Rauchen

[quote]War Starting Date: February 10th 00:00 CST [/quote] What's the hold up?

[quote][center][u][b][size="6"]New Ottawa Accords[/size][/b][/u][/center] Preamble In the spirit of friendship and regional prosperity, the Kingdom of Prussia and the Confederation of Arctic Nations and Dependent Areas henceforth referred to as Prussia and Canada, respectively, enter into a pact of economic and military cooperation. Article I. Friendship The undersigned nations agree to maintain cordial relations in all situations. Neither state will engage in activity that will be in any way detrimental to the other’s security, whether that be diplomatically, covertly, or militarily. Prussia and Canada also agree to share any information that could impact the security of the opposite signatory. Article II. Trade Prussia and Canada agree to promote trade between one another, and will reduce or remove restrictions on that trade. The undersigned also agree to encourage the establishment of companies both private and public of their counterpart in their own markets, provided that those companies respect all regulations imposed by the native government. Article III. Mutual Defense The signatories of this treaty hereby agree to defend their counterpart in the event that an aggressive war is declared against one of the participants. This clause does not apply to wars being declared on a signatory as a result of their involvement in a pre-existing conflict; in this event, intervention becomes optional. Article IV. Optional Aggression In the event that one of the undersigned find it necessary to engage in an offensive war against a third party, the other signatory is encouraged, but not obligated, to provide military or financial assistance to their ally. Article IV. Military Access Prussia and Canada both agree to allow the air and naval forces of the other signatory free access to ports and air bases. Positioning ground forces in the other partner’s territory still requires prior consent by their respective governments. Article VI. Cancellation Should either signatory feel that this pact is no longer an accurate representation of their mutual relations, they may cancel it at any time. A signatory seeking to cancel the treaty must first deliver one week (RL time) notice to the other nation. This treaty will remain active throughout this cancellation period. [u]Signed for the Kingdom of Prussia,[/u] [i]Alaric von Ösel[/i] [b]König von Preußen[/b] [i]Konstantin Tolkien[/i] [b]Reichskanzler[/b] [b]Ratified by the Prussian Reichstag[/b] [u]Signed for the Confederation of Arctic Nations and Dependent Areas,[/u] [b]Kristjan Eyvindsson[/b] [i]Sovereign-General of the Realm[/i] [b]Salvador d'Alberquerque[/b] [i] Sovereign-General of the Realm[/i] [/quote]

[quote][size="6"][center][u][b]Abortion Law Proposed Amid Debate[/b][/u][/center][/size] For the past week, a number of legislators in the Reichstag have been arguing over the matter of abortion, which up until now has remained an issue on the periphery of Prussian politics. Without any true national legislation on the matter, it had been generally left to the counties to govern the practice. However, it has recently been brought up in the Reichstag after a dispute in the County of Livland, specifically in the city of Rosittin, which holds a sizeable Catholic population. The incident in question is the assault and death of 17-year old Rebekka Kistler near the Heilige Herz von Christ Cathedral; she had been savagely stabbed to death by two men with Swiss army knives. The culprits, Alfric Rickard and Vikenti Vasilyev, both of whom attended sermons at the HHvC, claimed that they had done so because of Kistler's recent early-stage abortion, with Vasilyev even going as far as to tell police that they had "acted as the hands of God in damning that slut." The incident has been condemned by the Catholic church, as well as the Lutheran and Orthodox churches in Prussia, but in addition to opening up a national abortion debate, it has also spurned concerns over traditional Christian organizations that had already been fed by Legislator Bernhard Stoppelblein's resignation from the Orthodox Church. "Despicable as Rickard and Vasilyev's actions may be, they brought a very important issue to the forefront of Prussia's attention," said Independent Legislator Ludolf Halle, a Catholic. "I, like many of my colleagues, believe in the sanctity of human life, and I do not believe our government should abide the slaughter of people before they even have a chance to breathe their first breath." Raganhar Hummel, an atheist Nationalist legislator, refutes the claims of the Christian minority. "I believe that we, as men, have no right to tell a woman what she can or can't do with her body, and I think this whole abortion debate is merely a deflection tactic by the various Christian sects to avoid answering for the actions of their adherents. I think we should let this debate return to the sidelines and go after the real issue. We should investigate the Heilige Herz von Christ to determine whether or not Rickard and Vasilyev were motivated by their holy men." Amidst this argument, King Alaric has proposed a law to the Reichstag to settle both issues. Primarily focusing on abortion, Alaric's act holds only a single clause pertaining to the Catholic church. He proposes that abortion be legalized on a national level, but it should not be allowed to be used as one's primary method of birth control. Women will be required to pay for their abortions, and after their second, they will be mandated by the government to undergo a tubectomy. As for the Church, the act would appoint an official to the Heilige Herz von Christ Church to observe practices and investigate the clergymen, though he must obtain a warrant to search the private quarters of the clergy. The act has received generally positive review from many members of the Reichstag, though the Christian members and certain civil rights advocates have voiced their opposition. The Motion is expected to be passed despite this, though.[/quote] [b]Legislative Motion 44[/b] [i]The Kistler Act[/i] Summary [list][*]Legalizes abortion at a national level and overrides county laws to the contrary [*]Allows for women to have up to two abortions before mandating that they undergo a tubectomy [*]Increases the penalty for vigilanteism, fatal or otherwise, against any abortion patient [*]Allows the King to appoint an observer to the Heilige Herz von Christ to root out devious influences [/list] For: 73 Against: 21 Abstain: 6 Approved by the King [color="#008000"]Motion Passed[/color]

