and things didn't happen that might have. I asked about certain terms being offered in the first rounds of surrenders but I was accused of being pro Pacifica, sticking up for the Continuum and all sorts of other nonsense from allies and others. I stopped really trying at that stage, knowing full well that the horse was well and truly out of the paddock and running free.

However in recent days I have become more interested in what is going on, the horse is now no longer just out of the paddock, but it is running freely throught the town smashing anything it sees in its path. The cause has been abandoned and a sickening ritualistic slaughter is now being justified in all sorts of manner.

Let me be extremely clear, just so the terminally dull witted amongst you may be confused. I canceled my treaty with Pacifica some time ago for reasons that may or may not be clear. It is sufficient to say we will not be treated again in the near or foreseeable future. Likewise Echelon are no friends now or in the future of Polaris. I owe neither of these alliances anything, but I do have a responsibility to the wider community, to the principles on which Polaris runs and to myself to express my concerns at the current situation.

This community is self-regulating, as a community we decide what is fair and just and what is repulsive and reprehensible. We do this by our communique on this forum, by our alliance with others and by our military might. War is a fair extension of diplomacy and so we use war to influence things as we see fit when necessary. War is a vital part of the game, as is diplomacy. Wars conducted responsibly enhance the game, wars conducted vindictively and with malice and spite do not.

One could argue that Pacifica entered this war, knowing full well what lay ahead of them. They knew, as did Polaris 12 months ago, that the tide had turned against them. Perhaps foolishly, recklessly or ignorantly they charged into something they should not have, it wasn't like they were not warned. They chose to activate their treaties and call for assistance when they were met with resistance, such activations responded to enthusiastically by some and reluctantly by others... some did not come at all citing treaty conflicts or like. And so the world got what it had been waiting for since April 2007. It was dressed up as something it was not, it was called something pretty, almost religious, but in the end it was the outpouring of revenge.

And so the charge on the gates of hell was met with more resistance that expected, but still many fought for Pacifica while many who helped them hold power took the counter view. Alliances that were minutes before allied to Pacifica, part of their great and evil hegemony (spare me), in fact loyal and trusted participants in much of the assessed wrong of Pacifica stood now on the side of the Judge, Jury and Executioner. I wondered at times what appointment gave them the right to make such a judgment when they had much blood on their hands, when they had the influence and power derived only from Pacifica, what logic could allow Karma to accept that situation? I know I could not follow the logic, I could certainly see the strategic nature of it, I can rationalize the convenient nature of the arrangements, but I still will struggle to reconcile the real nature of the arrangement.

The war breaks out, juggernauts crash into each other, surrenders are waved and peace terms are brokered and so begins my greater fears being realized. George Orwell could not have written a more bizarre version of Animal Farm than CyberNations 2009. The justifications for penalty or indeed lack thereof became something that any logical person could not follow. Alliances with blood on their hands but minutes before were suddenly pardoning their partners in crime, whilst other alliances seemingly paid the price for not being so connected. The irregularity in many of the alliance surrender terms has been the subject of much debate and justification but I will call it simply as the single most corrupt and arbitary arrangements I have ever witnessed on this planet.

Today's terms offered and accepted by Echelon are yet twist of the knife in the back of this community. My post in response to those terms fails to sufficiently express my disgust for those terms. I am tired of the humliations, I am tired of the arbitrary assignment of guilt and I am tired of the doublespeak, hypocrisy and lies propagated in the name of the great justice of Karma.

As a community, we self-regulate. The cry as we went into this war was enough, here ends the practice of EZI, here ends the draconian terms, our community has had enough of the Hegemony and their impositions on our community... and fair enough if that was true. Instead you charge in, win and then get seriously deluded by the same power ''they'' possessed and make some the most unfair, unjust and illogical terms as part of the shining light of the new world? You have set the world back to a time we were long past, you have reduced this community to petty thuggery at the point of a gun, you have hitched the some-what guilty high on the fence by their jock strap whilst shaking the biggest bullies hands.

Self regulation is a fantastic concept, until we get spiteful and vindictive people, with no concern for anyone but themselves driving the regulation. One will argue successfully that the so called hegemony did the same, but this is not changing anything, this is promoting it. This campaign is the endorsement of their actions, not tacitly but overtly. Humiliation, oppression and fake moral outrage are not the ways forward and at the very heart of this all you know it. You claimed it, you propagated it as your rally cry and now with the victory in sight you collapse into the pack of cowardly rabble that at the heart you really are.

I have seen the terms offered to Pacifica, they are pathetic and spiteful. I do not care about your maths, your thought process or your justifications for the terms, they are wrong to the very core. There is no conceivable justification that promotes the sense of community regulation contained in those terms. They are designed to fracture, humiliate and destroy, they are not punishment they are simply a kick to the head of a man lying bleeding in the gutter.

I have no great love for Pacifica, I will never justify what they do or say in any way, but as someone who knows the process of surrendering in the face of overwhelming defeat, I can not in good conscience stand by and let this community effectively destroy yet another chunk of itself in the name of revenge.

On the the 4th of July 2008 Polaris undertook some hard lessons, we were called to account. One year later I am publicly calling Karma to account. Punish Pacifica if you must, but end the spiteful and vindictive nature of these terms. The community needs better from you, lead from the front. Remove the peace mode stipulations, achieve the punishment the same way Polaris was punished for our peace mode nations and end this senseless quest. Take their filthy money, take their filthy technology and take their surrender, watch them closely but cease with the quest to destroy them whether directly or by stealth.

I have no desire to see this community further weakened by callous disregard for the community of Pacifica. Regardless of their sins.

o/ Polaris

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Polaris and AlmightyGrub - you've been through the biggest curbstomp in the form of a "Great War" and have learned that only through earnest change can we take what we applied and truly better ourselves. I, for one, am glad to have fought for Polaris back in the day. And maybe one day who knows, I may once more.

o7 Polaris

You are a shining example of any good that's diying in CN.

