Quote:T(he) R(epublic):  The biggest question on our Readers' minds is: why now?  Why conduct these drills when the Government must realize that they merely inflame the situation with our neighbors?  Wouldn't it be a better policy, if the government is truly interested in peace, to simply stand down?

(Defense Minister) G(ina) W(hite):  We will not stand down, we cannot stand down.  The reason we cannot is because there is still this issue out there about this DMZ requirement placed upon us by Baltusia.  If we stand down now, we acquiesce to the commands of a foreign Government.  I am still hopeful for the passage of withdrawal of Recognition bill.  The reason I am hopeful for that is that it will clear the way for general de-escalation.  Once we no longer acknowledge Baltusia as a sovereign nation, we can stand down our forces as a matter of our own nation's policy, and not under any sort of threat, implied or otherwise from any other sovereign nation.

TR:  Are you saying that these drills will end once Baltusia is de-recognized?

GW:  I have assurances from the Premier that the drills continue only as long as some other sovereign nation insists that we end them.  Once that condition is eliminated, that is, the demand from some foreign nation that we do not run drills as we see fit, the Regulars will be released to return to their barracks, and the Militia will leave the field.

TR:  But couldn't that be accomplished by Baltusia simply withdrawing their demands that Kalistan establish a DMZ?

GW:  Well, yes, of course.  And then I suppose the political support for the withdraw of recognition would also evaporate too.  I am sure the pressure on the Premier would increase to see the bill defeated at that point.  But as you read in the papers, and in the various messages flying back and forth, the Government of Baltusia shows no inclination to back away from the demands they are making on Kalistan, so the Premier is pursuing the de-recognition path as a way to take control of our national policy back from the Baltusians, who presume to exercise some authority over it.

TR:  But wouldn't keeping troops in the field, in plain sight of Baltusia be Kalistani policy driven by Baltusian politics as well?

GW:  You could see it like this.  Our forces are out here for one reason and one reason only:  It is because the Baltusians say they shouldn't be, and because the Baltusians say we should not be allowed to put our troops where we want to within our own nation.  SO we are in the field to send them a message that they do not control Kalistan.  They say send them home, we keep them out here, in their face.  Once they are no longer recognized as a nation, we send them home, because there is no longer anyone worth demonstrating for that we need be concerned with.

TR:  This is a demonstration then?

GW:  Pure and simple.  We have no intention of going to war.  I have stated as much, the Premier has stated as much, the President has stated as much, and the Shadow Minister who is expected to take over for us has stated as much.  The Policy of Kalistan is not to go to war.  Nothing we have done out here has prepared us, in anyway, for any sort of incursion over the border.  Our supplies are here, not on trucks.  Our batteries are emplaced in firebases, not in mobile formation.  That anyone reads this as preparation for an invasion is beyond me:  it shows a clear misunderstanding of both Kalistani military doctrine, which relies almost exclusively on maneuver and defense in depth, designed to trap and kill little pockets of invaders a bit at a time, rather than to fight large frontal battles in foreign territory, but also a complete unwillingness to take the word of people you are supposed to be negotiating WITH at face value.  There is no trust left between the Government and the Baltusians.  But we do not intend to go to war, and the SP, for one would vote, to the person against any war in any foreign land.  We trust our Partners, the LP would also oppose it, and I suppose other peace loving Parties would as well.  But to be clear, Kalistani national interests are supreme to all other states' interests within Kalistan.  We will not sacrifice an inch of our land to the good will of another Power, especially one who speaks so condescendingly of Kalistani National interests.

TR:  This seems like a fairly costly demonstration.

GW:  Perhaps, but as someone whose ancestors literally fought to liberate Ananto from foreign invaders, the desire to fight for every inch of our national soil runs in my blood.  I won't give up, and I hope that when I am replaced, my successor will also fight just as hard to defend Kalistani National Sovereignty against all comers, regardless of who they are.

TR:  Let's move on.  Can you tell us the status of Modernization?

