Lodamun

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Although its membership within the Anantonese Empire has been officially severed and the nation is now back to its pre-Anantonese independence, it does not, according to President George Menkyn, spell the end to Lodamun’s relationship with the Empire of Kalistan and Ananto. In the President’s first visit, both since being elected and since Lodamun parted ways with the Anantonese Empire, he is expected to visit Kaliburg to ‘reaffirm’ Lodamun’s relationship with Kalistan, albeit under new circumstances. Since the ‘separation’, Whitehall has not conclusively addressed the circumstances surrounding Lodamun’s new trajectory without the guidance of the Anantonese Empire, nor has it articulated its policy towards Kalistan and Gaduridos. Whitehall Press Secretary Andrew Medfield, in subsequent press conference noted that the administration had been managing Lodamun’s transition back towards a fully independent state, unattached from the Anantonese Empire and that an address speaking to the government’s new policy towards its former ‘sovereign’, would have likely came following subsequent meetings with the nation’s Governors and the Federal Cabinet.

 At a substantive press conference held at Whitehall earlier this morning and prior to his departure for Kaliburg, President Menkyn proclaimed that although Lodamun’s political, economic and security proximity to Kalistan had changed, it did not mean that there would be a fundamental transformation or about-turn on the two nations’ decades-long relationship. “I think it is important to underscore that although we are no longer a member of the Anantonese Empire as it stands and although the proximity we have maintained to matters within the Anantonese Empire, including those political, economic and security issues has changed, it does not mean that we are going to simply sever our decades-long relationship with Kalistan,” President Menkyn said. “In fact, I believe that it is time that we double down on our relationship with Kalistan; a decision which I know is to the chagrin of many actors external to this region,” he added.

President Menkyn confirmed that Merchant-General Hank Wexler is set to smooth out the terms of Lodamun’s trade relationship with Kalistan, such that there is ‘seamless continuity’. He noted that he was not interested in the discussions aimed at limiting trade between the two nations as a consequence of Lodamun no longer being party to the Articles of Empire, pointing to the fact that both nations have directly benefited from seamless trade between eachother for the better part of fifty (50) years. “Merchant-General [Hank] Wexler will accompany me on this trip to Kaliburg as he kicks off his international tour, which forms the basis of our new foreign policy initiative. Seamless commerce between our two nations benefits our two nations, and I for one will not be advocating for erecting obstacles in that regard,” Menkyn said. A new fair trading agreement between the two nations would ultimately have to be negotiated alongside MoUs signed, which would allow for a quasi-continuity of the free movement of people, goods and services between Lodamun and Kalistan. 

Secretary of Commerce and Industry, Robert Ellison, stated that it was imperative that the linkages established underneath the Anantonese Empire, with respect to trade and commerce, continue into the foreseeable future. “Ensuring that persons can continue to move between our two nations freely, whether it be for work or leisure. That qualification can continue to be carried over and thus recognised in Lodamun, such that a citizen of Kalistan will experience an ease of doing business should they choose to work in Lodamun and vice versa,” Secretary Ellison explained. The Trans Seleyan Railroad connection between Lodamun and Kalistan will remain open with no new restrictions on cross-border traffic. This is a continuation of the dynamic which had existed under the Anantonese Empire and stark contrast to what exists between Lodamun and Likatonia, wherein the hard border between the two states necessitates that trains between the two states be boarded, searched, and identification varied between transitions through the border.

Dr James Forrester, former Administrator-General (a position which is now defunct), has been named Lodamun’s Ambassador to the Anantonese Empire and will accompany President Menkyn, MG Wexler and Secretary Ellison on their trip to Kaliburg. “I think, given how sudden this shift was, it will be very interesting to manage that transition. I wholeheartedly agree with President Menkyn that although we [Lodamun] have parted ways with the Anantonese Empire, it did not mean that the decades of friendship we’ve enjoyed would suddenly vanish overnight and that we would somehow maintain an air of animosity towards our former ‘liege’ if you may. I’ve fallen in love with Kaliburg and the people of Kalistan, and I am humbled to have been appointed as our nation’s ambassador, where I can continue, albeit in a different capacity, to advocate for Lodamun’s interest in the AE,” Dr Forrester explained. 

Secretary of the Treasury, Dr James Woodall, stated that the administration would soon articulate its new economic policy aimed at both steering the Lodamese economy into new areas of focus alongside calming the domestic markets whilst in transition. “It is our intention to introduce a spending package which will refocus significant investment into key areas of our economy which have been impacted by this split, alongside venturing into new areas of focus and double down on those projects which we believe additional emphasis ought to receive additional emphasis,” Dr Woodall explained. He noted that the Lodamese economy would ultimately weather the separation primarily as a result of the agreement to be signed by President Menkyn in Kaliburg and the fact that the Lodamese Government had not been a historic benefactor of capital investment from the Anantonese Empire, especially when compared to Gaduridos.

