Badara

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IS WIG DONE?
 
MANARA  ALBRAYD SRIA AL-MUSAMI
(If it’s in the Monsoon, it’s got to be true)
 
Bier Qassem, April 17, 5722:  The Monsoon asked former Finance Minister Nazir al-Sayed if the Working Institutional Group (WIG) was through as a political party, and he responded:
 

There are three ways to look at that question, and I will address all three.  First, the traditional leaders of WIG are retiring, .most notably Faisal Abu Saq and Bashir ibn Ortoq. The former was one of several key players in restoring fiscal sanity to Jumhuriat al-Badara and the latter was the single most important figure laying the foundation of the current regime thereby rescuing the nation from anarchy.  And Hakim a-Sabah who laid the foundation for our reentry into international affairs from isolation is in fact about to retire.  So the WIG  long time leaders have indeed departed.
 
Second,  with our only current government connections being the SOMECO representative and the Member Presiding over the Majlis, are we pretty much sidelined and unlikely to regain power?  I might add I have been invited to replace Mariamne al-Qassem as Managing Director of Central Bank, and should  I agree would not be considered part of WIG leadership either. 
 
Now that is a good question, and a truthful answer is instead of alternating the chancellor job  with the Free Radical Supper Club, we will likely never have another WIG chancellor.  But the answer is also we have not given up on joining a future governing coalition.  We have plans which are realistic but admittedly not overly ambitious.
 
And third, more broadly, is our day done?  And the answer is no, we represent the business community in the Majlis.  We are the link of the government to commercial interests and for that matter the oligarchy.  Without us the government would be economically blind.

WIG'S Nazir al- Sayed

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LOOKING BEYOND MAJATRA
 
MANARA  ALBRAYD SRIA AL-MUSAMI
(If it’s in the Monsoon, it’s got to be true)
 
Chancellor’s Office, June 17, 5722: After a meeting with his senior staff on reviewing the budget to identify corruption opportunities, the Monsoon asked Chancellor Abdul Aziz what was the biggest problem facing him as Chancellor, and Aziz replied:
 

Well really as far as urgency there are two.  One is the system has changed. Why? The players are different. The Free Radical Supper Club (FRSC) was formed as a Majlis faction to insure that bringing back effective government did not end up crushing the rights or the economic viability of our citizens for efficiency’s sake or just because of indifference.
 
The Working Majority Group which became the Working Institutional Group (WIG) was formed to revive a moribund government.  WIG is composed of representatives and instruments of the oligarchy which saw a chance to restore the economy and their own power by making government work again.
 
FRSC was able to function as a check on WIG to protect the safety net and more generally the rights of ordinary citizens. The key to FRSC effectiveness was its two most prominent members, Khalifi and Mariamne al-Qassem.  He was the visionary who extended the benefits of civilization to the Bedwi and she was the nuts and bolts economist who brought order out of chaos to the benefits due our citizens by integrating the safety net into the budget process systematized in Central Bank.
 
The key to doing this was that Khalifi and Mariamne al-Qassem were members of the oligarchy, part of the family that owns and operates our most successful investment banking house.  So WIG’s leaders trusted them not to destroy the oligarchy but only limit its excesses and trusted them to shape pretty much what the they wanted to shape.
 
It is different now. With them gone and the old WIG leadership gone there is no real trust.  Instead of being one of two factions working together we are now one of six political parties  trying to make a deal to be part of a governing coalition.  Our objectives are the same but frankly we have yet to become surefooted as a political party.
 
The second is I think it is slowly becoming obvious that coming out of isolation in Majatra presents  a different problem than most of our predecessors faced.
 
Jumhuruiat al-Badara has never been a big player in oil producing consortiums but rather has sought partnerships with other nations looking to more generalized economic concerns.  And almost always Majatra based partnerships.
 
Well almost 100 years has not produced what we really need. We have had very encouraging false starts and no doubt some missed opportunities.  I can think of a few.
 
So it is past time to view Terra through a wider lens. A much wider lens.  And further we need to understand our own imitations. We are a small nation, we have no appetite for a monarchy of our own, we are not at the peak of the Terran technology curve, and we are not nor will we ever be wielding military influence.
 
But we will see what we can do with what we actually have.

