Kalistani Major History

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Barajas to Retire"Three terms is enough"; President defends Vanukean Investments in Kalistan
Kaliburg, Ananto
November 30, 4426


The President announces her retirement during last week's radio broadcast, which segues into discussion on Vanukean Investment

During her weekly radio address, last week, the President  of the Republic announced that she would not seek a fourth term.

"I've done my share.  It's time for new leadership and it's time for me to go back to being a private citizen,"  The President said when announcing her retirement.  " "Three terms is enough for me, and it is enough for Kalistan." In announcing her retirement, she noted that the Socialists will likely officially endorse the NLA's candidate for President.

"I've been told they are running a candidate for the office in next year's election.  The Party will wait until they have officially made their announcement to endorse, but the SP is in general agreement that Al-Khali should remain as Premier, so the Socialists will not field a candidate in the next election."

The President was also asked about a matter of some consequence.  KNRTVN-1 reporter Ginger Lazul, who was doing hosting duties for the weekly address this week, asked the President about Vanukean investments in KALNAPECO and KALNAFERCO.  "It is somewhat scandalous, Comrade President, that Vanuku was expelled from Kalistan following their detonation of a nuclear weapon over Jelbania, and yet now we learn that their investments in Kalistani National Industries remained untouched."

The President answered defiantly, "Yes, that's right.  To be fair, that happened under my predecessor."

Lazul pushed the President on the matter.  "But nonetheless, their investments have remained intact for almost ten years now since you took office.  Isn't that somewhat hypocritical to expel their military and diplomatic staff while allowing their investments to remain in Kalistani National Industries?"

The President was defiant.  "No:  Why should there be any issue with that?  The firms that invested in our national industries when we were getting off the ground almost twenty years ago are private firms."

Lazul:  "Yes, with very deep ties to the Vanukean Government."

Barajas:  "And?  This changes nothing.  We have seen the value of their investment increase by more than 2000 percent.  Because of their continued involvement in Kalistani National industries, KNP is trading at over 40 KRB a share, KNF is over 45.  If we were to have seized that investment, the stock wouldn't be worth paperweight value and Kalistan's word would be in the trash."

Lazul:  "But how can you, Comrade President, continue to do business with mass murderers associated with the Vanukean Government?"

Barajas:  "This is a characterization certainly.  I don't think those Vanukean interests who hold stock in our companies dropped bombs on anyone.  Before you accuse me of equivocation on Vanuku, let me remind you that it was expulsion of Vanuku which led to their departure from this corner of the planet.  We have seen a dramatic decrease in military activity in and around Kalistani waters as a direct result of Kalistan standing up for itself.  We now range over the Anantonese Ocean at complete liberty, and no state challenges our claims to the Ananto Strait.  That's because we took strong steps toward the bombers in Vanuku, who, by the way are also no longer in office.  SHouldn't we claim some credit for that as well?  As for Vanukean Investment:  A well capitalized National Industry is a secure one, and we have no problem whatsoever working with individual investors who want to buy stock in Kalistan, even if they had ties with Satan.  They invest in jobs, they invest in energy, they are investing in our prosperity.  Their investments will remain theirs.  And Kalistani Prosperity remains the benefit of Kalistani Citizens."

The overall tense interview between the President of the Republic and the Press is becoming increasingly characteristic of the Administration.  Barajas has expressed on more than one occasion that she is ready to retire and return to music.

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Reprinted from
IZQUIERDA:  The Voice of the Kalistani Left
Editorial:  Lourenne is apparently boycotting Kalistan
Al-Khali comes blue against our Canrille neighbors
Kaliburg, Ananto
April 6 4427


Premier of the Republic, Abdulaziz al-Khali drops some truth on this week's radio address

This week's radio address was delivered by the Premier of the Republic, Abdulaziz al-Khali.  As usual, the Premier's language was straightforward and rather raw.  He focused much of his attention on the Non-Aligned Movement's potential to unite developing nations in the world, and took a swing at Lourenne.  Here is the transcript of his comments:

Hello Friends and Comrades:

I just want to take a brief second to fill you in on what we're up to.  We've had a busy last few months in the Assembly, running bills proposed by the New Liberal Alliance through the Assembly.  Sometimes, we found common ground to compromise, and other times, well, let's just say that compromise had a fart's chance in the wind, you know what I'm sayin?  Because of the willingness of the NJA and the SP deputies to work together, we passed or will soon pass legislation that permitted some school choice with regard to tracking and selection at specialized schools, we got rid labeling on food that misrepresents the content of that food, we worked to expunge DNA collected from innocent people from our national databases as a privacy and justice issue, and we abolished prohibition on polygamy in line with our withdrawal from the business of regulation of marriage.  The SP thanks the NJA for their proposals, and effort on behalf of Kalistani citizens and are happy to find areas of common interest where we could make a difference for the lives of individual Kalistani people.

We are still working with Selucia and Sekowo on the Non-Aligned Movement treaty, though kind of frustratingly, progress has slowed after the Selucian Caesar voiced her opposition to the treaty and said it was going to become a dictator's club.  I categorically disagree with that characterization and have directed the Foreign Minister to have his team do what is necessary to get those discussions back on the rails.