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In his first major/headline address on the economy, President George Menkyn flanked by members of his economic team, including Secretary of the Treasury Dr James Woodall, Secretary of Commerce and Industry Robert Ellison and President of the Economic Advisory Committee Dr Cynthia Browning, proclaimed a new era of economic investment as he pledged some 1.2 trillion LOD, over the next fifteen (15) years to address what he turned “serious issues” in the national economy. President Menkyn supposedly broke from the precedent set by many of his predecessors when he sought to address the nation’s foreign/external policy concerns before the administration could articulate its domestic economic policy. He noted that the extraordinary circumstances of the times, namely Lodamun’s withdrawal from the Anantonese Empire and the series of geopolitical challenges throughout the world necessitated that the administration articulate its external, outward-facing policy before matters related to the domestic economy could be addressed in full. “I can understand the confusion that might have caused among the Lodamese people and I’d like to say that it was imperative that we addressed the numerous ‘holes’ in our foreign policy, if you may, before we sought to speak to our broader ambitions from the Lodamese economy,” President Menkyn explained. 

The announcement, although supposedly part of the administration’s economic program, is ultimately set against the backdrop of Lodamun’s withdrawal/split from the Anantonese Empire and the economic fallout which followed. Having enjoyed economic stability under the Anantonese Empire for the better part of fifty years, Lodamun’s withdrawal and the subsequent disruption to the once-seamless flow of commerce between Kaliburg and Kensington have sent the domestic markets into a frenzy as many questioned whether the Lodamese economy would be able to weather the transition and ‘bounce back’. The HSE (Harrington Stock Exchange) closed some ten points down yesterday as part of the market’s reaction to the administration’s noticeably slow reaction to the concerns of investors and citizens alike on the prospect of the nation’s ability to indeed make a positive turnaround. “Although it goes without saying that we were not as dependent on our relationship with the Anantonese Empire as, say, Gaduridos, the disruption that this split has caused certainly begs for the federal government’s intervention to calm the markets and regain confidence,” Steve McKnight, a market analyst, explained.

Secretary Ellison stated that within the administration’s 1.2 trillion LOD spending plan, there was significant grants and transfers set aside for numerous sectors of the economy, including the automotive industry, semiconductors, agriculture, aerospace and defence, petrochemicals and the green economy. He lamented that the Lodamese automotive industry had been ‘neglected’ under previous administrations, as the significant subsidies which were once used to encourage the sector to expand both domestically and internationally had ultimately ‘dried up’ and that there seemed to be a return to the sector’s risk-averse mentality. President Menkyn has said that he intends to meet with the CEOs of the major auto companies with the hopes of encouraging them to shake off their malaise and to ‘drop the risk-averse act’, noting that he intends to use subsidies to ‘push the sector towards new heights’. Beyond this, the administration is seeking to refocus the federal government’s assistance in state and local economic development. 

Historically, previous Lodamese administrations have placed significant emphasis on assisting state governments achieve their economic growth and development ambitions through targeted investments and partnerships between state and federal agencies. Entities such as the Federal Industrial Finance Corporation (FIFC), the Research Projects Administration (RPA), and the Agricultural Credit and Insurance Corporation (ACIC), etc have been at the cornerstone of numerous administrations’ industrial policies; Secretary Ellison stated that the Menkyn Administration is no different. “We intend to aid the states (wherever we can) in achieving their long-term economic development goals, whether in Berkwaki by continuing to support the development of its vibrant downstream petrochemicals sector or in St. Christopher by enhancing our green energy financing partnership with the Green Bank or in Barrington with greater agricultural subsidies. Unlike previous administrations, however, we do not intend on creating a new entity but will work with those that are currently out there, doing the work.”

To address uncertainty within the banking sector, Treasury Secretary Woodall confirmed that the Credit Reconstruction Corporation (CRC) would be mobilised to help the nation’s financial institutions recapitalise. President of the CRC, Dr Beverly Huber, stated that some of the agency’s interventions would range from purchasing non-performing assets from small to medium-sized financial institutions. She noted that the nation’s larger financial firms, namely Bank of Newchester, PCH Carville, and Blackwell & Kramer, would not require recapitalisation as they had significant capital reserves when compared to the nation’s smaller community trust banks. The CRC will likely hold onto these non-performing assets until the markets have calmed, whereafter they may be transferred to the Federal Holdings and Investments Board (FHIB) or simply resold on the domestic market. Beyond the CRC and recapitalisation, a significant portion of the government’s spending plan hinges on infrastructure development, particularly on public utilities ranging from the construction of nuclear powerplants and hydroelectric damns to providing financing from wind, solar and potentially tidal energy projects on the federal, state and local level. The Civil Projects Administration has stated that it will continue to enhance the nation’s infrastructure development landscape, with a renewed focus on expanding the nation’s major ports and granting the three regional utilities: the Kregon Plateau Authority, the Nasahatchie River Authority and the Edmiston Basin Authority, enhanced opportunities to explore new areas for power generation, particularly with respect to geothermal energy.