Chancellor Aziz

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BADARA CONDEMNS ATTACK ON KING OF COBURA
 
MANARA  ALBRAYD SRIA AL-MUSAMI
(If it’s in the Monsoon, it’s got to be true)
 
Foreign Ministry, February 17, 5724: Foreign Minister Narouz Soqman announced that the Administration of Chancellor Abdul Aziz and the Majlis and nation of Jumhuriat al-Badara strongly condemn the violent attack on King Adane II of Cobura while on a State Visit to the Nadiyan Governmet in Trigunia by the Coburan opposition  group Solidarity! which took credit for the heinous attack.
 
The Foreign Ministry has conveyed its sincere hope for the recovery of the monarch from his serious injuries to the Regent, Duke Calerus of Egato, and affirmed to him its abhorrence of violence masquerading as political discourse.


Foreign Minister Soqman

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KAFURI ASW PATROL PLANES FOR THE NAVY
 
MANARA  ALBRAYD SRIA AL-MUSAMI
(If it’s in the Monsoon, it’s got to be true)
 
Defense Command Center, December 27, 5725:  Defense Command has long felt the single biggest hole in its  national security strategy is the possibility of submarines approaching our shores largely undetected and launching missiles into our population centers and energy and fundamental life support facilities.  What few submarines we have were purchased as outdated when we bought them from Deltaria to be used in training exercises.  We do have some frigates we use for naval patrolling but have long desired a long range patrol plane with anti submarine warfare (ASW) capacity.
 
Recent discussions between the Governments of the Majalite Kingdom and Jumhuriat al-Badara on closer economic and security ties reflecting our mutual Ahmadi heritage has given Defense Command an opportunity to acquire such an ASW aircraft, the MOI – 72, which is now produced by Majatran Aeronautics Group, a Kafuri defense contractor which is a partner of Majatrsan Organization for Indusrialization (MOI).
 
Monsoon sources at Defense Command headquarters have confirmed that Defense Ministry’s Procurement Division had contracted with the Majatran Aeronautics Group to purchase eight MoI – 72’s to be delivered over the next several years.
 
The MOI – 72 was originally developed as a joint venture involving Ajace Aeronautics, an Impero Istaliano defense contractor, the Kafuri Defense Ministry’s procurement agency, and MOI as an ASW variant of the Impero Istalian Air Force’s LA – 70 Albatros in use for marine reconnaissance at that time.
 
The MOI – 72 is powered by two six bladed turboprop engines which are each 3.93 inches in diameter.  It has a wingspan of 27.05 meters, a length of 27.17 meters and a width of 2.57 meters. It has a cruising speed of 510 kilometers per hour and a range of 1528 kilometers.  It has multimode radar with an active electronically scanned array, an electro optical turret, and an automatic identification system. A tactical display in  the glass cockpit is integrated with a global positioning system and a defensive aids system.
 
The MOI – 72 is armed with lightweight aerial torpedoes equipped with a situation and control surveillance system as well as an electronic warfare and reconnaissance system.


 
MOI 72, OOC ATR 72 ASW:   https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=ea7fa250b...kvQVRSXzcy

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CHANCELLOR MEETS WITH HEAD OF APC MONKS
 
MANARA  ALBRAYD SRIA AL-MUSAMI
(If it’s in the Monsoon, it’s got to be true)

 Chancellor’s Office, August 17, 5726:  In the wake of calls on the campaign trail from members of the Dufazi Party and the Metzists of Majatra (MM) Party for the abolition of the Contemplative Monastic Order of Occidentalium, a monastic order recognized by the Arch Patriarch of the Aurorian Patriarchal Church (APC), as well as confiscation of their property, the First Master of that Order has requested a meeting with the Religious Affairs Minister, Ivrahim al-Marwan of the Israi Values Party (IV) who asked Chancellor Abdul Aziz to join them. The three met in the Chancellor’s Office.
 
First Master Drusus Antonius wanted to know if they would be allowed to continue to function as a religious body or whether they should curtail some activities or even shut down entirely.
 
The Religious Affairs Minister Indicated he knew the question was a fair one since Jumhuriat al-Badara did not have nor pretend to have absolute religious freedom. For several reasons. First was recognition there were Abadi factions that wanted to employ barbaric practices, religious thought police and subordination of civil law to their version of Ahmadi law.
 