The Non-Aligned Movement is absolutely necessary for countries like Kalistan who want to play a role in international affairs that swirl about our doorstep, but whose direction is guided almost exclusively by the world's great powers and their petty alliances.  Its time that developing nations produce an association of states that feel empowered enough, you know, to participate in the world's affairs in opposition to those great powers.  We don't want war.  We don't want the world to turn into a meat grinder like countries like Lourenne are attempting to do to Dovani, where there are wars on top of wars on top of wars.  It is really all I can do, as a matter of fact, to keep our Partisans from going to Statrica and joining the defenders against the imperialists.  Too much more of this, and I can't promise that Socialist Partisans will not get involved in that conflict, and f--k some shit up.

This is why we need the non-aligned movement:  Kalistan is still out here swinging in the breeze with an imperialist power just across the way there.  Lourenne, puppet of the Northern Council, appears to have lost their ever loving minds and have attacked, without provocation their neighbor.  They like picking on weaker nations to pursue their own imperialist dreams-  It appears that they learned their lessons from the Northern Council alliance well.  But the thing is:  See-  they only do this because they know they have nuclear powered warships guarding their six.  Imagine if Lourenne tried to do this without the power of nuclear armed states at their back.  How far do you think they would get into Statrica if they had their neighbors, who opposed their wars of choice breathing down their f--king necks?  No:  they only feel secure enough to pull this bull-sh-t because their friends in the NC have given them permission to go right on ahead and act like jackboot thugs looking for Lebensraum. 

My point is:  A powerful Non-Aligned Movement would be able to stand up to that and would be able to effectively promote peace in Dovani and in the world, while Kalistan by itself, beset on all sides by countries who either ignore its existence or want to turn it into a colony for their neo-liberal dreams of empire, can merely protest over the airwaves and in the press.  This is why I would like that Treaty completed, sooner rather than later, and with the strongest possible language.

While we're on the subject of Lourenne, now, I'm finna finish up here pretty soon, but stick with me.  I read in their news paper, translated into Luthori of course, cause I amn't as blessed as our President to be able to speak the language of our effete neighbors, excuse me.  I read in their paper that they are flying airplanes to most pats of Seleya now, but not to Kalistan.  They are boycotting us because we have the audacity to oppose their blood drenched powerplays in Dovani.

Let me ask you, Good Comrades.  Did you notice that at Kaliburg International, or Elga International, or Python International, or any of the other airports, that you couldn't get onto an AirLourenne Plane and fly to Lourenne any longer like you used to?

I didn't notice.  Wanna know why?  Because Kalistanis don't fly to f--kin Lourenne.  There's nothing for us there.  We can't even buy f--king cigarettes in Lourenne.  Did you know that?  They claim to not have laws about what people can put into their bodies, but they forbid the sales of those things that people would use.  Like:  I heard of this dude, a guy from Eveari, who flew to Lourenne (via Lodamun) with like 4 cartons of smokes.  And he was detained at the airport by Lourenne, who confiscated his cigarettes because they claimed he planned to sell them and put him on a plane that sent him to Hawu Mumenhes, of all places, just to be d--ks.

That kind of sh-t is typical of Lourenne.  So, I'm going to be non-diplomatically correct for a second here.  F--k Lourenne.  They like to f--kin needle us because they think they're the top dog in the area.  Well, ils peuvent aller baiser leurs mères.

Excuse my Canrillaise."

The Canrillaise used by the Premier at the end of his address is not translatable in this paper.  The Premier finished his speech with the briefest of apologies to the President of the Republic and the Foreign Minister, "for makin y'alls lives harder.  But not really."

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ODEN-Kalistan's Georgia Tass Ain't Playing
Director of Drug Cartel announces plans for expansion into Lourenne
Kaliburg, Ananto
May 3, 4427


ODEN-Kalistan's new plan to supply Lourenne with hard drugs announced by Tass

"No, We have no problem selling drugs to the Lourennaise,"  said Georgia Tass, the long serving director of Kalistan's subsidiary branch of the Organization of Drug Exporting Nations.  "This is something that Lourennaise and Kalistanis can bond over:  Our mutual love and respect for hard drugs."

Whether the Government in Eroncourt wants it or not, ODEN will begin shipping "large amounts" of marijuana, cocaine, heroin and LSD and other drugs produced and exported by ODEN to Lourenne beginning in July of this year.  This is the word from the Director of ODEN Kalistan.  "Look:  They cannot buy cigarettes in Lourenne.  I understand.  The people are looking for an outlet from the oppressive nature of existence under an imperialist government.  We are in a great location to begin supplying that demand.  They want drugs, or soon will want drugs, and we got drugs. It's a match made in Xanadu."

The declaration came with an announcement of an across the board 75% cut in price for drugs to Lourenne's market specifically, while elsewhere, prices will increase slightly.  "The international price increase will only be felt by large importers, but smalltime guys will see a price increase of just 1 or 2 percent.  Naturally, this price increase will also not be felt in other ODEN countries where we do not compete with their local markets, but as the supply mechanisms are not yet in place, the price increases are a moot point in Telamon and Sekowo at any rate.  While ODEN sets up subsidiary branches, those countries will not experience any disruption in supply or price stability."

The goal, said Tass is to get Lourennaise citizens accustomed to cheap Kalistani Drugs.  "We read in their paper that Kalistan is opposed to trading with powerful nations.  This characterization of our foreign policy is used by Lourenne to justify a virtual embargo on air travel to Kalistan.  Well, I want to do my part, here at ODEN to show them just how open Kalistan is to trade, especially export of our beautiful National Product, to the fine people of the Canrillaise Federation.  I have seen the country.  It is very pretty.  I imagine it will be a lot prettier on 5 doses of L and a dubsack of Dah Delta's finest Herb.  I am just hoping that these drugs help the people appreciate peace and find joy in their oppressive ultra-capitalist grind."