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With the national security veil having been brought down on the situation, the Lodamese Space Administration unveiled that in testing the medium-lift launch vehicle Vega 2, a critical malfunction occurred which forced the Lodamese Navy to down the test rocket with a CM-6 (conventional missile). At an emergency press conference held at the agency’s headquarters in Kensington a mere eight-hours following the situation, LSA Administrator Dr John Edgar and SDA Director Admiral Sean Howell confirmed that the launch vehicle’s downing had been the primary cause of the temporary suspension of maritime traffic along Lodamun’s eastern coast by the Lodamese Coast Guard. Vega 2’s launch had been a much-anticipated event among the Lodamese space-watching community and interested citizens of the sort, as it represented the third of a series of tests aimed at determining the readiness of the LSA’s various launch vehicles for their eventual use in actual atmospheric and beyond-atmospheric launches. The event, which had been organised in collaboration between the LSA and numerous clubs and community groups, had been attended by some 4,000 persons who were camped at a beach some four (4) miles from the Venfield Space Flight Centre. “It was really exciting to watch, you know? From the countdown to seeing that rocket launch into the air. It’s really something,” one spectator noted. 

In the command centre at Venfield, Vega 2’s launch had been largely routine as various checks of the LVs flight and communication systems were run as part of the final checks prior to launch. It is after this, that Dr Edgar noted that a series of unfortunate events resulted in the rocket’s subsequent destruction. As the LV’s primary guidance system maintained absolute control, making minor adjustments to the pre-determined flight path (which had been over the Anantonese Ocean) to maintain stability and trajectory. Technicians noted that some miles from the upper atmosphere, a latent bug in the guidance system’s coding began to manifest itself, thus causing an error in the system’s floating-point calculation (used to estimate the rocket’s position to its flight path). At this point, the LV begins to deviate from its flight path, which triggers the guidance system to signal to the thrust vector controls that an adjustment via the thrust vectors is required. However, owing to the calculation error, the vector controls begin to compensate beyond the minor adjustment which was actually needed, and thus the LV drifts even further from its flight path. Dr Edgar noted that having been in the room when this occurred, ground control teams immediately sought a remote reboot of the entire guidance system; however, it ultimately failed, and the guidance system continues along the incorrect path.

Admiral Howell confirmed that it was at this moment that the Strategic Defence Agency and the Lodamese Navy had been informed of the situation. He revealed that since the Venfield Space Flight Centre’s construction, a Lodamese Navy guided missile destroyer and/or frigate had been “parked” just off the coast of the site itself, primarily tasked with downing drones and unwelcome airborne/sea-borne targets. With no means of aborting the launch or correcting its path, which had been calculated to be drifting increasingly into Kalistani territorial waters, the LCS-Roy Gregory guided missile destroyer had been ordered to shoot down the rocket using its Conventional Missile-6 (CM-6), its general-purpose anti-ballistic missile. Onlookers from the beach noted that they only became aware of the problem after seeing Vega-2 launch, the destroyer launched a missile a mere five minutes later. “I mean, I saw Vega-2 launch and about like 5 minutes after, I saw the destroyer fire off a missile that looked like it was chasing the rocket. It was actually insane. I was thinking to myself: What is going on? 3-4 minutes after that, we saw a flash in the atmosphere.” 

Admiral Howell noted that the situation did not reflect poorly on the LSA or the SDA/Lodamese Navy, as both entities demonstrated a heightened degree of professionalism and persistent communication, which resulted in the largely favourable outcome. However, he noted that there was room for improvement with respect to faster communication between the two agencies. “One of the immediate recommendations coming out of the situation is to have an SDA liaison attached to all launch missions,” Admiral Howell explained. Some have questioned whether as a result of the situation, the LSA would be suspending launches for the foreseeable future. Dr Edgar noted that such a decision remains under consideration by the agency’s Advisory Board. Secretary of Science and Technology Dr Lloyd Gilmore confirmed that with President Menkyn having been briefed on the event, a determination on whether the agency should continue launches is likely. However, much of the agency’s attention, at this moment, is focused on patching the software bug which triggered the crisis in itself.

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On the second leg of his international tour, Merchant-General Hank Wexler arrived in Altea, Egelion, accompanied by Secretary of State William Tillman and Secretary of Defence Roy Baker, for a series of meetings with their Egelian counterparts on a broad range of issues, including trade and security cooperation. Lodamun’s relationship with Egelion up to this point can be said to be “cordial,” as although both nations are not party to a bilateral diplomatic/trade agreement, there nonetheless exists minor forms of communication between the two, largely facilitated through Lodamun’s Embassies in Kalistan and Dolgava. Wexler, in a press statement issued prior to his departure for Egelion from Kalistan, stated that it was important for Lodamun to establish a clear and mutually beneficial relationship with Egelion, recognising the latter's growing importance in the geopolitics of the Anantonese Ocean and the broader global political economy. 