*Classified* The vehicles, equipment, and ammo from Germany would arrive over the next few days. With the assistance of German military advisers, all military personnel would be trained to operate the Xenias combat gear and grow accustomed to their new StA rifles. The 200 Arca IV Nakils would replace that many Leopard IVs in service, but those decommissioned Leopard tanks were placed in reserve storage. 24 Lu-65 fighters replaced four squadrons of F-16s in the Luftwaffe.

[quote][size="6"][u][b][center]Emergency Powers Act[/center][/b][/u][/size] Theodor Voigt, a Monarchist representative from Preußen, has introduced Legislative Motion 43, the Emergency Authority Act. This bill would implement certain emergency protocols that would become available to the Monarch in the event of a military conflict, such as the ability to issue a draft. The Act boasts support from the Monarchist, Meritocratic, Nationalist, and Nordlandic parties, and is expected to pass easily, despite reservations voiced by the Democrats and FPO. DPP Chairman Willamar Foth stated his opinion that such an act should be decided upon by popular referendum. Foth’s idea received limited support outside of the Democratic party, however, and LM 43 is expected to go to a vote within the next day.[/quote] [u][b]Legislative Motion 43[/b] [/u][i]Emergency Authority Act[/i] Summary: • In the event of a foreign war- that is, one in which the Kingdom has not been directly attacked- the King may order a draft of up to 500,000 reservists, to be activated as necessary. • In the event of a domestic war, in which the land and people of Prussia are threatened, the King may order a draft of up to 1,000,000 reservists. • Reservists drafted under this act will receive full military training, but will not be armed for conflict outside the upkeep capabilities of the Ministry of Defense; under this plan, the active combatants in the Prussian army will never exceed a set threshold at any given time. • In the event of an invasion of Prussia, the Monarch may authorize the employment of slash-and-burn tactics to deprive the invader of resources. [quote][size="6"][center][u][b]Archbishop Renounces Faith[/b][/u][/size] [img] http://02varvara.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/archbishop-miron-of-poland-e1270970766991.jpg[/img][/center] Archbishop Bernhard Stoppelblein, head of the Prussian Orthodox Church and the sole remaining POC clergyman remaining in the Reichstag, has formally announced that he will be stepping down as Archbishop as a result of damage to his own faith. He claims that his decision is completely unrelated to the ongoing crisis in the Catholic church. “I find it hard to believe in a God who allows so many of his sheep to go astray from the flock without making any effort to show them the true path,” the former archbishop said in an interview. “ Also, I finally read the Bible from cover to cover…and there is some God-awful things in there, and I doubt that many of my former brothers of the faith would retain their beliefs if they were to do likewise. Needless to say, the resignation of the top Church official has rocked what little remains of the Prussian Orthodox Church; a mere 1.4% of Prussia’s 10.5 million citizens follow that particular faith, and 86% of those followers admit to having never read their holy book thoroughly. Social experts predict a significant drop in not just the Orthodoxy’s membership, but also, to a lesser extent, other branches of Christianity in Prussia. Representative Stoppelblein has announced that he intends to join the Prussian Meritocratic Union and begin to vote in a more secular fashion.[/quote]