One commodity Kalistan will not be exporting to Lourenne is tobacco.  "We keep our tobacco in Kalistan to supply the local demand and that's really it.  Tobacco sales in Lourenne are illegal, and while we don't necessarily care much for Lourennaise law, being Kalistani, we definitely want to observe this one, as it was the one thing protected, ridiculously by the Lourennaise Government, which prevented them from hosting the GanJam back in '23.  They must have a special affinity for tobacco prohibition, and so, we won't step on their wishes with regard to that substance.  Kalistanis will light a cigarette in honor of all the Lourennaise people who are not allowed to."

Tass reports that drug importers from Lourenne are already arriving in Kaliburg in anticipation of the incredibly inexpensive bonanza.  "It's true.  But we have also been getting smugglers from other places like New Endralon and over from Keymon, who want to get in on the cheap prices, so we have been requiring a Lourennaise Passport from importers.  If they are found without the proper papers, they must go through the normal process.  We welcome all Lourennaise to Kaliburg, and will send them home with as many kilograms as they care to buy."

Lourennaise discounts will not affect prices in Kalistan which are heavily subsidized by the Government.

The lower prices are expected to last indefinitely.

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NLA Announces Presidential Nominee
Former engineer Adrian Maslow to run
Kaliburg, Ananto
August 21, 4427


Dr. Adrian Maslow (62) is backed by the New Liberals and Socialists

At a press conference in Kaliburg, the New Liberal Alliance announced the nomination of Dr. Adrian Maslow to the Republic's highest office. Supported by the NLA and SPoK, Dr. Maslow, a former civil engineer and now physics and political education teacher, is widely expected to be elected in the December election.

Dr. Adrian Maslow, a third generation Kalistani descended from Trigunian immigrants, saw his nomination as a "new chapter" for party co-operation and for the Presidency. "Regardless of who's in power, I can offer my experience and independent perspective. I look forward to hitting the campaign trail and making my case."

Answering questions about the nomination of the registered independent, NLA Leader Zandra Arnold, widely expected to be the party's Premier-candidate, denied that there was a "underhand deal" behind the arrangement between the two parties. "It is a Kalistani tradition that the two highest offices are not held by the same party, and while this isn't always possible because of the unpredictability of elections, the NLA was happy to nominate a candidate both parties could work with. We will still seek to form a strong opposition to a likely Socialist government in December, and the Presidential race won't change this."

The Republic, however, understands that not all NLA figures are pleased with the arrangement. An NLA figure, not wishing to announce his identity, explained to the Republic "The plan was always that the NLA would run its own campaign, with a proper NLA member as the nominee. This deal could undermine our party's argument at a very critical time, and cause a huge party dispute if somebody like Dr. Maslow is nominated for a second term."

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Premier of the Republic Discusses ODEN activity
"We are not drug smugglers"
Kaliburg, Ananto
August 15, 4427


Premier of the Republic Al-Khali sits down with The Republic to discuss the Lourenne tensions

We recently conducted an interview with the Premier of the Republic, Abdulaziz al-Khali, and asked him to help us get a handle on the issues between Kalistan and Lourenne.  Reporter Sandra Jensen filed this transcript with the paper

[The Kalistani Republic's] S[andra] J[ensen]:  Premier Al-Khali, welcome to the The Republic.

[Premier of the Republic] A[bdulaziz] A[l-Khali]:  Alright.

SJ:  Let's get right to the point. Recently, in the Lourenne Quotidien, the Government of Lourenne says it has banned all drug use except cannabis.  It has claimed that it will search Kalistani ships on the high seas, that it will turn all Kalistani aircraft back at their airports.  It has basically locked down its country, in fear of Kalistani drug imports.  All of this is because [ODEN-Kalistan Chief] Comrade Tass declared a price reduction for ODEN sales to Lourenne distributors.  How does your Government respond?

AA:  Well, see I'm glad you asked me.  I mean:  I knew this interview would be about that, but that's what you're supposed to say, right?

SJ:  Yes.

AA:  Well, I'm glad you asked me.  We read a lot about Lourenne in the papers these days, but I suspect that their government doesn't quite understand what's going on in the Anantonese Ocean.

SJ:  How do you mean.

AA:  For example:  Searching Kalistani ships is a violation of free trade, and Kalistan practices reciprocal trade.  What they do to us, we do to them.  It reminds me of the Ananto Strait crisis which happened when I was a younger man.  Right?  We stop ships, they get pissed off, we fire on ships that ignore our orders, they fire at us, and a war starts.  Stopping ships on the high seas is a good way to start a war.  I don't think the Lourenne Government remembers this.  Though they should.  The same old bastards that were so hot under the collar about Kalistan stopping commercial vessels are the ones who are now doing precisely the thing that they went to war over.  And you know that if Kalistani ships are to be targets of their patrols, we will stop all ships flying Lourenne flags and search them for contraband, namely anything that Lourenne is carrying which we don't want to import.  We will do to them precisely what they will do to us.  And unlike last time, we have a navy now that will not hesitate to sink any vessel that defies our orders to stop.  If Lourenne wants to lose its merchant marine beneath the waves of the Anantonese Ocean we are perfectly happy, and capable to oblige:  All they have to do is keep ------- with Kalistani ships.  Oops:  I promised I wasn't going to cuss.  Just bleep that out...