He noted that although there had been animosity between Kalistan and Egelion, which had ultimately spilt over as specificism in Kensington as to Altea’s broader global intentions, with Lodamun untethered from the Anantonese Empire, it nonetheless provides an opportunity for Egelion to be viewed from “another angle”. MG Wexler noted that in meetings with High Councillor Formoselle and Royal Councillor Montalivet, he intended to iron out a major, long-term crude oil supply agreement. Egelion has made idisian leaps towards rationalising its crude oil sector, and the nation’s relative proximity to Lodamun provides the Harrington Company, Federal Repositories and the State of Berkwaki with a unique opportunity to import energy from a not-too-distant source. With the Menkyn Administration keen to refocus the federal government’s efforts towards supporting Berkwaki’s downstream petrochemicals sector, a new avenue for energy imports will be needed as Lodamun continues to position itself as one of the largest importers of crude oil and natural gas in the world.

Beyond the energy and free trade agreements, Secretary Baker stated that he intended to meet with Royal Councillor Montalivet to discuss potential areas for defence/security cooperation between Egelion and Lodamun. Although Lodamun’s relationship with the Kersian region has been principally predicated by its long-standing relationship with Dolgava, as was noted previously, security in Keris and environs is Lodamun’s business. “I wholeheartedly reject the notion that Lodamun does not have a role to play in Keris. Although by no means do we intend on becoming involved in the internal affairs of those nations, security and stability on the sub-continent is important to us here in Kensington,” Secretary Baker said in a press statement prior to his departure for Altea. Some of the potential areas for cooperation between Lodamun and Egelion range from establishing clear lines of communication to avoid military miscalculations, joint collaboration in addressing security matters on the continent as they arise, and intelligence-sharing between the Lodamese and Egelion security and intelligence communities. Director of National Assessments, Dr Kate Agness, stated that given Egelion’s growing involvement in global affairs, it was nonetheless important that the Lodamese security and intelligence community establish a productive relationship with their Egelian counterparts.

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On the third leg of his international tour, wherein he had been joined by Secretary of State William Tillman and Secretary of Defence Roy Baker, Merchant-General Hank Wexler announced that Lodamun and Hutori had signed numerous agreements which are set to solidify the two nations’ relations going into the foreseeable future. At a joint press conference held at the Lodamese Embassy in Bekenial, Secretary Tillman reiterated the importance of Lodamun’s relationship with Hutori, underscoring the two nations’ historic ties in the White Ocean. The Lodamese Armed Forces has made numerous pivots into the White Ocean via the deployment of long-range maritime patrol drones in Dolgava, and two (2) icebreakers in the region to escort Harrington Company shipping through the otherwise perilous waters. Much of this came as a result of the instability within Trigunia, which has provided Lodamun with a clear opportunity to replace the once active northern state in White Ocean/Arctic affairs. 

He noted that in his discussions with Prime Minister Rosalyn Woodburg, issues related to developing a joint policy between the two states on the White Ocean had been discussed. “What I can say is that we had an extremely fruitful discussion on the development of a joint policy for the White Ocean, which will govern how our respective forces will work in tandem towards ensuring greater security in the region. We also spoke on the potential for joint expeditions into the Arctic, similar to what we’ve done with Baeguk,” Secretary Tillman explained. He also noted that the issue of the Luthorian Commonwealth had been discussed. Rumours within the diplomatic corps point to a potential thaw in relations between Fort William and Kensington, with MG Wexler set to break the ice between the two states during a planned visit to the Luthorian capital as part of his world tour. The discussion likely surrounded a canvassing of opinions from a nation with deeper roots to the commonwealth than Luthori, which has led to some speculating that the trio met with Prime Minister Woodbury for ‘pointers.’

Wexler noted that in discussions with Hutorian International Trade and Commerce Minister Calvin Wu, it had been agreed that Lodamun with lift restrictions on Hutorian energy exports into the country in exchange for Lodamese firms being able to operate within Hutorian offshore and potentially onshore energy fields. The Harrington Company initially imposed a 12% tariff on Hutorian crude oil imports in response to volatility surrounding the nation’s previous malaise. With a stable government at the helm in Bekenial, Wu has rightfully argued that the tariff has no legal basis and ought to be rescinded. Additionally, Lodamese energy giant North Seleyan Petroleum (NSP) has been trying for centuries to enter the Hutorian energy shelf. Between risk-averse caretaker administrations and a lack of approval from the relevant authorities, the company has systematically failed to enter the market. 

However, Wexler noted that in his discussions with Minister Wu, a reaffirmation of NSP’s license was discussed. NSP CEO Edgar Howard stated that the company can bring significant investment and infrastructure online to make its activities in the nation worthwhile. “We have placed significant investment into two floating LNG platforms which would allow for us to extra crude oil and natural gas without the need for expansion pipeline infrastructure, although the laying of pipelines is certainly not off the table. We can have a refinery, separation plants, etc, up since we have the capital to do it,” Howard explained. Beyond energy, Wexler noted that there were significant discussions related to the expansion of Lodamese car firms into the Hutorian market, with Pryor, one of Lodamun’s leading car companies, expressing interest in establishing a plant in Hutori to service the Macon market.