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I agree with this.

The terms offered to Pacifica only highlight the insecurity and pettiness of those who offer them, who are afraid of what will happen several months down the line when NPO has rebuilt and will be seeking revenge for this No-CB war.

I applaud NPO for continuing to stay strong and united in the face of such ridiculous posturing, and my highest respect for TPF for standing by your friend until the end.

I look forward to the day when warfare ends with a handshake and a couple of laughs, but I'm afraid that such a day is not today.

o/ Polaris

o/ Pacifica

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Whether anyone else has the balls to say it or not, I'm fairly sure the point of this war was to $%&@ up these alliances to a point never seen in cybernations before. There is no delusion here, this isn't just a recent turn in tide against Pacifica and to compare this to what happened to Polaris last year is just ridiculous.

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Yea good post but you know all the name calling against Karma and saying your not going to stand by and see this happen ? well really you cant do much about it. so this is wafflling a bit tbh.

the terms are harsh I agree, but as far as kickhing a head off, ? have NPO not been kicking disecting, beating, exstorting for a much longer period while you sat by her side accepting this ? so to call it wrong is obviously calling yourself wrong for not "standing up and having your vocals like now"

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I agree with this.

The terms offered to Pacifica only highlight the insecurity and pettiness of those who offer them, who are afraid of what will happen several months down the line when NPO has rebuilt and will be seeking revenge for this No-CB war.

I would respond to this, but I am laughing to hard to type right now

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lol.

All I have to say is that it's obvious that you don't particularly know what you're talking about. I sincerely doubt you've spoken to the alliances on the NPO front, or what the rationale behind anything truly is.

They ended the peace negotiations by going public in a PR stunt. It wasn't until then that we announced there would be no further negotiations. I'm sorry they chose to do that.

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A truly marvelous post.

The sheer contempt I feel for those who would use faulty logical and outright hypocrisy to justify their actions is not lost on me. The Hegemony is gone, don't think you can take its place and not be called out for doing so.

Truly one of the best posts ive ever seen, Grub. Truly.

Whether anyone else has the balls to say it or not, I'm fairly sure the point of this war was to $%&@ up these alliances to a point never seen in cybernations before. There is no delusion here, this isn't just a recent turn in tide against Pacifica and to compare this to what happened to Polaris last year is just ridiculous.

Actually, there was a lot of that delusion going on in how the opening act of the war was spun. I read enough of the DoWs in my 12-hour catching-up fest to catch the gist that well.

Grub is completely right to compare the two. Pretending the Peace mode percentage/Recruiting limitations is anything other than a farce meant to destroy the NPOs community is a blatant lie.

Edited by Chron
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This topic excites my passions. Grub istruly one of the very few people who can make this statement, but it is a statement that needs to be made. I doubt it will be properly heeded, but at least the circus will not go so unremarked now.

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After 1 year I have to say that the best thing I did in CN was join NpO in the middle of noCB war, I'm so proud to be part of the new NpO and so such amazing community.

AlmightyGrub o/

NpO o/

I am Polar, see my scars and behold my commitment.

Regarding Karma war Grub said almost everything that should be said, I just want to congratulate him one more time for say it so clearly.

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Beautifully said.

I may be a little biased, because I most certainly want to see NPO receive harsh terms, but if there is anyone who can put forth a truly neutral opinion on the matter, it is you Grub, and all of Polaris. And while I want to disagree with you, I find that I can't. You are absolutely right.

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lol.

All I have to say is that it's obvious that you don't particularly know what you're talking about. I sincerely doubt you've spoken to the alliances on the NPO front, or what the rationale behind anything truly is.

They ended the peace negotiations by going public in a PR stunt. It wasn't until then that we announced there would be no further negotiations. I'm sorry they chose to do that.

Oh really? We hurt your feelings for revealing why we cannot accept your ridiculous terms :( Poor baby.

You and I both know that is ridiculous. You have found a reason, however tiny, to turn this into an eternal war, and your going to ride it out. People now know what the terms were, and you feel like it would be "going soft" on the NPO to retract them, but an inch, so that they were possible. You wanted to do this from the start, and now you've found your "explanation."

Edited by muffasamini
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I hereby support this message. I do not care what people think karma is. This was all originally about showing how it should be done, not taking out vengeance and handing out terms similiar to those that were shouted down in the past.

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Very well said and well put. This is very close to my view of this situation. In my opinion, the actual numbers are pretty fair for Echelon and the NPO, but the pre-conditions for NPO and the Tech floor of 1000, that is simply pathetic in my opinion. As if Echelon, or any alliance who stayed in the war for any good amount of time, hasn't taken a significant amount of damage - and you completely handicap their ability to recover by de-teching all of their higher nations? Wasn't Karma supposed to be about changing the tyranny and harsh rules and terms of the NPO-led Hegemony? All I've seen here, is the harshest terms accepted in CN. It's to cripple these alliances and prevent them from really being able to function as a normal alliance.

I'm glad that Grub spoke out in this manner. I know that you are not the only one or alliance leader who feels the same way.

o/ Grub

o/ Polaris

o/ Frostbite!

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o/ Grub

Well said. Karma has been called out many times, but were washed out by pro-karma voices. I think that a such a statement by someone like you, who was greatly wronged by Pacifica in the past, will be heard, and will have a resounding affect (or at least I hope so)

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o/ Grub

Well said. Karma has been called out many times, but were washed out by pro-karma voices. I think that a such a statement by someone like you, who was greatly wronged by Pacifica in the past, will be heard, and will have a resounding affect (or at least I hope so)

Itll be difficult to drown out, at the very least.

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