SJ:  But what about drugs?

AA:  What about them? 

SJ:  They are looking for illegal drug imports.

AA:  Which drugs are illegal to import into Lourenne, today?

SJ:  They say every drug but cannabis.

AA:  Read their law.  The matter is still under consideration in their Legislature.  They haven't banned anything, and that law won't pass until January.  So people are still free to use whatever drugs they want for four more months.  So they are stopping our real ships and rerouting our imaginary planes that we don't fly to them because their airline is boycotting our country, to search for contraband that is still legal in their country.  Honestly, if that isn't the act of a petty dictatorship, I don't know what is.

SJ:  How does Kalistan plan to combat drug smuggling from Kalistan when their law DOES go into effect?

AA:  Well, that's not our problem.

SJ:  How so, Comrade Premier?

AA:  Kalistan does not smuggle drugs.

SJ:  In the Lourenne Quotidien, the government very specifically accuses Kalistan of smuggling drugs.

AA:  That's propaganda.  Kalistan does not smuggle drugs.  We sell drugs to drug smugglers, but those smugglers do the work.  We do not carry contraband on any of our vessels.  If you re-read Comrade Tass' statement, you will note that the policy of ODEN, which, according to the treaty is an entity entirely separate from the Government of Kalistan, with the exception of our drug subsidies and their oversight of Kalistani Drug Policy, has merely chosen to lower prices on all drug sales specifically to Lourenne.  But they buy the drugs here, where it is completely legal to do so.  What they do with them after that is not our business.  We are a member of the Organization of Drug EXPORTING nations.  Lourenne, and every other non-ODEN nation, with the de facto exception of Selucia because they took the time to specify that in their negotiations with us under the old Trilateral Treaty, is a default member of the "Organization of Drug IMPORTING Nations."  We are not in charge of Lourenne's drug policy, but Kalistan does not carry illegal materials into other countries.  The people they are looking for are Lourenne smugglers, or whoever else does the smuggling.  Those people merely buy the materials here, and we are not prejudiced with regard to who we sell to.

SJ:  That seems to be splitting hairs, don't you agree.

AA:  No, I do not agree.  It's not our job to enforce another country's stupid and shortsighted policy.  For decades now, the Lourenne paper has been smearing our country with lies and propaganda.  We tried to be friendly with them, and they instead shoved destroyers down our throat, along with bogus claims that they are in control of the entire Anantonese Ocean.  It is the typical nonsense of self-important tinpot dictators and brute imperialists.  We don't recognize their authority over any aspect of Kalistani policy, but as a courtesy, we do not export contraband.  That is a Kalistani policy. 

And while we're on the subject:  It is kind of stupid that they AREN'T members of ODEN if they are so worried about drug smuggling from Kalistan. In the Treaty, Article 5 of the Treaty explicitly states that "Nor will subsidiary branches export ODEN products to other signatory states where ODEN exports compete in any way with domestic ODEN products."  If they were in ODEN, they could pass the law which says Herb only is legal, and ODEN Kalistan would be barred by Treaty from selling Lourenne purchasers anything that ODEN-Lourenne did not want, as that would be prohibited competition with their market.  But they are not members of ODEN, so ODEN-Kalistan is not hamstrung in anyway from making whatever decisions they want about whether or not to sell to Lourenne importers and at what price, and the Government of Kalistan does not play a role in that decision.  Ironic?  Naw:  just dumb.

SJ:  So, what is the way forward?

AA:  Well, as long as they are stopping Kalistani ships on the high seas, even ships which aren't going to Lourenne, we will also.  So they will need to divert a significant sum of resources away from their precious war effort in Dovani, won't they?  I suppose that is better for the people of Dovani, to make it more difficult for Lourenne to imperialize part of that continent.  We'll do that for them. 

They are locking their country down and restricting travel.  That's on them.  Kalistan doesn't:  But we just don't have any direct flights to Lourenne anyway.  That became a policy last year when they announced that they will not fly their planes to Kalistan.  It's their choice, so I'm sure their air traffic controllers probably rolled their eyes when the fanatics in the Lourenne Government announced their policy.

Reduced trade with Lourenne means nothing really.  It has been incredibly limited since the end of the Ananto Strait crisis, because they refused to treat with us and make a trade deal.  I don't think either of our economies will take much of a hit there.

Their media will continue to run around with their hair on fire.  That is what they do best, I suppose, so this doesn't affect that.  Their reports that 92% of the country supports any actions of the government seems kind of sketchy:  Even in one-Party rule in Kalistan, we were hard pressed to find 50% of the population who supported anything the Government did, with the exception of our conduct of foreign policy, which was pretty widely supported, at the time.

And The President of the Republic has announced that there will be no additional naval activity in the North Anantonese Ocean from the Kalistani Navy.  We have our own business to attend to.  Now that might change after the coming election, but for now, it is what it is.

