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Post by TheRomanSlayer on May 18, 2021 13:43:48 GMT
Maybe it might be better if I went back all the way to 1990 for the Africa update, mainly because it might give me plenty of time to find ways to butterfly the Rwandan Genocide. The roots of that Genocide must have gone before 1994.
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stevep
Fleet admiral
Posts: 24,853
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Post by stevep on May 18, 2021 17:29:27 GMT
Maybe it might be better if I went back all the way to 1990 for the Africa update, mainly because it might give me plenty of time to find ways to butterfly the Rwandan Genocide. The roots of that Genocide must have gone before 1994.
Sorry if its causing hassle. I think the potential roots go back centuries with the mixing of the two communities but it definitely turned very nasty after independence from Belgium.
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Post by TheRomanSlayer on May 18, 2021 20:19:48 GMT
Maybe it might be better if I went back all the way to 1990 for the Africa update, mainly because it might give me plenty of time to find ways to butterfly the Rwandan Genocide. The roots of that Genocide must have gone before 1994.
Sorry if its causing hassle. I think the potential roots go back centuries with the mixing of the two communities but it definitely turned very nasty after independence from Belgium.
That’s okay. The latest update looked a bit rushed.
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Post by TheRomanSlayer on May 23, 2021 20:40:10 GMT
Chapter Sixty-One: In the Shadow of the Wolf UZBEK GOVERNMENT FORCES INFLICT FIRST MILITARY DEFEAT TO AL-QAEDA-LINKED FORCES IN URGENCH, PRESIDENT JALOLOV PROMISES INTENSE ANTI-TERRORIST CAMPAIGN Sydney Herald August 10, 1998 An apartment building was detonated by a series of car bombs planted by Al-Qaeda operatives in the city of Urgench. The Uzbek government is facing a series of crises in its first few years as an independent state, after being a part of the former Soviet Union.(Urgench, UZBEKISTAN) - In response to a series of car bombs that were detonated in the cities of Urgench and Khiva, the Uzbek government has sent its army to deal with the threat of Al-Qaeda in the region. Numerous Al-Qaeda bases were established in Uzbekistan, along with neighboring Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, during the Second Russian Civil War, amidst the power vacuum that threatened to engulf the region. However, the Uzbek military has faced serious issues in its equipment and personnel, as the revelation of the possession of over 200 nuclear missiles inside Uzbek territory raises fears of Al-Qaeda acquiring those missiles that could be used to destroy any target in the West, or even in Russia. Luckily, President Jalolov is desperate to hold talks with neighboring states, as well as the UN Security Leadership on how to dismantle the old Soviet nuclear arsenals now stationed in an independent Uzbekistan. In addition, the Uzbek government has also requested additional assistance with expelling Al-Qaeda from its territory, as well as in neighboring Tajikistan, where much of support for Al-Qaeda is at its strongest, owing to the amount of ex-Soviet loyalist forces of Tajik descent who joined forces with the local Al-Qaeda branch there.
“Uzbekistan runs the risk of being labeled a state sponsor of terrorism, unless the international community takes control of the former Soviet nuclear arsenal that now resides in its territory,” says Jalolov while addressing the Uzbek parliament’s emergency session. “The presence of Al-Qaeda in our lands is an indication of how far gone has our country descended, since the end of the Second Russian Civil War.”
The Uzbek government plans to address some of its major concerns regarding the radicalization of its youth by Al-Qaeda, as well as to find ways to stabilize the country after the Second Russian Civil war had created a power vacuum in all of Central Asia that allowed the notorious terrorist organization to flourish in the region. However, how much the Uzbek government is willing to address the problems that led to many of its citizens choosing to join Al-Qaeda is difficult, given the amount of corruption evident in the government. In addition, Uzbekistan’s degraded military is also affected by a lack of funds and equipment needed to keep its soldiers in fighting shape, as desertions are becoming alarmingly common. In one instance, the Uzbek military had to suppress a potential mutiny on its hands when ten Uzbek soldiers threatened to leave their army base in Ferghana Military district.