On matters related to defence, Secretary of Defence Roy Baker stated that his meeting with the Hutorian National Defence Minister had been extremely fruitful as the two had signed a mutual defence agreement, thus solidifying the two nations’ security/defence relationship. Some features of the agreement include better intelligence sharing between Hutori and Lodamun, primarily between the HSIS and the SSA. Additionally, it opens the Royal Hutorian Navy for greater access to the Lodamese Navy’s Bureau of Naval Intelligence’s Acoustic Library. The Acoustic Library is a digital library which contains the recorded acoustic signatures of various ships which have passed through the Karzon Strait, including civilian and military (from cargo ships to submarines). Under the previous regime, the RHN had limited access to the library, as the BNI had not conducted a complete assessment of the RHN’s internal security protocols; however, since an assessment had been performed and the entity passed with flying colours, the nation has been granted complete access and now sits alongside Kalistan, Dolgava and Gaduridos in having access to such crucial intelligence. According to Baker, numerous projects and opportunities for further cooperation were discussed, primarily Lodamun’s future involvement in Exercise Leviathan Tide and Hutori’s involvement in Exercise Pedigree. It was rumoured that SDA Director Admiral Sean Howell met with officials from the Hutorian Armed Forces for potential cooperation in areas beyond military exercises and intelligence sharing.

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Although previous administrations have been extremely hostile to the idea of reconciling and thus resetting Lodamun’s relationship with Luthori and the broader Luthorian Commonwealth, the Menkyn Administration has stated that notwithstanding the otherwise justifiable schism between the once two close nations, mounting challenges within the international community and within the Artanian region nonetheless necessitated that the nations renew cooperation on numerous aspects of their once unshakable relationship including security, trade and diplomacy. The announcement came on the latter end of Merchant-General Hank Wexler’s visit to Dundorf, via an online press conference held by Whitehall owing to Wexler’s absence in Kensington. In recounting the nature and the subsequent collapse of Lodamun’s relationship with Luthori and the Luthorian Commonwealth, he stated that the administration’s effort to reconcile and reset its relationship with the Artanian power ought not to be viewed as Kensington “bending the knee” to Fort William in a “macabre” gesture of subveriance or in a manner that would somehow suggest Luthori’s superiority over Lodamun. “It is time that we bring this decades-long, if not centuries-long long stalemate to its conclusion as it would be better for everyone if we [Lodamun and Luthori] were to cooperate on those historic matters,” President Menkyn said. 

Lodamun’s relationship with Luthori collapsed as a result of numerous factors, including the latter’s decision to side with nations such as Beiteynu in the first Migrants Pass conundrum. The unexpected and unanticipated Luthorian rebuttal and subsequent expulsion of Lodamese forces from the nation left a lasting impression on Lodamese foreign policy makers for the preceding decades, as it became clear that the nation could not have been relied upon. “Luthori maintained this “way” about themselves whereby at the sight of trouble they’d rather cut you loose and run instead of standing firm by their convictions. We stood by them and actively helped them bring the Artanian Sea under control. During the era of empire-competition, it was Lodamun that stood with Luthori when Mordusia wasn’t even in the picture,” Dr Patrick Stafford, a Professor of International Relations at the University of St. Christopher, explained.

What followed was a major paradigm shift in the Luthorian Commonwealth. As Lodamun had been one of the more active members of the grouping, owing to Hutori and Mordusia’s inactivity, its withdrawal from the grouping ultimately came as a major blow to the commonwealth’s standing. Aside from losing one of its closest partners in Terra at the time and losing preferential access to one of the largest consumer markets on the Seleyan continent, Luthori lost its foothold on the Seleyan continent as Lodamun gradually shifted away from the Commonwealth and into the embrace of Kalistan and the Anantonese Empire. To supposedly “seal the deal” and thus cripple Lodamun’s relationship with Luthori, subsequent Merchants-General have imposed significant tariffs on Luthorian exports, and actively sought to exclude the nation from its broader ambitions towards greater economic cooperation as part of a now declassified policy simplicitally coined, “All But Luthori”. 

Under that policy, which secretly existed under Merchant-Generals including Charlotte Farr and Hector Garza, Lodamun, which had primarily traded with Luthori on the Artanian continent, actively sought to diversify its trade relationship with other nations on the continent, including Dorvik, Endralon, Ikradon and Malivia. The tariffs imposed by the Harrington Company targeted key Luthorian exports, including energy and automotives, both of which were being imported in large quantities by Lodamese consumers prior to the schism. It was reported that the Haney administration contemplated barring Luthorian financial institutions from interacting with Lodamese firms on the international market, and explored options aimed at making its increasingly difficult for Luthorian capital to flow into the country. However, such actions were ultimately abandoned as the administration’s term ended. Thus, the two nations existed in a quasi-stalemate wherein, unlike Kalistan, Lodamun did not openly articulate its hostility/apprehension towards Luthori, but its was ultimately evident that such animosity existed purely from the actions of subsequent Lodamese administrations to transform the schism into a permanent decoupling.