Patrol crafts will turn back all Lourenne ships which approach our harbors, effectively acknowledging their blockade.  But if they harass a single Kalistani Ship on the high seas, the Regular Navy has been authorized to fire on any pirates from Lourenne who are attempting to interdict our ship, its cargo, or any of its crew.  So we will advise all Kalistani shipping to stay well away from Lourenne's waters for the time being, and trade instead at neutral ports, so that we can make it clear that if Lourenne does feel bold enough to stop our shipping on the high seas, we will be entirely justified in sinking their pirating vessels.

SJ:  Well, thank you for your time, Comrade Premier, I am sure you are a very busy man.

AA:  Not really.  Lourenne is a new comer to power.  Kalistan has exercised it for thousands of years.  The Socialist Party has seen these sorts of things happen many many times before.  We believe that Lourenne will eventually come to its senses, after they get tired of alienating, threatening and attacking their neighbors.  And the SP will still be here.  We always have time to deal with petty dictators and to talk to the Kalistani Press, which is the best in the entire world, I might add.

SJ:  Thank you.

AA:  No, thank you.  Peace.

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reprinted from
IZQUIERDA-  The Voice of the Kalistani Left
RSMoK units begin training at Bozo River CATC
Mission is, at present, uncertain
Bozoville, Ananto
December 15, 4427

Party leaders have announced that the RSMoK have begun training at Bozo River CATC last month.  Militia spokespeople are tight-lipped with regard to their training objectives, but IZQUIERDA was give exclusive access to their regimen at Bozo River, Terra's premier state of the art maneuver area.  Our embedded reporter, Quame Gilbert filed the following journal.

Life with the Militia
by Quame Gilbert
Bozo River CATC
December 1, 4427

The Militia always trains hard.  I was embedded with the Militia Sierra Battery, 3rd Battalion, Ananto Regiment for two weeks, in mid November.  Our CO was Lieutennant Henry Erickson, and I was assigned to Ops Chief Sgt. Michelle Torres.


The FDC of S Btry 3/An pose for a picture during a couple minutes of "Check Fire" on CATC

Torres:  Well, what we got was that this business with Lourenne was heating up.  I'm not exactly privy to the overall strategic mission, but as far as I can tell, we've been doing a lot of mountain warfare, quick insertion/extraction stuff, and night ops.  We've also done a lot of position reinforcement and firebase construction operations.  If I didn't know better, I'd say they were getting ready to send us somewhere.  This isn't the kind of regular homeland defense drills we usually run.  These are fast hit move hit move quick quick double quick stuff.  And I don't mind saying, my guns are the fastest on this range.  We can get our guns airlifted from Pos A to Pos Q, delivered, laid and accurately fired in less than a half hour start to finish, and 26.5 minutes of that time is transit time.  It really helps to have chopper move these guns instead of trucks:  no terrain effects to slow us down, you know.

Erickson:  The top guys have us in the field all the time, for all sorts of things.  I wouldn't worry about it much.  Most of these cannon cockers don't even know what a Statrica is.  I understand that parts of it are a lot like Ananto.  I suppose we're just being prepared.

Comments like these caused wonder among the Militia Artillerymen, who spend their time training constantly, honing their skills, and undergoing a spartan lifestyle even when in Garrison.

Torres:  I think we are as professionalized, at this point, as the Regular Forces.  There has been a real effort to standardize things.  But I think we have a harder life:  They get to live in barracks.  We live in the dirt for 8 months out of the year.  We eat a lot of grit.  We live in tents or sometimes not.  Whatever.  Its a job like any other job:  Some people make steel, some people work in finance, I fire artillery, and I am damned good at what I do.  Better than just about anyone in the entire world.

It is true that deprivation is the name of the game for these socialist fanatics.  When they are not in the field, or making a virtually invisible camp among the weeds, or destroying "communist rocks", as Torres puts it, they receive weekly political education classes, where artillerymen and women philosophize over topics ranging from the necessity of public sanitation to the difference between means-testing and universalized social spending.

Erickson:  Your are correct that these men and women come from every walk of life.  Here in the Ananto Regiment, we have trained medical doctors, we have former tool-and-die mechanics, we have a professional photographer, we have two former television hosts, five former prostitutes, and three former clergy men.  More than 70 percent of our unit are practicing Brethren, and that's pretty reflective of the Militia as a whole.  About 12 percent are gay or lesbian.  (He shrugs)  I mean, if these guys took a bath, and shaved once in a while, and put on some civilian attire, and then went to any club in Kaliburg, you wouldn't think there was anything odd about them at all.

Gun 4 from S Brty, 3/An, firing in the Combined Arms Exercise in Northern CATC

On my 12th day in the Field, we finally arrived at a position overlooking the Beach.  Out at sea were several packs of LAFA, along with three Corvettes of the Regular Navy.

Erickson:  Today we are going to practice amphibious landing.  The Coordinated Doctrine has the Militia serving as shock troops, landing first, pushing our adversaries off the beach so we can set up a small breech, then, once the Regular Marines land and take over for us they'll build the permanent beachhead to begin landing the Regular forces while we will move inland in close contact with the enemy the whole time.  So we are practicing today the maneuver.  The best part about this is:  Artillery does not swim.  We never get our feet wet.  We are not ducks, as they say.  But:  unlike the Regular Artillery we DO hike.  The rotor wings come and get the guns, and if they can give us a ride, they do, but if not, well, we hoof it to the next pos.  So we spend part of our time, like all Militia, as guerrilla infantrymen, and we fight as with just our SAR15 when we leave our guns behind.  All militia does this.