“We are starving and have not been paid in months. My family had just lost their home in Khiva, so they’re relying on my military service to help keep them fed,” says Uzbek conscript Corporal Akmal Farhodov. “If President Jalolov doesn’t help us, then we may be forced to resort to drastic measures.”
--- UYGHUR SEPARATISTS FORM GOVERNMENT-IN-EXILE IN THE PHILIPPINES, MARAWI TO BE CHOSEN AS HEADQUARTERS OF EAST TURKESTANI GOVERNMENT-IN-EXILE Manila Times September 12, 1998 (Manila) – The Council for National Salvation under the leadership of newly promoted Lieutenant General Artemio Tadiar, had welcomed several delegates from the Uyghur separatist movement, including Ghulam Osman Yaghma, who was chosen as the president of the Provisional Government of the Third East Turkestani Republic. The formation of a government-in-exile in the Philippines has caused an outrage among the Chinese public, who were also furious at the international community for openly defying the UN arms embargo imposed on the Tadiar regime for its human rights violations. In light of the terrorist attacks carried out against civilians in the Oriental Pearl and Radio Tower in Shanghai, and the threat of resumption of the conflict in the Spratly Islands region, the international community is now more confident in their hostility towards the Chinese government, and as a result, it has recognized the legitimacy of the PGTETR. However, the formation of the government-in-exile has also caused divisions within the Uyghur nationalist movement, who felt that forming an alliance with a nation like the Philippines would give China an excuse to intensify its oppression of the Uyghur minority inside Xinjiang.
“We are indeed grateful to General Tadiar for his efforts in supporting our cause, but we’re afraid that he has enticed the Chinese military to wipe us out, and destroy his own country in the process,” says Uyghur pro-independence activist Anwar Yusuf Turani, from his residence in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. “Still, it takes great courage to risk one’s own life for a worthy cause.”
Notable Filipino supporters of the Marawi-based East Turkestani government-in-exile includes newly appointed Minister for Education Gilbert Theodoro, who arrived in Marawi to formally announce the Tadiar regime's support for the Uyghur pro-independence movement as a way to weaken the Chinese communist dictatorship, as well as Tadiar himself, who made an appearance in Mindanao for the first time since the Filipino Civil War, when he traveled to parts of Mindanao to supervise his army's war against the communist rebels. In addition, the Turkish government has given financial backing to the PGTETR, mainly by sending over 35,000,000 USD to help build the infrastructure for the future Third East Turkestan Republic.
"We salute General Tadiar for taking up the fight for the rights of our Uyghur brothers and sisters who are facing widespread persecution from the Chinese communist dictatorship," announces Turkish President Suleyman Demirel during the meeting in the National Assembly. "In fact, he has managed to help sponsor the Uyghur movement that would not be easily influenced by radical Islamists who want to turn East Turkestan into a safe haven for terrorism, giving China another excuse to suppress the Uyghurs."
--- BOLAT RETURNS TO BIG SCREEN AS SEQUEL IS SET TO BREAK RECORDS SET BY PREDECESSOR Entertainment Tonight International July 30, 2013 (Akmola) - Just less than a year to go before the next FIFA World Cup tournament is set to be hosted in Kazakhstan, the sequel to "Bolat's Home of Kazakhstan" is released on the big screen, as "Bolat's Trip to Uzbekistan" is expected to outperform its predecessor. In addition to several actors and actresses who made their return to the big screen from the prequel, other new actors and actresses are set to make their debut in the new screen. Famous Israeli actress Gal Gadot has made her debut in the sequel, where she plays the role of the love interest of Sasha Baron Cohen's character, and famous Uzbek singers have also made their debut as well, including popular singer Shohruhxon, who plays an Uzbek government-approved tour guide who gives Bolat and his friends the tour of Samarkand, and Otabek Mahkamov, whose role in the 2008 Uzbek government-sponsored movie project "Chronicles of the Shaybanids" has garnered international attention.