GW:  Absolutely.  Our predecessor got a good start with the infantry.  During the Orlando Presidency, we built half of the requisite destroyers, and this year, we have begun on the remaining six requested by the President.  When the new Finance Minister takes power, we plan to push for the 5% reduction in the Defense Budget that was also in the Modernization bill, as it will be time for that to go through.

TR:  Even if Kalistan is still in this dust up with Baltusia?

GW:  We expect it to be resolved one way or another by then.

TR:  Does the Defense Ministry have any final comments for the readers?

GW:  For those readers in Kalistan, I would say, it sells newspapers to play up this crisis.  But from the standpoint of the Regular Military, the crisis does not exist.  Our forces are confident that they can withstand any assault launched from Baltusia, or anywhere, and will ultimately prevail.  But we are not at all concerned about a war, and it is my hope that our Government sees things in these terms rather than reacting reacting reacting.  There is nothing we are doing which is not fairly standard operating procedures:  the only thing odd about it is the length of our training cycles.  And for any foreign readers, we would like to stress:  Kalistan is not interested in starting or pursuing a war.  We are a neutral nation, and do not want to fight a war, under any circumstances.  That said, Kalistan will not be dictated to, by any nation.  There is no nation in Terra which rates to set terms for Kalistan.  Nor will we accept them from any other nation.  If a nation informs us that there is something that we cannot do, if we do not agree with them in the matter, we demonstrate that they are not correct.  And we will continue to demonstrate the incorrect position of foreign governments who attempt to dictate to Kalistan so long as they presume to dictate terms to Kalistan.  This is the position of the Government of Kalistan.  And it should be the position of any sovereign nation.

TR:  Thank you for your time and your viewpoint, Comrade Minister.

GW:  You are welcome.  I am glad you all finally got around to interviewing me.

Quote:If nothing else, this unambiguously confirms what the majority in Kalistan had believed since this matter began: Baltusia is not to be trusted. It highlights that we are not the only nation infuriated by the Baltusians. That said, I want to be explicit in my censure of the action. However, perhaps now Baltusian provocateurs will consider their actions more cautiously. Our nations do not exist in an isolated bubble and when you insist on overstepping the boundaries of another nation's government, you set a perilous precedent.

Quote:A dreadful thing has happened tonight. Something awful. Kalistan, a nation in which we feel so secure has been attacked by an unknown group. I can verify reports that six people have passed away, with many more injured. Some minor damage has been inflicted on the exterior of the District Assembly and the party headquarters will be temporarily relocated to a separate location downtown. My heart truly goes out to all those affected.

Quote:"We accept the results of the investigation being conducted as a result of this senseless violence which has struck one of our great Northern Cities.  The loss of life, and less significantly the destruction of property, are unconscionable.  We bear their memories in our heart, and grieve as a nation for their deaths.  We will not, however, allow such acts of violence to go unanswered.  We have asked the Vrassan District Government to devote additional funds to terror mitigation and request the cooperation of all government Parties in this District in stepping up efforts to prevent domestic terrorists from launching such attacks on peaceful and political targets.

"We said, just then, that the perpetrators of this violence were domestic.  We have taken the investigators' summary under advisement and we agree with them that the culprits themselves were local actors, who possibly felt they were being marginalized out of the Conservative Party.  While our commitment remains to the free practice of liberty in Kalistan, for some reason or another, these individuals felt that they were not being heard.  This feeling leads naturally to desperation and radicalization.  What mitigation within the CP looks like is fully up to them, but I would assert that succumbing to the radical right is not a solution which We would endorse specifically.  The Government of Kalistan should commit, instead to offering the CP whatever support their require to rooting out these fascists within their ranks and making it so they can cause no more destruction to the Party or to the people of this Nation.

"We should be unwilling to settle for a situation where such people may strike with impunity.  Nor should we accept an increased security state.  I am confident that the Government of Kalistan will take necessary steps without limiting the liberty of free people."

