Badara

[Drax]

DIPLOMACY IS FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE
 
MANARA  ALBRAYD SRIA AL-MUSAMI
(If it’s in the Monsoon, it’s got to be true)
 
Defense Ministry, February 27, 5721:  After Defense Minister Salman al-Makhtoum met with the military service chiefs of staff and the Chief of Defense Command to set equipment acquisition priorities, The Monsoon asked him what was our actual overall military strategy, and he responded:
 

First, we are a small nation trying to conduct our affairs so that we are not attracting attack either because we have gotten crossways with somebody or because we look like easy pickings. Generally wanting to trade with most everybody and respecting other nation’s sovereignty has worked pretty well in that regard.
 
Second, if at odds with somebody our first line of defense is diplomacy to try and settle disputes. As a member of MATO and Majatran predecessors as mutual defense organizations, many will hesitate before attacking us thereby inviting counterattack by our allies.  Admittedly, when we were swarmed by masses of foreign religious wingnuts intent on our destruction, deterrence failed.  But thanks to our allies, reinforcements were eventually cut off so the invaders could be defeated in detail.
 
Third, we maintain some air power including fighters, missiles and unmanned combat aerial vehicles to lessen the effects of bomb or missile or drone attack.
 
Fourth, we have combat vessels, largely consisting of frigates, to contest an amphibious landing as  well as aerial gunships, helicopters and aircraft with ground support capacity to assist our Army as it opposes enemy combatants coming ashore.
 
Finally, Defense Command together with Interior’s Central Security Organization and the General Intelligence Service have contingency plans in place to make it virtually impossible for any foreign invader to ever govern Jumhuriat al-Badara.
 
Again we believe avoiding trouble through diplomacy is our primary way to peace.

 
Asked by The Monsoon  if there were things foreign powers could do that lower our resistance to foreign domination, the Defense Minister replied:
 

Yes, of course there are.  But not what one might think. Our oligarchy is not going to sell out our Sovereign People for a few extra Dinar.  But there are a few things we would really like and could convince ourselves the price of getting them was not too high.
 
For instance, the Defense Ministry occasionally daydreams about a plane Trigunia and Deltaria developed that would plug the biggest hole in our defenses.  And another developed for Majatran defense that would be extremely useful.
 
But independence and cooperation are what we are pursuing, not some foreign power to dominate us and exploit our citizens.

Defense Minister Salman al-Makhtoum