"We have other sequels planned in the future, besides Bolat's Trip to Uzbekistan. We're thinking of negotiating with the governments of Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Russia for permission to carry out filming scenes within their territories," says Kazakh film producer Erkin Rakish when asked about the success of the 'Bolat' series. "Bolat's Home of Kazakhstan was a success, mainly because it generated international interest in knowing about our homeland of Kazakhstan. In fact, we are planning a huge movie project that will coincide with the 550th anniversary of the Kazakh statehood."
In addition to the politically charged "Alash 2050" project, which sought to reverse the flow of the water into the Aral Sea, "Project Kazakh 550th Birthday" is significant to all Kazakhs, because it is the celebration of the foundation of their nation, stemming from the 1460s. Moreover, the movies coming out of Central Asia that tells stories about the foundation of their nation comes at a time when the region is fast becoming the center of a new Great Game, this time between Russia, Turkey, and China, as they fight for influence in the region. Although other movies coming out of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are not coming out as fast as their Kazakh or Uzbek counterparts, the growth of Central Asia's movie industry is nothing short of a miracle, given the region's turbulent post-communist history, the rise of Al-Qaeda in the region, and the Russian invasion of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan in 2000.
--- "The rise of Ross Perot as Governor of Texas started off on a smooth path: upon his ascension, he went straight to work, fixing the Lone Star State with the help of the state administration who got along with him just fine. You see, he knew what a failing business looked like, and Texas is practically a failing business in that many of its employees are fleeing to better jobs and better pastures. In this case, California is where the better jobs with the better pay are located, so he had to implement his campaign promises. One of these campaign promises lay with infrastructure upgrades, and in a month, Governor Perot would invite Hyundai Rotem's top leaders to Austin for a discussion on a planned MagLev train project that would connect the Lone Star State to many other parts of the Deep South. It was not only ambitious, but bold as well, for several other governors within the Deep South were also interested in the project as well. Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee was interested as well, since it would have also linked Arkansas directly with Texas. Perot's MagLev ambition was aligned with the policies set forth by former President Dole on overhauling America's railway network, to lessen Americans' reliance on automotive use, which was already bolstered by the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, the 1991 Sierra Madre earthquake, and many more. Ultimately, it was this railway ambition that also led to Governor Perot's plan to extend the network into Mexico, which led to his covert support for General Mario Arturo Acosta Chaparro's dictatorship, and the financial donations that he gave to the Mexican military dictator, in exchange for the Mexican dictatorship's alignment with the US and Wall Street, that resulted in his impeachment, the first time in Texan history that a sitting Governor is impeached on charges of collusion and giving support to a military dictator. Perot would be impeached in 2003, while Chaparro would be overthrown in 2009, following a mutiny that broke out in Central Mexico." Isaac Feldman, from the Documentary "The Roots of Texan Libertarianism", sponsored by the Texan Libertarian Party.