Second, the nation had been invaded by Israi extremists from around the world.  So the Majlis which holds the political power has to apply restraint even to Ahmadis.  Third, we are not going to allow free operation of some religious group that seeks destruction of our Ahmadi religion.
 
The Chancellor explained the con census in the Majlis was that religion including Ahmadi factions whether Israi or Abadi should not and could not impose its rules on the body public and that this was the view of the Sovereign People as a whole.  Within that framework Ahmadi religion should be free to be practiced and even protected.
 
Other religions can practice in Jumhuriat al-Badara as recognized if they are not obviously a financial scam, are not a threat to our Ahmadi population and are not indulging in practices which are barbaric or abusive.
 
Aziz further explained the Dufazi had a large following among the Abadi and had elements who wanted to impose their views on everybody but the Abadi as a whole were a minority who were not going to be allowed by the Israi majority to dominate them.  Further, the MM wanted to abolish all religion, not just the APC Monks, and that was not going to happen.
 
The Religious Affairs Minister further noted that the APC  was a recognized religion and the Contemplative Order was a recognized part of that religion.  The caveat he would also note though was that after the preceding regime essentially abolished government, the restoration pretty much put all political power in the Majlis so that the con census among the Israi majority of voters remaining the same was not a certainty although it was highly likely for the foreseeable future.
 

[Drax]

NAVY ASSET REVIEW

 MANARA  ALBRAYD SRIA AL-MUSAMI
(If it’s in the Monsoon, it’s got to be true)
 
Defense Command Center, June 27, 5729:  After a meeting between Defense Minister Salman al-Makhtoum, the Defense Command Chief and the Navy Chief of Staff together with attending staff concerning Navy assets, the Monsoon asked where the Navy was headed, and he responded:
 

As you know until recently our main focuses have been modernizing our missile and drone air defense and plans for repelling a hypothetical amphibious invasion.  We recognize the Army could use some more divisions, but right now we are trying to assess where to go with the Navy.
 
The two main missions Defense Command believe the Navy should prepare for are, first, knowing what maritime activity is occurring in the Sea of Lost Souls, the southeast South Ocean and the eastern Sea of Majatra.  Talks are underway for joint patrols both air and surface with the Majalite Kingdom.
 
Second, the Navy can help repel an invasion should it occur.  With that in mind we are looking at what we have and what we ought to have.  So let’s see what we have with that in mind.
 
First off, we just purchased for the Navy eight MOI – 72 long range patrol planes from Kafuri defense contractors which have submarine detection and anti submarine warfare (ASW) capability.  We likely will want more.
 
Second, for patrolling and invasion repelling we once had some 75 ships classed as destroyers, frigates or corvettes.  We are examining what we have to see how many are serviceable.   I can tell you it is considerably less than that.  Considerably.
 
The destroyers we had were of Trigunian origin  purchased many years ago.  None are still serviceable.  They were maintained by specialty contractors for many years but not any more.  We have not developed a destroyer on our own.  A ride based on one is featured at a casino resort on Mutassim claiming to use a few  original pieces of superstructure
 
Further, as far as we have been able to determine no corvettes are still in service in the Navy or for that matter extant on either island.
 
So we are testing and counting usable frigates.  We have facilities to produce three types. The Zulfiquar Class was developed in conjunction with the Kafuri High Command and defense contractors back in 5321.  We can produce this class at our Haijjadah Shipyards. Udayl Gunnery can provide its weaponry. It has ASW capability as well as ship to ship and ship to air missiles.
 
South Ocean Shipyards can produce similar frigates of the Jarthuni Class and Badaran Military Vessels, the state owned ship builder,  can provide the less expensive  Tawfiq Class with weaponry for both  provided by Udayl Gunnery.  What we are planning to do is determine how many we need, see what we have, and over time produce some more.
 
The Navy has some helicopters of two types both produced by New Dawn Nashwa. The NDN UH – 1 Y utility helicopters and NDN AB – 204AS which has some anti submarine capacity.  At one time we had planned to have a helicopter on board each Jarthuni and Tawfiq frigate but currently all Navy helicopters are assigned to one of our three naval bases.  Search and rescue, transport and medical evacuation missions will always be necessary but integration into our fundamental strategy may mean we need more or need further development.
 
