Quote:In a broad general sense, no. The Dufazi are more somebody we monitor than a partner.  There is an arrangement under which Moqtada al-Dufaz and his Dufazi are allowed to continue to operate, and we are among those watching to make sure the agreement is followed.
 
Moqtada al-Dufaz wants to be the most important Abadi cleric in Al’Salmania, a powerful legislative influence in Al’Salmania and the Majlis, and the recognized political and religious leader of Bab al-Mira.  And he does not want rival factions taking over his territory.
 
We, GIS and ISU and Military Intelligence, want to know if there are religious extremists organizing violence or insurrection particularly if they are coming in from outside Jumhuriat al-Badara and have connections to other Majatran terrorists.
 
So we are maintaining a GIS – Dufazi interface to compare notes on suspicious activity.  We are aware of his motives and he is aware of ours, more to the point, I am not fooling him and he is not fooling me.
 
This interface could become untenable or become inconvenient to them or us.  But for now we are treating the information from the Dufazi as part of our counterintelligence information gathering.

Quote:Probably not.  The majority do want a functioning government but not at the expense of the same old representatives of the oligarchy running everything. 
 
Also, the Ministries of Defense and Interior are beginning to look too independent; they are Independent delegates in the Majlis but are seen by many as laws unto themselves.
 
All three religious factions want traditional views of the family and society to receive more protection and are not going to take promises of doing something later this time.
 
The Metzists of Majatra (MM) support our view that the safety net must be maintained but are wanting to see some limits on power accumulation to get their support.
 
In all honesty, it looks like I am going to putting together a governing coalition again.

Quote:Two reasons. We have spelled out from the beginning that our view of the FRSC is to protect the rights of the Sovereign People and their safety net as the viability of government has been revived, and we have kept our word.
 
Second, since we are part of the oligarchy, the oligarchy does not believe we will destroy it, so we can make deals that others can’t.

Quote:First off, Jumhuriat al-Badara is honored to be included in the space program by one of our traditional allies and trading partners.  We are well behind in technology; we are trying to catch up, but we are well behind.  This is a great opportunity for us.
 
This is also quite an undertaking.  The space center is for civilian and commercial purposes and will have launch pads, a mission control center, a large advanced radar installation a four and a half plus kilometer runway, and a number of technical and logistical support buildings as well as a dedicated port favcility.  We believe we will be in position to compete to provide for construction labor for these projects.
 
Further, we believe our citizens will find that there is potential for them to find  support and technical positions in ongoing operations at the AISA Space Center.
 
And our radio, television and wifi providers will be able to have access to the AISA satellite infrastructure free of charge. 
 
So again, we welcome the AISA Space Center to our shores.

Quote:Foreign Minister Mariammne al-Qassem is on the verge of arranging a mutually very beneficial agreement with the Foreign Ministry of the Majalite Kingdom, and it will greatly facilitate reaching this agreement if a single entity can be responsible for international purchases and sales with foreign governments and businesses as intermediary for our own business community.
 
In short, the paperwork can get done quicker which enhances market certainty of transactions.

Quote:Absolutely. Minister of Religious Affairs Bashir ibn Ortoq will serve as our long term representative while Chancellor Khalifi al-Qassem will head the delegation to the conference about its formation.
 
Jumhuriat al-Badara shares the Kafuri vision for a pan Ahmadi organization  and has great respect for the efforts of King Umar.

Quote:Three main issues seem to be shaping discussions in the Majlis. The religious factions, the Dufazi, Israi Values (IV) and the Forgotten Abadi  Majatrans (FAM), are not asking for any Ministries but want legislation to make property inheritance to be strictly through legitimate children and for testamentary disposition to be allowed to be male only although not required to be. This is strongly opposed by the increasingly influential Metzists of Majatra (MM).
 
Both the Working Institutional Group (WIG) and Free Radical Supper Club (FRSC) seem inclined to accommodate the religious groups.
 
Second, the General Intelligence Service (GIS) head is expected to retire quite soon, and many in the Majlis want to have some say in his replacement but are at a loss as to how to do it.  Personally I am at a complete loss. I have heard that the likely candidate could be non controversial but since I do not the identity of the proposed replacement I have no idea if this is true.
 
Third, an issue mainly involving WIG and FRSC  is who will be Chancellor.  I really want to return to the Religious Affairs Ministry and  the incumbent there, Bashir ibn Ortoq, wants to return to presiding over the Majlis. My sister and I recognize this is an Ahmadi state and so backward elements such as all the religious parties would not support her. In any event what she really wants to do is leave the Foreign Ministry for the Education Ministry to reinvigorate trying to deal with Bedwi transients.
 
WIG on the whole feels the Majlis is much happier with an FRSC as Chancellor and on balance I am inclined to agree.