--- RUSSIAN TROOPS ENTER DAGESTAN, AMIDST ISLAMIST INSURGENCY IN CAUCASUS REGION Sydney Herald September 14, 1998 Russian troops take a break after going on patrol in the Dagestani countryside. The growing insurgency in the North Caucasus has been one of the most troubling issues facing Russian President Gennady Burbulis.(Makhachkala) - The growing Islamist insurgency in Dagestan has reached its neighboring Caucasian autonomous republics within Russia, forcing President Gennady Burbulis to send over 30,000 Russian troops into the region. Many pro-government militias within Dagestan has started to combat the Caucasian branch of Al-Qaeda, which had also established its bases in the North Caucasus region. It is also believed that the Caucasian and Central Asian branches of Al-Qaeda were responsible for the infamous airport chain bombings that targeted the airports in Vitebsk, Simferopol, Rostov-on-the-Don, and Kutaisi in the Georgian Federal Republic, as evident by the accents detected in the conversations between the terrorists themselves. Since the end of the Second Russian Civil War, Al-Qaeda has been growing in strength, bolstered by the numerous amount of disillusioned young men who lost big when the National Redemption Army won the civil war against the Soviet loyalist government. However, the small but growing presence of the same terror organization in Kazakhstan has forced the Russian government to come up with a plan to stop the terror group."The presence of Al-Qaeda in Central Asia is a dangerous dagger pointed at the heart of Russia. As I speak, our government is working with the Union State of Ukraine and Belarus on tackling Islamist terrorism together, and with the upcoming merger of our two states, we are also streamlining our military commands altogether," says President Burbulis, while addressing the entire Duma. "At the same time, I can confirm with confidence, that there has been a power struggle emerging within Al-Qaeda, since the death of Abdullah Yusuf Azzam in Uzbekistan."The surprise raid by Uzbek special forces in the city of Bukhara had resulted in the death of Al-Qaeda's commander in chief, just a few days ago. While preparing for an offensive against the weakening Uzbek government, the compound where Azzam was staying was raided by the Uzbek special forces, and after only two hours of intense urban warfare, Azzam was shot in the head by an Uzbek sniper. Since his death, none of the other Al-Qaeda leaders could agree on who would succeed Azzam. The Caucasian cell had given their support for Ibn al-Khattab's ascension into the top leadership of Al-Qaeda, but the Central Asian branch went for Juma Namangani, since his charisma and knowledge of Central Asian politics is crucial in bringing together all the fragmented Central Asian cells of Al-Qaeda together. The growing split, based on geographic grounds, was good news to the Russian government, who could easily pick off each Al-Qaeda cell, one by one, as their offensive into Dagestan is underway.--- SYRIA CONFIRMS DEATH OF HAFEZ AL-ASSAD FROM STROKE, RUMORS OF POWER STRUGGLE WIDESPREAD Vancouver Sun October 14, 1998 Syrian generals pay their last respect to the late Hafez al-Assad, who died from a stroke. His death had raised fears of a civil war within Syria, before both Basel al-Assad and Suheil al-Hassan agreed to work together.(Damascus) - The Syrian government today, had confirmed the death of notable dictator Hafez al-Assad from a stroke. Since taking power in 1971, Hafez al-Assad's dictatorshp was marked by Syria's disastrous loss to Israel in the Yom Kippur War, leading to the Israeli occupation of the Golan Heights. The result of his death is that Syria might descend into civil war, over the plans for succession, with the pro-Assad faction led by his eldest son Basel, and the anti-Assad faction within the Syrian Ba'athist movement led by Suheil al-Hassan. However, fears of a civil war within Syria had been overblown, as both Basel al-Assad and Suheil al-Hassan expressed interest in working together to ensure that Syria doesn't fall into civil war and create a similar power vacuum to the one in Iraq, which is currently under the occupation of UN peacekeepers, following the fall of Saddam Hussein. In addition, interim President Abdul Halim Khaddam has also announced a snap election for both the Syrian Presidency and Parliament, to be held after 40 days of mourning.
"We can only solve the succession crisis by a new election, and as General al-Hassan has pointed out, keeping Syria in the hands of the Assad family will only give the impression that we have become a de facto monarchy, instead of being an actual Arab Republic," says interim President Khaddam, while addressing Syria's top military leadership. "We would like to be able to regain the Golan Heights, which we did not concede to Israel, even after we lost the Yom Kippur War. We will eventually get it back, one way or another."
The Syrian Arab Army has been weakened a bit by the Kurdish uprising that resulted in one of the biggest acts of ethnic cleansing since the end of WWII, in which most of Syria's Kurdish population residing in Rojava were expelled by the Syrian military. Consequently, the previous Assad dictatorship resettled the Assyrian Christian minority in Rojava, where they now constitute the majority ethnic group. In addition, the Syrian government also started to sponsor Assyrian separatism inside the enlarged Iraqi Kurdish state, in order to force the Iraqi Kurdish government to rejoin Iraq as an autonomous state. The continued instability inside Iraq is one of the key factors in Syria's plans for new elections, which would hopefully moderate some of its autocratic tendencies inside the state itself.