*Classified* [quote]To: Supreme Command, German Wehrmacht From: [i]Generalfeldmarschall[/i] of the Prussian Wehrmacht Sub.: Military Purchase Per the alliance agreed upon by our respective governments, I would like to inquire into the possibility of purchasing German materiel as was alluded to in the conference. We are currently in the midst of re-expanding our armed forces after a brief period of disarmament, and I'd like to update the equipment used by our armed forces. A complete list is included below. We may approach you for more purchases in the future as funding allows. Respectfully, [b]Emelrich von Reval[/b] [i]Generalfeldmarschall[/i] [list] [*]135,000x XE-101 Xenias Infantry Combat Gear [*]100,000x StA Assault Rifle [*]200x Arca IV Nakil Main Battle Tank [*]24x Lu-65 Eagle [/list] [/quote]

[quote name='Ael Aluciz' timestamp='1327866184' post='2909672'] Edit: I just suck at geography, alright? So cool your jets, people, because I'm fourteen and never had to know about Asia and the Middle East. Blame the American education system. [/quote] Many of the folks here went through the American education system. Don't just blame your education system (even if it really does suck ass); rise above it and educate yourself. You might wanna brush up on your Middle Eastern geography if you plan on RPing there. Welcome to CNRP, btw.

[quote][size="6"][u][b][center]Military Growth[/center][/b][/u][/size] The Prussian Royal Armed Forces have lost priority in recent years as the government focused on encouraging economic growth throughout Prussia. The size of the armed forces shrank to a low of 35,000 soldiers and SEK personnel. However, the Monarchists and the Meritocrats have been advocating an increase in military expenditure, paid for with a surplus provided from taxing the ever-growing hemp industry and trade with the Großdeutsches Reich. Nationalist Party Chairman Freiherr Sigismund von Schräder voiced his opposition to the move, stating that Prussia “has no need to expand the arsenal when no immediate threat exists.” However, a number of the Nationalists and their allies, the Peoples’ Party, have indicated that they support the move, and it is doubtful that Chairman Freiherr von Schräder will be able to pull his party together against this move. The Monarchists and Meritocrats, in a de facto coalition, hold 36 of 100 seats in the Reichstag, and on this particular motion they boast the support of all 6 Nordlandic Revivalist representatives, 2 of the 3 FPO members, three of four Independents, and the sole Orthodox clergyman. With the support of the minor parties, the motion has 48 potential supporters, meaning that a proposal would require only a few Nationalists and Democrats to flip. King Alaric has also spoken out in favor of the Monarchists' motion, declaring that "Prussia needs to maintain a strong and modernized military, so that we may be ready for any threats to our nation in the future." Falk Vonnegut, a Monarchist representative from Preußen, today presented Legislative Motion 42, which would provide funding from the treasury to allow the recruitment of up to 100,000 additional personnel into the Royal Armed Forces and authorizes the Generalfeldmarschall to reactivate as many armored vehicles, artillery, and other ordnance as he deems fit from the Prussian and former Germanic Union stores. The Reichstag is expected to vote on it either later today or sometime tomorrow.[/quote] [u][b]Legislative Motion 42[/b][/u] [i]Reactivation Act[/i] Summary [list] [*]Allows the Ministry of Defense to recruit up to 100,000 additional volunteer personnel into the Prussian Armed Forces. This legislation does not enact a draft. [*]Allows the Generalfeldmarschall access to deactivated military equipment in any storage facility across Prussia [*]Allows foreign immigrants to expedite their naturalization by serving five years in the Army or SEK [/list] For: 63 Against: 31 Abstain: 6 Approved by the King [i][b]Private[/b][/i] Minister of Defense Sigifrid Protz and Generalfeldmarschall Emelrich von Reval would immediately begin coordinating a recruitment campaign to coerce young adults and military veterans to enlist or reenlist in a branch of the armed forces. Veterans would be reinstated one pay grade above what they were discharged as and go through an expedited version of the brutal Prussian training. New recruits would still go through the standard training program. Immigrant recruits would be placed in segregated units from native volunteers; a total of 15,000 foreigners enlisted in the Army and SEK, allowing for an entirely separate Foreign Division of the Army and Foreign SEK Brigade. While the recruits underwent basic training, the Field Marshal would go through the equipment inventories to decide which pieces he wanted to reactivate, while also browsing German equipment to determine which types he would like to test for potential introduction into the Prussian arsenal.