It ought to be understood that the Artanian Sea is of significant importance to Lodamun, as the vast majority of the nation’s trade transits through the body of water, be it rare earth minerals from Vascania, crude oil and natural gas from Aldegar or uranium deposits from Saridan. It is this dynamic which has necessitated Lodamun’s historic involvement/role in the Artanian Sea via Operation Barracuda, the Lodamese Coast Guard’s long-range patrols along the western edges of the Seleyan continent; from the Mad Dog Ocean to the South Ocean. Numerous security analysts and the Director of National Assessments have noted that the uncertainty which has been allowed to grow within the Artanian Sea amidst the Kundrati conflict remains a factor which future Lodamese defence planners must account for, especially when one contemplates the renewed efforts of the DoD to enhance the nation’s footprint in the region. 

“Stability must be restored to the Artanian Sea, and the Lodamese Navy is prepared to augment the efforts of the Lodamese Coast Guard in conducting active maritime patrols throughout the length and breadth of the body of water. However, the feasibility of such ambitions is largely dependent on matters related to the range of our maritime patrol aircraft,” Bruce Golden, an analyst at the Halleck Institute. “Certainly, in reconciling our relationship with Luthori, potentially basing Lodamese maritime patrol aircraft there once more should certainly be on the table.” Secretary of Defence Roy Baker, who is expected to meet MG Wexler in Fort William, was extremely tight-lipped on the prospect of a revitalised Lodamese-Luthorian Security Pact, but noted that once there was an appetite for it in Fort William, anything was on the table.

MG Wexler has noted that his discussions with his Luthorian counterpart, including Prime Minister Reginald Weston, will likely cover numerous areas related to trade, including relaxing or removing the HC’s tariffs on Luthorian exports and revitalising negotiations towards a free trade agreement between the two countries. Previously, former Merchant-General Charlotte Farr proclaimed that a long-negotiated free trade agreement between Luthori and Lodamun was “not a priority” at the moment and that the nation would have sought to establish new relationships with other nations on the continent. Wexler has noted that in the spirit of renewal, the free trade agreement would be renegotiated. Secretary of State William Tillman is expected to sign a diplomatic agreement with his Luthorian counterpart to re-formalise the diplomatic relationship between the two states as Lodamun remains outside of the Commonwealth Treaty, a fact which President Menkyn has stated will remain for the foreseeable future.

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Be it the negligence of overfishing, a history of a successive failures to manage the nation’s oceanic resources or a plain lack of interest among congressional representatives as to the state of national fisheries, the once proud Lodamese fisheries industry, which like many others have, stood alongside some of this nation’s most proud industries including shipbuilding and manufacturing, is all but lost. Whereas previously there had been an abundance of diverse ocean/marine wildlife, from various species of fish, whales and other subnatic fauna, much of this “abundance” has been replaced by a gripping scarcity which threatens to send numerous species into a permanent extinction. Off the coast of Barrington, where Lodamese cod-fishing had once made an impressionable mark on what it meant to be Lodamese, these activities have all but ceased as increasingly saline waters coupled with rising oceanic temperatures in the area have driven cod to other territories. The state’s heavy dependence on desalinated water, an inescapable consequence of the state’s chronic water woes, has been identified by numerous environmental impact assessments as being the root cause of this migration. “Things like the Common snook, Common bream don’t seem so common anymore. They’ve all migrated south to places like Baltusia and Southern Kalistan, we’ve heard,” Sam Tillman, a 4th generation fisherman. Families like Mr. Tillman’s have been extremely dependent on fishing for both their livelihoods and cultural identity. Although much of the traditions of old have been lost to time, many traditional fishing communities, particularly those in Berkwaki, Newchester, St. Christopher and Barrington, have held onto their fishing traditions as they believe it is “essential to being Lodamese”. “Fish and pelt were the first major commodities for trade in Lodamun when the natives began trading with merchants from Kalistan. To be a Lodamese man meant knowing how to fish, knowing the tides. Fishing was a rite of passage and our way of life. I have watched the decay of our fishing culture and have since rejected the idea that our national image be replaced by that of manufacturers,” Tillman lamented.