We still have three old Foxtrot submarines we bought from Deltaria many years ago for training purposes.  For now we are inclined to keep them but they seem less and less useful as time goes on.
 
The navy handles port access security and from time to time has purchased patrol boats from Majatra Fishing Company of Al’Baharia located in the port of Al’Buqiyaa.
 
As far as fighters, the Air Force is tasked with providing plenty of air cover for operations and facility protection on both islands, and for now we are inclined to not duplicate their budget needs. 
 
Then there are drones.  Most reconnaissance and attack drones are being handled by the Army.  Some duplicating functions of manned aircraft may be developed as Air Force assets, but Navy duplication is likely unnecessary except for reconnaissance for now.   

Zulfiquar Class Frigate

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ELECTIONS REDUCE PARTY HELD SEATS IN MAJLIS

 MANARA  ALBRAYD SRIA AL-MUSAMI
(If it’s in the Monsoon, it’s got to be true)
 
Chancellor’s Office, June 17, 5729:  Majlis elections produced a surprise. Quite a few more seats went to delegates who were not associated with any party.  The Monsoon asked Chancellor Abdul Aziz what was the likely outcome and he responded:
 

The losses to parties were not evenly distributed.  All the religious oriented or affiliated parties grew, the Metzists of Majatra (MM) held their own, and the Working Institutional Group (WIG) and my party, the Free Radical Supper Club (FRSC) lost.  Think neither MM or Israi Vaues (IV) will want to leave an FRSC Chancellor in place when each has more seats than FRSC.
 
So at this point three scenarios are about equally likely. One is the existing governing coalition could remain in place but with either an MM or IV Chancellor.  MM and IV could come to an agreement but jettison either FRSC or the Forgotten Ahmadis of Majatra (FAM) or both.
 
My own opinion is MM and IV will each try to round up enough votes to lead a new governing coalition without the other

 Asked if he and FRSC would simply await developments given the circumstances, Aziz replied:
 

[font='Times New Roman', serif]That likely would be appropriate.  Seriously.  But no, I am discussing matters with WIG leadership in hopes of jointly encouraging IV’s Defense Minister Salman al-Makhtoum to form a moderate IV, FRSC, WIG, FAM governing coalition.[/font]

Foreign Minister Narouz Soqman, the MM leader, is quite capable of prevailing in these conditions,  and provide capable leadership if he does.  

Chancelllor Aziz

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SALMAN AL-MAKHTOUM TO LEAD GOVERNING COALITION
 
MANARA  ALBRAYD SRIA AL-MUSAMI
(If it’s in the Monsoon, it’s got to be true)
 
Majlis, September 27, 5729:  The Monsoon can report the Metzists of Majatra (MM) – Dufazi effort to put forward a winning slate for the Ministerial Council has came up short while the slate put forward by Defense Minister Salman al-Makhtoum has just passed.
 

The Ministerial Council approved by the Majlis includes Israi Values (IV), Free Radical Supper Club (FRSC), Working Institutional Group (WIG), and Forgotten Abadis of Majatra (FAM) party members as well as several unaffiliated Ministers.  IV Leader Salman al-Makhtoum will serve as Chancellor while outgoing FRSC Chancellor Abdul Aziz will return to the Foreign Ministry, WIG Leader Nazir a-Sayed will be Defense Minister and FAM Chief Mehmed al-Radwan will serve as Justice Minister.

 

Monsoon sources in the Majlis believe this combination may have been more the work of the outgoing Chancellor than the incoming one, but in any event it seems to be an amicable arrangement for the moment.

 

As for MM, its leader, outgoing Foreign Minister Narouz Soqman, has acknowledged to the Monsoon its socialist agenda will always create tension with other parties on some issues, but notes that it is not against working with any other party.  Rumors of course are otherwise with respect to MM - WIG relations.  But rumors are only rumors.