Konstantin signed the treaty as well and had a copy sent back to Prussia for approval by King Alaric and the Reichstag, which voted 68-23 in favor of the bill, with 9 legislators abstaining. [quote]Signed for the Kingdom of Prussia, Alaric I von Ösel [b]König von Preußen[/b] Konstantin Tolkien [b]Reichskanzler[/b] Approved by the First Prussian Reichstag[/quote]

Konstantin scanned the treaty and set it down on the table. "I find no problem with what is currently contained in this draft, but I would like to make a few additions, if you don't mind." He took a pen from his jacket and wrote down a few additions to the treaty before handing it back to Stahl. "How does that strike you?" [quote]Article I. Nonaggression Neither nation shall engage in military operations against their counterpart, nor shall they provide any form of financial or military assistance to any nation or organization engaged in hostile action against either signatory. Article II. Sovereignty The undersigned nations recognize that this treaty does not merge or in any way affect their respective government, and agree not to attempt to undermine or disrupt the internal administrative actions of their counterpart, diplomatically, militarily, or otherwise. Article III. Commerce The signatories of this pact agree to reduce or remove tariffs on all trade between them and endeavor to increase trade. Article IV: Mutual Defense Any declaration upon both nations is considered an act of aggression to the undersigned nations. Peace will only be offered through mutual consent of the nations represented by the undersigned; and only accepted under the same terms. Diplomatic channels will remain open in the event that a declaration of war by an outside nation is an unsanctioned operation. Article V: Mutual Aggression Neither nation is obliged to partake in assistance in offensive wars, all military or monetary support is strictly to be decided by each sovereign state, yet both are encouraged to support each other when needed. Article VI: Espionage Neither nation may directly participate in espionage of any type, regardless of situation and target. If either one of the undersigning nation conducts espionage on the other signatory, this pact will be revoked immediately following a 24-hour truce. If either nation bound to this pact conducts espionage on a non-signing nation, it is grounds for revocation, but such action may or may not be taken by the other signatory’s leaders. Article VII: Termination This treaty shall only be terminated if either undersigned nation chooses to exit this treaty or if Article VI is found to be violated by a member state. If one of the undersigned chooses to terminate this pact, they must give five (5) days notice before the treaty is officially dissolved in which they remain fully bonded to the provisions contained therein. The Undersigned do agree to respect and adhere to the Articles written above, both in the spirit and letter in which they are written. [i]Signed for the Kingdom of Prussia,[/i] Alaric I von Ösel [b]König von Preußen[/b] Konstantin Tolkien [b]Reichskanzler[/b] Approved by the First Prussian Reichstag [i]Signed for the Greater German Reich,[/i] Reichspräsident Jorhan Stahl[/quote]

"That is acceptable. Our armed forces have been making use of primarily NATO equipment, though we use a number of weapons and vehicles attained from the Germanic Union's stockpiles in Preußen and Memelgebiet. We would be interested in purchasing a few samples of your armaments for testing purposes, and perhaps more, should they prove more effective than our current equipment. Do you have a rough draft of this agreement prepared, or do we need to put it together?"

"We will allow Canada to temporarily station any assets from Rügen in Prussia should they find any need for it." -Foreign Minister Ludvig Mikaelsson

"The Kingdom of Prussia neither supports nor condemns this ultimatum, but we would recommend that the Rügen question be answered by a local referendum, seeing as we have yet to see any evidence of dissent against the Canadian government on the island. We also urge the German government to reconsider their stance on this issue, as we believe that our neighbors would be doing Rügen's residents no favors by spilling blood under the guise of unrequested liberation. Prussia would encourage a productive dialogue between Germany and Canada, and we hereby offer to mediate such talks in Königsberg, should both parties be in agreement." -King Alaric I

Konstantin couldn't help but chuckle. "Straight to the point, eh? I like that, it pisses me off when members of our [i]Reichstag[/i] beat around the bush. Once, Prussia stood beside Germania and Austria, tied together by the [i]Brüderpakt[/i]. Although the regimes that signed that deal are no more, the Prussian people still view yours as brothers...close cousins, in the case of eastern Germany." The chancellor laughed lightly once more. "I strongly agree with your sentiments, but I must know what you had in mind before I give my official approval. The [i]Reichstag[/i] indicated they would favor up to an MDoAP with Germany, plus a clause promoting German-Prussian trade."