The combined arms exercise went off as planned.  The Battery simulated insertion, the guns were brought in by air, and the battery was up and running three and a half minutes after the first trail touched the soil in Ananto's remote northeastern coast.  Forward observers were already emplaced frantically calling coordinates to the Battery, and then calling coordinates to the vessels offshore, who were firing over head.  I was consigned to the FDC (Fire Direction Center) on the Beach, while the Guns fired from the cliffs above.

Torres:  Friendly fire is always a concern, but FDC is the safest place in the Position.  The guns are about a hundred Meters ahead of us, the CO and XO camp just over there about 50 meters, and comm is on the other side over there .  But If the enemy gets to the FDC, the rest of the battery is already toast.  Which is why we carry this little baby (she points to a M2 .50cal fully automatic machine gun).  In terms of guns to men, the FDC is the most heavily armed section in the entire militia.  And our job is to protect the crypto. 

The firing went on all night.  About 3 am, the CO came into the FDC and informed us that, when we get some time, we should look out to sea and watch the sea battles that were playing out just off shore.

Erickson:  While we are firing here, the Militia is practicing capture and destruction of commercial vehicles.  This business with Lourenne has got us all on high alert, and if we need to start boarding their vessels because they are doing that to us, the militia needs to be ready. 

After watching for a half hour and hearing tiny reports of distant gun fire over the incoming tide, there was suddenly a bright explosion on the horizon.  The radio reported "RS Dummy 5 drowned."  Erickson smiled and nodded his head.

Erickson:  It was a dummy cargo ship packed with old ordinance that EOD needed to get rid of, so they put on the demo for us tonight while we were firing.  The LAFAs blew that boat to smithereens.  The guns got a better show than us, though.  I should have had you go up there.

Over all, the two weeks I spent with the Militia was very enlightening and quite an experience.  I do not think I could personally make the militia a full time job.  There is almost never enough food (something the militia take pride in:  Some days, they subsist on three crackers and two gallons of water.  Torres says that this teaches them to survive in a situation where they could actually go without food for days, if necessary.)  Even though it was not cold, the late November climate in northern Ananto is still cool and rainy, so I never really felt dry.  But on the other hand, the experience of seeing one of the World's premier partisan forces in action was really something I will never forget.  As I ended my "tour of duty", the Ops Chief approached me one final time:

Torres:  Hey everyone, look!  The Pogue survived!  (to me)  I always knew you had it in you.  If you want to sign up and come back out with us as a real gunrock, I know a good recruiter who will hook you up in Kaliburg.  We'll put you on the gun line.

She said with a good-natured smile. 


My initiation as a "gunrock"

My last act was to fire one of the guns.  I went to the gunline, pulled the lanyard, picked up the still red hot brass primer casing and bit it with my teeth, fulfilling the tradition of artillerymen around the world.  The Gunners made me feel very proud of my initiation, and I was glad to have gotten to join with them for two weeks in November.

[Doc]

OOC:

Revolutionary Socialist Militia of Kalistan to launch limited, last minute intervention into Statrica.

Working this out with Lourenne, the RSMoK will drop three batteries (18 guns) and two Battalions of light infantry (400 grunts) into Statrica as a rearguard force, not necessarily meant to intervene on behalf of the DU, but just to sting Lourenne.  This intervention will not change the outcome of the invasion.  RSMoK expects to lose between 70 and 80 percent.  As I was mentioning to @Luis1p, it is more like a "Che Goes to Bolivia" move, where the Guerrillas can't seem to get much together, until they finally run out of supplies, get sick and are crushed by the people who didn't know they were there until the Guerrillas were on their last legs.

Kalistan proper does not acknowledge the intervention.

IC:

The Statrican DiariesDay 2

The Guns were dropped off last night, along with the rest of the Infantry.  I put most of the infantry to bed, but set the first watch.  Soon we will begin patrols, circling out from the firebase, trying to make contact with DU elements and the local population.  We expect our arrival here will go entirely without notice, at least for the time being, but that won't last long.  I'll keep our pickets out at 5 clicks, and keep the FOs out at 7:  there's a nice set of hills north of here that look over into the roads leading between Statrican cities here in the North and Lourenne beyond the frontier.  If the Lourenne flies fall into the web, the FOs have gotta know first, and then they have to get out of there, so they'll fall back to the pickets and then come back to the base. 

It's really hard to believe how far things have gone, how far I've come.  To think:  Just over fifteen years ago, I was in Lourenne.  We were talking peace.  And now I'm in just a couple hundred miles south of there, in the countryside, living off the land as the Political Officer of the Militia's expeditionary unit.  Its true, the Party didn't even let the new President know we were leaving.  I ought to pissed.  I would have wanted it different if it were me.  But it isn't...  anymore.

Surely the Party knows this is a hopeless affair:  Statrica is almost entirely overrun.  I should be happy.  They kept their sh-t together this long.  But this has the feeling of being "too little, too late."  The goal is not to turn back the tide.  Lourenne and their imperialist friends have more or less won.  But The Party wants to make it costly.

It's significantly warmer here than in Ananto.  And a lot dryer.  And a lot more sparsely populated.  But our morale is excellent, all of our guns have arrived, our troops are in place, and tomorrow, we begin the conditioning.

I miss Kaliburg already.  It has been my home for ten years, but now, I have a new job for the Republic.  I won't fail.