Chancellor Salman al-Makhtoum

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[font=Roboto]            [/font]
MPN TO INCORPORATE IN BADARA
 
MANARA  ALBRAYD SRIA AL-MUSAMI
(If it’s in the Monsoon, it’s got to be true)
 
Chancellor’s Office, December 27, 5731:  The Majatran Pharmaceutical Network (MPN) was originally incorporated as a government non profit corporation of the Majatran Economic Association (MEA) largely as an alternative to 3M but based on a different economic model. Its board was selected by MEA member states and was pretty much the creature of the MEA.
 
As the MEA decayed, MPN separated from the MEA and became independent of it eventually operating with an independent self perpetuating board of directors doing business in 9 nations.
 
The Monsoon has learned MPN management is concerned about the viability of its legal status and has approached the Chancellor’s Office for help.  Chancellor Salman al-Makhtoum then met with Finance Minister Abdul Jabbar and Justice Minister Mehmed al-Radwan for suggestions.
 
The Justice Minister believed prior incorporation elsewhere is no bar to incorporation in the Jumhuriat, and once incorporated here MPN would enjoy the protection of the laws thereof.  Whether MPN incorporated as a for profit or non profit corporation would not affect that status
 
The Finance Minister suggested further that if  one or two seats on the MPN board of directors were held ex officio by Jumhuriat Ministry  officers, there would be a whole lot of protection against confiscation.
 
These suggestions were communicated to MPN management which the Monsoon has confirmed has adopted them with seats on the MPN board to be held ex officio by the Managing Director of Central Bank and the State Secretary to the Finance Minister.
 
So after half a millennium, MPN has returned home.


Justice Minister Mehmed al-Radwan
 

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OPPOSITION TO DUFAZI PARAMILITARY
 
MANARA  ALBRAYD SRIA AL-MUSAMI
(If it’s in the Monsoon, it’s got to be true)
 
Defense Command Center, January 17, 5734:  The Monsoon has been hearing that there is growing unhappiness with the Dufazi being allowed to have a paramilitary party militia. Since one source of that unhappiness appears to be the military officer corps, the Monsoon asked Defense Minister Nazir al-Sayed if some action against the Dufazui Militia was likely, and he responded:
 

That is complicated by a lot of factors. In the Majlis, no party and for that matter no one has as yet taken that position.  On the other hand, it is fair to say outside the Dufazi, no one actually supports having paramilitary forces.
 
There is of course an exception.  The Metzists of Majatra (MM) really do want to return to governing and would support the Dufazi position if favoring paramilitary forces would help them get there.  Or at least that is the opinion in my party, the Working Institutional Group (WIG).
 
You are asking me about it because it is no secret many military officers would much prefer the Jumhuriat have no paramilitary at all.  No secret. I can assure you however that the officer corps is well aware there is no authority for them to take action against them.
 
A deal was made. Made by the General Intelligence Service (GIS) and the Abadi Cleric Moqtada al-Dufaz, the now deceased leader of the Dufazi. The Al’Salmania Muhafazah would peacefully rejoin the Jumhuriat, the GIS, military and police would not annihilate the Dufazi, and the Dufazi would have their past offenses forgiven while their militia would surrender all weaponry but small arms which they could retain and cease resistance to the government reclaiming Al’Salmania.
 
Seemed like a good deal at the time.  But some in the GIS are now becoming dissatisfied, Bandar Qasabi, the GIS General Director is not going to scuttle the deal and move against the Dufazi, in breach of the agreement, but he will quite soon retire. It is expected the replacement process by the GIS Board of Governors may be the forum for a move to strip the Dufazi Militia of small arms.
 
In the Majlis, and in WIG for that matter, there is speculation this could well backfire. Why?
 The head of the Dufazi Party, Narouz ben Bella, is having a time of it keeping the more
extreme elements under control who want to reinstate a Religious Thought Police and
openly advocate the three religious practices favored by their founder, Moqtada al-Dufaz,
which contravene criminal law in every civilized nation.  So he is not about to let the GIS
strip the Militia of its arms without reacting.
 
Ben Bella would be expected to protect the Militia by joining the MM in a move against the
GIS Board of Governors to make them be selected by the Majlis not self  perpetuating and
be  funded by a budget not secretly funded.  Many in the Majlis really would prefer the GIS
 not be autonomous and omnipotent.
 
So there may well be a move on the Dufazi when Qasabi retires. But the outcome would be
anything but certain.

Defense Minister Nazir al-Sayed