The revitalisation of the Lodamese fishing industry has been a backburner issue for centuries as it has taken the backseat to issues related to manufacturing, innovation and shipbuilding. Yet despite this, there remain numerous advocates for the sector, who continue to make their grievances against negligence of the federal government known. The Lodamese Cod-Fisher’s Association has long called for the creation of an independent agency under the Department of the Interior to oversee the management of the nation’s fisheries and to provide sound policy advice to legislators alongside implementing strategic plans which may help in revitalising the sector. Here, the LCFA argued that the sector can no longer be expected to “sort its issues out”, but instead the federal government must intervene to correct decades, if not centuries, of mismanagement. “Whereas we had some hope under the last administration that our centuries-long grievances might be heard by the Secretary of the Interior, we were denied such an opportunity. We maintain that fishing in Lodamun, which has been the victim of plunder by overfishing and another factor, cannot simply correct centuries of mismanagement on its own,” a statement from the association read. Recently confirmed Secretary of the Interior John Riley, a Newchester native, noted that he was aware of the LCFA’s commentary and had been working with members of Congress to craft new legislation to manage Lodamun’s marine resources prior to his cabinet appointment. He noted that the proposed Hensley Act would, among other things, cause the creation of the Lodamese Fisheries Board. The bill had been authored by Senator Alfred Hensley of Barrington, who argued that the federal government must intervene to rescue and revive Lodamese fisheries as a matter of “national pride”. The LFB will be the federal agency, under the Department of the Interior, wholly responsible for the management of the nation’s fisheries. It will be responsible for crafting policy, providing recommendations and regulating the fisheries industry, including imposing sanctions, declaring fishing seasons, among other, more important powers.

The bill provides for the LFB to be granted an extraordinary power: the ability to declare certain areas of the Lodamese economic exclusion zone a protected zone. Numerous scientific studies have pointed to the use of protected areas/zones as an extremely effective means of allowing for the marine population to rebuild naturally without assistance from aquaculture. The bill sets out to establish three initial protected zones within Lodamun; one in Barrington, one in western St. Christopher and another in Berkwaki. As per the act, commercial activities within these areas will likely be banned, with trawlers, container ships, and even military vessels being barred from entering the area. It noted that such areas will become hotspots wherein endangered species can “rebuild/recoup their numbers”. It also provides for the LFB to bar vessels exceeding a certain tonnage from venturing into these zones, alongside imposing significant sanctions/fines on the individuals and companies who seek to breach such orders. (talk about the species of fish in the three zones, cod in one zone and two others in the other two zones respectively).

[Aethan]

Valruzia proposes North-Seleyan Games

[imperialpearl]

“Lodamun remains committed to providing the Badaran Government and Armed Forces with intelligence about combatant forces and will, in the coming months, expand the scale of our intelligence-sharing efforts,” said Dr. Ronald Turner, the Director of National Assessments. Expanding the scope and scale of intelligence & information sharing between Lodamun and Badara could, according to Dr. Turner, provide Badaran forces with much-needed situation awareness, which in turn might enable them to respond more effectively to counteroffensives launched by opposing factions, whilst also allowing greater precision in decision-making, especially as it relates to airstrikes and other airborne operations. For the better part of the last two years, the Lodamese Armed Forces, through its military installation in Kafuristan, has been providing the Badaran Government and its Armed Forces with precision intelligence on the movements and planning of the various factions currently scattered throughout the country, with the hopes that it may dramatically swing the internal conflict’s outcomes in the favour of the democratic government. 

The nation has been embroiled in a brutal internal conflict against factions which rose out of the failures of the previous political order. In Al'Baharia, a state of near-total anarchy reigns, primarily led by a criminal organisation branding itself the Free Brigade. The group’s province-wide extortion racket, according to intelligence and security officials, is reminiscent of the westerns of old, with bands of robbers imposing their twisted forms of “justice” and demanding taxes in exchange for “protection”. In Al'Salmania, the Dufazi are a heavily armed, religiously zealous paramilitary force under the command and direction of Abadi cleric Moqtada al-Dufaz. Al-Dufaz presides over a religious thought police who enforce his, according to more liberal clerics, barbaric misinterpretations of the Book of Bliss. The Babaran Armed Forces has been attempting to wrestle control away from these factions and many other, much smaller groups to varying degrees of success.

Although he did not mention the broader details of Lodamun’s intelligence-sharing efforts in Badara, Dr. Turner noted that recent successes by the nation’s Ministry of the Interior, the body which has been at the centre of the government’s efforts to stabilise the nation, were evidence of the positive impact Lodamese intelligence has had on the outcome of the various military offensives being waged throughout the country. “The successes we are seeing in Al'Salmania, where government forces have pushed the Dufazi into the central highlands, are further evidence of the impact of our intelligence gathering and sharing efforts,” Dr Turner said. According to the Office of Defence Intelligence, Lodamun’s premier military intelligence agency, much of the intelligence used by Badaran forces had originated from long-term, high-altitude drone patrols, which had been made possible by the efforts of Lodamese Navy Azuron maritime patrol drones stationed in Kafuristan. 