[Doc]

The Statrica Diaries
Day 17

We got a tip from a local villager that Lourenne would be coming across Bridge 7, some 12 miles north of the fire base.  Bridge 7, the Pont d' La Maison, is a bridge which spans a large gorge, under which flows the Rivière Maison more than 600 feet below.  The Bridge is a major chokepoint in the artery that ties the Northern frontier to the points south in these parts.  There were ways around, of course, but this was the most direct route.  So destroying it would be a setback for Lourenne, who has been flooding troops into Statrica through this corridor.  Captain Guerra immediately put the artillery on the Bridge.  The fire missions began at precisely 20:22 last night.

To our chagrin, the advancing column halted just before the Bridge, while the firing had begun.  The Bridge was destroyed right in front of the Lourennaise forces, but the FOs reported the Vanguard remained untouched by the fire.  We attemtped to adjust fire, but the Lourennaise column had scattered and our rounds fell ineffectively.  Which of course gave away the position of the firebase and alerted them to the presence of a new force in Statrica.  My job was to get those forward observers out of their positions.  I immediately called over on the encrypted radio "Redbird."  And before I replaced the mic on the handle, I knew the FOs were on their way back.

Following the firemissions, Comrades Guerra called me, Machado, and Filbert together in the Command hut.  "Comrades." I started.  "They know we are here now.  I'd hoped that we could hold off long enough to at least expend our ammo."

"Tanya," Guerra said.  "You could have kept the FOs out and we could have dumpexed on the stalled Lourenners.  I disagree with your call to pull them in."

I nodded and asked the other two what they thought.  "Well, Tanya," Filbert began.  "You're in command here..."

"No, Comrade," Guerra said. "She is just the Commissar, and she is only in charge of strategy and political affairs.  She is not in command.  I'm the Commanding officer of this operation."

I was worried that the Guerra and Filbert were going to come to blows.  "Comrades.  Guerra is right, She is in command, and I am just the Commissar."

"But you're the..."  Filbert began.  I cut him short.  "No longer, Comrade.  I am just a simple political officer.  Let's look at this situation tactically.  I called those FOs off because our strategic situation is about to change.  We could have hit those troops, but you bet the FOs would have been hit by fast movers coming in just now.  They'll scout the surrounding hills, and then they'll widen their scan.  We need to be gone by the time they get here."

"If I may,"  Machado spoke up.  "I would suggest that Tanya is correct.  We're about to become grunts.  The sooner that we get those guns dismantled, the quicker we get out of here.  The FO's will be back in 4 hours.  I suggest we also call the pickets in and get on the move."

Machado was my pick.  I don't have to say are not our real names:  If this book is ever published, I'll reveal the identities of the protagonists, but at any rate, Machado had trained me while I was finishing up with the State.  Machado always had my back.  I liked him.  Guerra, the CO of the unit, not so much.  She was an old LAFA commander from the Ananto Straits Conflict and was more than salty.  She resented my pick as political officer.  She said "Tonya has no experience.  She'll f--k everything up."  She also didn't like that, as commissar, I was put in the billet of co-commander:  I did strategy, she did tactics.  It was the only way he would come along, but the Militia would not send anyone but me.

Filbert was an enigma, but this time he agreed with Machado.  Guerra, realizing she was outvoted, gave in.  "Fine.  Filbert, put the men to breaking down the guns, and soldiering them shut.  We need to be on the road as soon as the FOs and the pickets get in."  She paused.  "I can't believe those f--cking Canrilaise paused at the bridge head...  What a waste."

Filbert looked up.  "Captain, it was impossible to know that.  I think we made the right call."  That was cold comfort for Guerra.

I left the command hut, and went out to inform the guns to begin soldering the cannons and dismantling them.  Guerra gave the order to smash the crypto.  We'd be all voice from here on out.  Less than 3 weeks in country...

[Doc]

The Statrican Diaries
Day 31

Our new base was finished this week.  Since losing the firebase, we've been on the go, and we've moved much deeper into the hills than we expected we would.

On the march to our new position, we came across several villages.  We explained who we were and what we were doing:  I of course did the talking and introduced myself as "Tanya", though I had the distinct feeling that at least a couple of the peasants were literate enough to recognize me, maybe from old pictures or something.  At any rate, at some length, we acquired food and supplies, though the peasants in these parts were very apprehensive about selling us much.  It seems that they are expecting the war to arrive at any moment, and are holding on to what little they had.  And of course, the Statrican currency we had on us, this weird, purple scrip, was never enough to acquire what we do need. 

With the approval of the other commanders, I've dispatched three dependable Comrades, Ivan, George and Sylvia, to the Capital City to try to get some more supplies.  They've been gone for three days, but I imagine that things are tense around the capital. 

In addition, we've asked them to secure a meeting with the Statrican Socialist Party, one of the little nascent political movements in Statrica.  Shabazz was supposed to secure this before we left, but we've received no word from him.

We are coming up on the rainy season here in Statrica, which means that many of the roads in this part, if you can call them that, will quickly become impassable.  It will mean we will also live in mud.  Not much different, I suppose from back in Ananto during this time of year, but, this place is...  well, lets say, it lacks the charms of home.

I secretly long to return home and play music.  We allow the militias a very limited amount of music during the day:  At night the sound travels for miles, and will give away our camp site quickly.  Strict light discipline, strict noise discipline.  Guerra only allows the Militia to smoke one day a week, and as for ODEN stuff, that's gone now.