"It is an honor to finally be back in Berlin," Tolkien replied as he followed Stahl to the conference room. His two guards, in ceremonial Prussian blues, remained by the door when they entered. "It's as splendid as it has ever been. I haven't visited the city since before I was Chancellor, and before the disbandment of the Germanic Union, but I'm not surprised to see the new administration has been doing its utmost to preserve Germania's gemstone." He took a seat at the conference table opposite Stahl and laced his fingers together on the table. "So, Herr Stahl, where would you like to begin?"

Chancellor Konstantin Tolkien sent notice of his intention to attend the meeting before setting out for Berlin by plane the next day.

"I'll be honest with you, I myself am astounded by the consistent growth of the Prussian economy under my guidance," Alaric admitted, accepting a glass of water from an orderly. "I took it upon myself at the birth of Kurland to build a nation that is self-reliant and prosperous, and that has succeeded beyond my most optimistic hopes. My administration has almost completely eliminated the use of fossil fuels and transitioned to reliance on solar, wind, and hydroelectric power. In addition, the legalization of industrial and recreational use of cannabis has proven to be unexpectedly advantageous in many aspects. Industrial hemp covers our needs for paper and building material, so all logging operations have been halted and all large Prussian timber companies have gone out of business. Fortunately, the growing hemp industry managed to absorb most of the workforce released by the timber companies, so the economy hardly slowed at all during this time." He took a gulp from the water and cleared his throat before continuing. "I have often said that cannabis has been the fuel of our economic growth; the expansion of this market has greatly benefited small farmers and spurred the growth of our automobile, construction, entertainment, retail, and restaurant industries. But we cannot experience indefinite growth in a limited market, and the narrowminded prohibition of marijuana by many nations across the globe severely limits the number of potential markets for expansion. I'd actually like to address the possibility of opening hemp trade with Canada in the interest of spurring mutual economic growth." "I have always held a great deal of respect for the extensive and enduring history of Canada and Greenland, and one can't help but note that while the former United States have fragmented in the past decade, the Confederation of Arctic Nations and later Canada have managed to maintain lasting stability in the northern US and the Arctic, and for that, I applaud you. As for the current global political climate...as I see it, the Tianxia Horde is the leading political force right now; they are not only the largest nation in the world right now, but also appear to be the most aggressive. Quite honestly, they unnerve me, as does the lack of political backlash from their recent consecutive conquests of Natal, Vasuda, and the GUR. Besides that, I have no pressing concerns, either in Europe or abroad."

A hundred average-quality cannabis plants are sent by Prussia, along with an oversized [url="[img]http://www.makeyousmile.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/blasphemy_ymca.jpg[/img]"]poster[/url] and an unsigned note reading "[i]So you can get pissed off and then relax or relax and then laugh. Your choice. Our condolences and all that good stuff.[/i] *Private* "Was that a good idea?" Foreign Minister Ludvig Mikaelsson asked as the shipment was prepared for delivery. "Sending pot to the College of Cardinals?" "It might be funny. Besides, what're they gonna do, smite me?" Alaric said with a sarcastic grin.

Foreign Minister Ludvig Mikaelsson will attend on behalf of the Kingdom of Prussia.

Alaric instructed his two Raider guards to remain outside of the conference room when he at last arrived at Sovereign-General's residence. "The pleasure is mine," Alaric replied, smiling warmly as he shook Kristjan's hand. "You can call me Alaric." He followed the Canadian sovereign over to the table and took a seat opposite of him. "I'll just have a water, thank you. I find that I have grown rather tired of alcohol in the last few years." The king leaned back in his chair and stretched. "So, Kristjan, was there anything specific you had in mind for this meeting?"

*Classified* The Prussian SEK and Army units, a total of 20,000 troops, were transferred by air and government-owned cargo ships from Arensburg to Blekinge. Most of the infantry was deployed by air, so they would arrive in the district ahead of most of their armor, artillery, and crews. The units would assemble as each element of the Prussian force arrived and wait for the exercises to commence. Twenty squadrons of Luftwaffe F-16s and ten of F-111s, a total of 180 aircraft, were divided evenly and dispersed between Blekinge and Visby. Lt. General Tyr Bernat was appointed to oversee the whole operation, and was sent with the first loads of soldiers arriving in Blekinge to act as liaison with the Swedes and Scandinavians.