Quote:Kalistan finds itself in a progressively more intractable predicament. We are repeatedly hearing that two of our closest friends, the Celestial Empire of Great Indrala and the Trigunian Empire, are being drawn into actions which pose a risk to one another. Obviously, this profoundly upsets us. We do understand, of course, that is simply idealistic to propose that all of Kalistan's partners should get along perfectly. However, I am calling upon both sides in this situation to pause and consider their actions. Neither side can be clearly blamed because we believe both have acted with good intentions, perhaps to their rival they may have seemed self-serving, but we must consider these matters on a grander scale. Kalistan has a great affinity towards our Seleyan brothers and we would not want to see them hurt but we respect the contribution Trigunia makes to our country too, particularly economically. Surely both sides can see that war, whether a war of battleships or a war of words, helps nobody?

Quote:"Comrades, recently, our international affairs experienced the sort of intervention that weaker powers must put up with on a regular basis, as the Empire of Trigunia sailed its fleet through Kalistani Waters and into Baltusian waters, without our invitation and without anyone's permission.  Then we read in the Indralan papers that the Black Tortoise Fleet, our old nemesis, the very same fleet which bombarded our capital city into ruins not more than 100 years ago, has taken to sailing through the Anantanese Ocean, ostensibly looking for Pirates, but in reality, as a message to everyone that it remains a genuine threat to all nations along the old Jade Route.

"This impunity must be checked.  Therefore, today I have asked the Minister of Defense to begin naval exercises in the Anantanese Ocean.  These exercises will send a message that the Anantanese Ocean is not simply a playground for the imperial powers of the world, but that every time a foreign fleet sails through them it puts Kalistani security at risk.  We mustn't stand for the cavalier attitude our more powerful neighbors have for Kalistani Security.  We should have the right to insist on some courtesy within our own waters.  Kalistan has claimed influence over and the right to have a say on the exercises of foreign nations within the Anantanese Ocean for more than a century.  These are not free and open seas.  Not where our security is concerned. 

"It is our hope that the great empires of the world take heed, and show some damned courtesy when they are putting the safety of our people and the security of our Republic at risk whenever they decide it is time to flex their muscles.  Kalistan is the guarantor of peace and security in the Anantanese Ocean, and others may not walk over our interests there without care, lest they get a sharp nail in the arch of their foot."

Quote:We can confirm rumours that six CIP officials, all members of the Vrassa District Assembly, have been suspended from the party pending further investigation. The individuals in question had shown no prior evidence of mental health problems or even petty criminality. Information has been provided to the relevant authorities and we will do whatever we can to cooperate with them. We have reason to believe they were connected to the deaths of two CIP Youth members earlier this week. Rest assured we are taking steps to ensure that other fascists and terrorists are rooted out and dealt with before they spread their poison through the party.

Quote:Firstly, it should be evident that this is not a decision which has been made in haste, I have spent a lengthy period of time considering my position as leader prior to reaching this conclusion. With that said, I couldn't possibly overstate how much I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in this job. It has been a humbling and remarkable experience to lead Kalistan's Labour movement for over 30 years. Every day I met new, unique and astounding individuals who were committed to our cause.

The Labour Party has evolved a considerable amount under my stewardship and I am proud of that. Before we were a pressure group with good intentions but lacking the unity and decisiveness to change Kalistan for the better, now we are the mouthpiece of the working class, committed to ensuring a robust public sector, fair working conditions and providing a society where everybody can maximise their potential. More than anything, we believe that people should expect to attain their aspirations.

Unfortunately, I am now a seventy-eight-year-old and sooner or later I will be obliged to accept that I can no longer lead this movement to its full capability. In my view, it is certainly preferable that I set my own terms for departure and that is what I intend to do. In the interim, I will continue to lead the Labour Party and the government wholeheartedly and I will work with my successor however I can. It should be obvious that their job will not be simple, the right remains a force even today, but they have a tremendous opportunity. Together, we will keep the red flag flying in Kalistan!