Luthori

[Ligbruderkrieg]

OP ED: Xsampan imperialism cannot be allowed to continue further West.
February 11th, 5669 - by John Seymour.

Xsampa, also known as the Democratic Republic of Xsampa is a nation located in the continent of Dovani, inhabited by over 57 million people. A small nation by today’s standards in terms of populations, with an average nation having a population of around 80 to 90 million inhabitants. But, in recent history, powers haven’t been related to population that much, Beiteynu only had 40 million people while being considered as one of the World’s primary powers during its prime. Egelion currently has only 43 million people while currently flexing her muscles in the Anantonese Ocean, and the only (recent) power that has a large population to use off was the Canrillaise Empire with 200 million inhabitants. In recent history, population didn’t make powers, it is good governance and good policy-building over decades that have made them, even if population remains a bonus for numerous states when talking about their economic potential or military capabilities long-term.

In recent decades, Xsampan influence reached levels that nobody thought possible. Following the atomic bombing of Metz-Leonid that tragically decapitated both the Xsampan Politburo and killed millions of inhabitants that were merely living their daily life. While this tragic event has been condemned by every nation on Terra, with Beiteynu itself collapsing following the nuclear bombing of Metz-Leonid, this tragic event still represented a key milestone in Xsampa’s foreign policy.

Following their “victory” against the Yeudis, Xsampa’s gaze turned inward, with their main focus remaining over the decontamination and rebuilding of Metz-Leonid, for which they received copious amount of international aid - which is normal due to the impact that the explosion of a nuclear device has on the world. This also led to Xsampa’s credibility as a great power rising, although this was out of the Xsampan government’s control. Due to the fact that they defeated a Western power to the point that the nuclear deterrent had been used against them and the fact that Xsampa was, due to this, the sole nation having been hit by nuclear weapons in recent memory, that led to Xsampa’s soft power increasing to high levels, and again, to levels that the Xsampan gov’t couldn’t even control. In recent years, we have seen an upstick in tensions between Xsampa and Vascania over the Sovereign Sea and the effects of Xsampan prestige have been felt, as both Egelion and Bianjie stood alongside the Xsampans against the Vascanians.

This is the real power of Xsampa, through their policy initiatives in Dovani that have allowed it to expand her sphere of influence to (mostly) include most of the underdeveloped world, positioning itself as a “Champion of Dovani” fighting against Western imperialist machinations, Xsampa became the dominant power in Dovani, allowing it to impose its own style of imperialism in “backyard”. Now, we might say that Xsampan foreign policy only stops at the Sovereign Sea, but it shouldn’t be seen that way. We do not know whether or not Xsampa, if successful in countering Vascania’s ambitions at checking Xsampan power over the Sovereign Sea will merely stop there. Will it fund Rapa Pile’s independence movement to destabilise Vascania, will it fund communists underground in Vascania? Does it wish to create the grounds for a communist takeover of Vascania at some point in time? And even then, will it stop? Doesn’t Xsampa want to have “revenge” for Metz-Leonid? Will it cross the Ocean to endanger the Migrants’ Pass stability? We do not know.

Xsampan moves in the global chessboard have always been difficult to comprehend, but in most cases, it brought success to Xsampan foreign policy, providing the tools needed to become a global power and not merely a regional power. As of now, the Vascanian Empire remains the only roadblock between full hegemony of Xsampa over Dovani and the collapse of the international order as we know it. Regardless of our feelings, if Luthori wants to become a global power, then Xsampan influence would need to be contained, except if we want to see the rise of another Lourenne or Beiteynu.