[quote]Classified Reply To: Canada From: Kingdom of Prussia RE: Invitation for Diplomatic Meeting in New Ottawa [i]Sehr geehrter, Herr Eyvindsson[/i], I would be thrilled to attend a conference with you, especially as America would be a pleasant change of scenery after so long tied down in Prussia. I will hasten to New Ottawa as soon as I am able. [i]Mit besten Grüßen,[/i] Alaric I von Ösel King of Prussia[/quote] Alaric set his affairs in order, and took off from Riga in his Learjet just a few hours later.

[quote][i]Classified Response[/i] To: People's Union of Sweden, Scandinavian Federation From: Kingdom of Prussia Re: Military Exercises The Kingdom of Prussia would be delighted to partake in coordinated military exercises with our allies. In the event that the Baltic is threatened by an outside force, it is imperative that we be able to coordinate our military efforts. Your proposed suggestion is acceptable to us, and we will begin to prepare our selected units to participate. Respectfully, Emelrich von Reval [i]Generalfeldmarschall[/i], Prussian Armed Forces[/quote] The First Division of the Prussian [i]Heer[/i], under the command of [i]Generalmajor[/i] Reimund Burgstaller, consisting of 10,000 men with armor, artillery, and helicopter support, have begun preparations for the wargames in their base outside Arensburg, Ösel. The 1st and 2nd SEK Brigades, under the direct command of Commandant Heinrich von Hessen, would also ready their equipment and join the 1st Division in Ösel.

[quote][size="6"][u][b][center]Prussian Industries Grow; Preußen and Memelgebiet Experience Economic Boom[/center][/b][/u][/size] The entirety of Prussia has been seeing increased benefits from certain industries, primarily green energy companies. Since the birth of the Kurlandic state, the government has encouraged a transition from fossil fuels to green energy sources, and so solar, wind, and hydroelectric companies have experienced positive growth at the expense of coal, oil, and natural gas companies. At this point in time, Prussia derives 53.2% of its energy from solar power, 21.4% from wind, 10.5% from hydroelectricity, 12.9% from coal, and 2.0% from wood fuel. Most of the coal and wood fuel use is centered around the provinces of Preußen and Memelgebiet, but with the encouragement of Graf Faramund Adenauer, large renewable energy companies have been expanding their presence in the two new counties. With the construction of new wind farms and solar arrays across Preußen, an estimated 145,000 jobs have been created, with further expansions planned to add another 70,000. Graf Kasimir Förstner of Memelgebiet has announced that he intends to pursue a similar approach for his own state, albeit on a smaller scale. Renewable energy as a whole may be benefitting from the government's policies, but one other industry has taken Prussia by storm. Industrial hemp, a commodity encouraged by the Kurlandic government even in its infant days, has been credited with a sharp upturn in the Prussian economy. Biodegradable plastic made from hemp has completely replaced traditional plastic; vehicles composed of hemp materials that run on hemp fuels dominate 80% of the automobile industry; hempcrete is used as a building material in many areas, though regular concrete is still more widely used; and most stationery companies have completely transitioned to hemp paper. Due to the relative ease of industrial hemp production, many Prussians have invested in hemp farms of varying size, and some have even begun growing it in their back yards for a small boost to income. Two of the largest hemp companies, Prussian Green Industries and the Teutonic Hemp Corporation, purchase the vast majority of their product from small farmers like these, and more and more Prussians, especially in Preußen and Memelgebiet, are hoping to get a cut of their success. Some optimistic experts predict that hemp-related industries will continue to expand, and may even grow short on workers as expansion continues. This news comes amidst a fierce debate in the [i]Reichstag[/i], where a debate on defense budgets rages in the aftermath of withdrawals from Sweden and England. The traditional alliance between the Democratic Peoples' Party and the Nationalist Party is divided on this subject, with the DPP advocating a cut in military size and spending, and the Nationalists insisting on maintaining a strong standing army for security purposes. The camp favoring a cut in defense spending has grown by the day, and is now supported by most of the Monarchists and Meritocrats, while the NRP and FPO firmly support the NPP. The split in the PMP and PMU means that the vote is fairly equally split right now. Political analysts have speculated that the hemp market may play a factor in the result; if the hemp industry's growth outstrips its work force, the [i]Reichstag[/i] will likely reduce the size of the military for the dual bonus of cutting costs and increasing income.[/quote]

A most fitting [s]sacrifice[/s] GM! Kudos, Shammy.