According to the agency, the drones, which are primarily tasked with conducting maritime surveillance patrols in and around parts of Eastern Majatra and Southern Seleya, have proved to be indispensable, given their advanced sensor suite and optics. According to Dr. Turner, although the drone’s sensor suite, which is capable of detecting ships of varying sizes, its worth in Badara comes from its camera optics. The internal conflict’s low intensity nature and the lack of advanced systems have made visual surveillance all the more important. “I think what has become a major factor in the success and worth of our intelligence is both the visual surveillance from our drones alongside the analysis by the ODI, which provides Badaran military planners with a detailed breakdown of the dynamics being observed. From that breakdown, they can make those crucial decisions in where to apply pressure, where to alleviate it and where their attention ought to be in the future,” Dr Turner explained.

Part of the enhanced intelligence-sharing effort as articulated by Dr. Turner, the Lodamese Air Force is reportedly set to deploy three StratoHawk drones to augment the work of the Navy’s Azuron drones. The StratoHawk is the Lodamese Air Force variant of the Navy Azuron long-range drone. The StratoHawk, unlike its naval variant, was designed for deep inland reconnaissance, the sort of reconnaissance the Azuron drones have been conducting since hostilities began. Dr. Turner is expected to fly to Badara to formalise the two nations’ intelligence-sharing relationship, stating that the otherwise public relationship between the Lodamese intelligence community and the Badaran General Intelligence Service (GIS) warranted a degree of formalisation, especially given the potential for intelligence between the two parties to be leaked to third party sources. The Common Intelligence Sharing Agreement (CISA) will likely be brought up, given that the agreement has formed the backbone of Lodamun’s intelligence-sharing relationship with other nations. Here are reportedly rumours that, in addition to deploying the unarmed StratoHawks to Kafuristan for use in Badara, the Lodamese Air Force is also deploying attack drones for potential use in Badara, with the rationale being that the drones would be used to conduct precision decapitation strikes against Moqtada al-Dufaz and the leaders of the Free Brigade. Dr. Turner, in refuting the claims, stated that the extent of Lodamun’s involvement in Badara would be limited to providing intelligence and analytical reasoning.

[imperialpearl]

Exercise Afterburner, the intense and immersive aerial combat exercise led by the Lodamese Air Force and the Commonwealth Air Guard, is back and is shaping up to become the most consequential iteration yet. With an unprecedented number of aircraft from various nations, multinational squadrons, and advanced combat scenarios, this year’s exercise, Exercise Afterburner 4, is set to push the boundaries of both the aircraft and their pilots in a battle against numerous odds. The exercise, which had been particularly popular among numerous nations, had been suspended owing to challenges related to the logistical constraint of managing such a complex exercise in an austere environment for the Lodamese Air Force, its principal coordinator. Budget cuts had forced the service to reduce its focus on collaborative efforts that might endanger its tight budget wiggle room. Although it had been argued that the exercise provided a net benefit to the service by enabling it to establish stronger bonds with the other air forces of the region and the wider world, this was ultimately not enough to convince defence planners at the time of its broader relevance to Lodamun’s defence posture. “It was regrettable that the exercise had been suspended owing to the budget constraints within the Air Force. I have long understood it to be a major boon for the LAF as it provided them with a unique opportunity to ‘exchange notes’ with other services throughout the world,” Secretary of the Air Force Philip Arnold commented. Its return marks a major reaffirmation in the exercise’s overarching theme of preparedness, especially amidst the fact that it stands against the backdrop of a renewed focus on enhancing the Lodamese Air Force’s prowess. Secretary Arnold noted that given its importance, the exercise is likely to become a major bi-annual event for the Lodamese Air Force and would likely open to more nations in the coming months and years.

The exercise is reportedly taking place within the Lodamese interior, specifically within the environs surrounding Alford Air Force Base in central Millford. The participants, which include Egelion, Hutori and Luthori, conducted a series of base hops before landing in the near-alpine airbase as part of an impromptu roving airshow prior to the exercise’s commencing. For the Royal Egelian Air Force, it would be the first time the service would be operating outside of the nation's borders and would represent its first major multinational aerial combat exercise. For Hutori and Luthori, it would mark the first time the two nations would be welcomed back onto Lodamese soil, particularly in the case of the Imperial Luthorian Air Force amidst reconciled relations between Kensington and Fort William. Lt. Gen. Jerome Miklaszewski, the exercise’s principal coordinator, stated that the exercise traditionally pits invitees against a Lodamese contingent, this year composed of the Lodamese Air Force, Lodamese Navy Naval Air Forces and elements from the Millford, Berkwaki and Barrington State Air Guard, alongside another state, against other forces. He explained that it is not done to demonstrate Lodamun’s supposed superiority over the various participants, as in many instances the participants hail from contingents with recent combat experience, but instead it provides the participants with an opportunity to test their tactics and strategies against those of the Lodamese Armed Forces, which has made strides with respect to evolving combat tactics beyond the conventional/well-known doctrine. “I think what we are doing here is providing that degree of rigour that is usually missing from in-house exercises. An opponent with a unified command structure with the ability to shift tactics and bring online a diverse array of equipment is something I think most nations would like to benefit from,” Lt. Gen. Miklaszewski explained.