Its really quite austere here, but for now, we are sitting in a well defended place, and at least have covered fighting positions which will keep us shielded from the relentless sun and Lourenne over flights.  Morale seems high, though perhaps there is a few grumblings about home and chow...  Same complaints all militia have all the time.  At least we have cards to keep us occupied.

We engaged the Louis again two days ago.  The rearguard of F platoon phoned in and let us know that that a platoon was coming up the road behind the patrol.  Guerra ordered the rearguard to form a quick ambush and then catch up with rest.  They did, and destroyed one five-ton.  The rearguard counted six Louis casualties.  But in return fire, Louis mortally wounded three of the Rear guard who had to drag them the twenty miles back to camp.  They all three died yesterday.  Louis, meanwhile, turned around and headed back.  Our guys weren't spotted, laying low until it was sure that Louis was out of the area, and treating the wounded.

Such a result is becoming a little too common.  3 guys here, 5 a few days ago.  Quinella Platoon, 3co was encircled and lost 7.  Our guys had to strip them to keep Louis from finding anything on them. From now on, we go as Statricans, and we carry no identifying information on us.  So if Louis kills our men, which they seem rather adept at doing, at least they are not able to determine where we're from.  We've had far too many close calls.

Now, if only these hardheaded conservative peasants would get on board.  They are a little too close to the Canrillaise, perhaps...  when you ask them to do something, they say they will and then take their sweet time about it, hoping you will forget that you asked.  Its a good thing we aren't here for them:  If we had to defend this country for the people who lived here, the entire column would be demoralized entirely.

Tomorrow, Guerra, Filbert and Machado will join me in splitting the Column.  I'm thinking threes, but It will be hard to maintain communication with three columns.

[Doc]

The Statrica Diaries
Day 47

More setbacks.

The Statrican socialists have failed to come through.  The three we sent to the capital were unable to convince even a representative to come back with them.  They had indeed received Shabazz's telegram, but had failed to heed it.  After all the Party has done for them, and their response was:  "It is too dangerous to make contact with Tonya now, perhaps when the rainy season ends."  We'll be waiting for 3 more months now before they'll even send a representative out to see us.  What an utter disappointment.

With their refusal, I should say, recalcitrance, has come a hand written message from Comrade Jean-Michel:  "Guerrilla warfare is not the Statrican way."  Well, that is painfully obvious.  It is said we must be to the people as a fish is to water, but so far the only people we have come across out here on these rocks is the occasional herder.  In the valleys about a dozen or so miles from here you can find a village, but under no circumstances can we fool the people there any longer.  We are obviously not Statrican, our Canrillaise lets the people know we are not Lourennaise.  Its clear that most of the people haven't worked out yet where we are from, but rumors are swirling around about hundreds of "les étrangers" in the hills.  If Louis are seen anywhere near the village, our goose will be cooked.

Moral seems low.  The militia itches for something to do, but for a while now, this zone has been quiet, as most of the fighting is taking place to our south.  We hit two small patrols last week:  One was Louis, and we killed one man, but didn't capture any of their weaponry, so the action was almost a complete loss of ammunition, and another seemed to be Statrican National guardsmen who are busy defecting.  They put up a much more determined fight than the Louis, for sure.  The ambush heard them shout, in broken Canrillaise, "We're with you, you morons.  We're coming out to surrender."  By the time the firefight was over, 14 National guardsmen surrendered to Gomez' squad of the 2nd Pt. 3rd Co. 

When they found out that Gomez and his men didn't want them to surrender, the Guards were flummoxed.  Gomez explained to them that they shouldn't surrender to Louis, because those imperialists were there to colonize their country, and it ended up turning into a shouting match.  The Lieutennant in charge of the Guards pulled out his side arm and aimed it at Gomez.  Willie shot him through the head, and then asked any of the other Statrican Guards if they wanted to surrender.  All 13 of them said no, and were stripped of their weapons, and sent back to their post.  That was a bit of a bonanza, and we not only acquired 14 rifles and 3 pistols, but more than 750 rounds of ammunition and a Statrican code book.

But most of the time, the guys sit in their covered fighting holes and play cars.  I'm trying to get Guerra to send them out on more Patrols, but his answer is "Not while its raining."  Never while its raining.  Its always raining it seems.  Its rained for a week and a half.

The trail to the camp from the latrine facilities has turned into something of a stream, due to the near saturation of the ground.  If it gets much worse, and we have to hike through a river to use the bathroom, we may have to move the facilities.

With rain comes mosquitoes.

Yesterday, We finally got word from Filbert's column.  They had received heavy fire and had suffered significant casualties as they made their way south toward the Statrican Free Territories between Louis Controlled Statrica, and the parts held by Talmoria.  Filbert said something like one in 15 were dead or wounded, and he had to create a platoon just to get the wounded off the field.    Machado had fared a bit better as he made his way inland, to open up an eastern front.  But we have yet to have an update from the Old Man.

I wish I had gone with Machado.  Guerra only contradicts me in front of the troops.  It is embarrassing, and I am of half a mind to relieve her.  But what would that do for morale?

I miss Kalistan.  I'll send a message to Kalistan tomorrow via Donaldson.  Hopefully, they will actually commit to sending more Rubles and more men.  Nearly two months in, and we seem to be in a holding pattern.  If Guerra runs me down again, I'll relieve her, and we'll start making plans to move off this wretched mountain.