"Syria today is ready to defend its sovereignty against external and internal enemies," says Syrian Social Nationalist Party leader Ali Haidar, during a rally in Damascus. "We only need to wait for an order from the President, and we will carry out the orders that he has given us."
--- Op-Ed: A New Axis in the Making? By: Yitzhak Benyamin March 15, 2012 The emergence of a new Axis alliance in the world is a major cause for concern within Israel, as Syria has never made it a secret that it wanted to regain the Golan Heights that we won from them in the Yom Kippur War. Yet, the Syrian alliance with Iran is not only a cause for worry, but both states are now forming closer diplomatic and military relations with the entity that called itself the East Slavic Federation (which was subsequently renamed back to the Russian Federation after). These three states now pose the biggest threat to Israeli sovereignty. It was only after 2001 that US President Jack Kemp finally saw the dangers of Russia's re-emergence as a Great Power, that the US and Israel would work together to contain the new Axis alliance. It is clear that Syria is the weakest link in the new Axis alliance, but Russia and Iran remain a menace to Israel. The Russian invasion of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan in 2000 had alarmed the world to the fears of Russian militarism, and Russian aggression is making the world more unsafe. Russian collusion with Iran and Syria have also resulted in the re-stabilization of Iraq, albeit under a Shia-controlled government that answers to Moscow and Tehran, and its re-integration of Iraqi Kurdistan was just as brutal as the formation of an autonomous Assyrian entity inside Iraq. What should America and Israel do in this case?
First and foremost, both America and Israel must support the aspirations of the Kurdish people for an independent Kurdish state, which was snuffed out by Iraq in 2004. The creation of an Assyrian autonomous entity that proved itself to be loyal to the government in Baghdad, was not only necessary for the survival of the Middle Eastern Christian population, but critical in the greater geopolitical aspirations of Russia and Iran. We are seeing the emergence of an alliance between Orthodox Christendom and Shia Islam, and if we are not careful, we might even see a partnership between Orthodox Christendom and the Omani Sultanate. In fact, we are even seeing this unravel before our very own eyes, as Russia had recently signed an economic trade deal with Oman, with Oman gaining access to the wider Russian market for its goods, and Russia gaining access to Omani ports for some of its consumer goods. While Oman is carefully playing a balancing game between Saudi Arabia and Iran, it is also mindful of its relationships with both America and Russia. In addition to Iran, Oman also controls the entrance of the Straits of Hormuz, through the Musandam Governorate, making it more dangerous for any other oil exporting nation to sell its oil in the international market, should the Straits of Hormuz be closed down to international shipping. It is therefore essential that Oman keeps its balancing act intact, in order to prevent Russian power projection into the rest of the Middle East and beyond.
--- PHNOM PENH FALLS TO VIETNAMESE MILITARY IN BLITZKRIEG OFFENSIVE REMINISCENT OF 1979 VIETNAMESE INVASION OF CAMBODIA Edmonton Journal October 31, 1998 (Phnom Penh) - After two and a half years of the resumption of conflict between Vietnam and Cambodia, as a part of the wider Spratlys conflict in which China unilaterally annexed the Spratly Islands, the Vietnamese military has captured the Cambodian capital. Thousands of Cambodian civilians who were now under Vietnamese occupation in both southwestern Vietnam and southern Cambodia were forcibly expelled at gunpoint. The Cambodian military had started to fall apart, due to a lessened military aid given to them by China, as a result of the latest skirmish between Chinese and Filipino troops just a few miles away from northwestern Luzon. In addition, the Vietnamese military was bolstered by thousands of paramilitary forces that fought the occupying Chinese troops in northern Vietnam, before turning their attention to the occupying Cambodian forces in southwestern Vietnam. Moreover, Vietnam has recently received military aid from the United States and Russia, in an attempt to contain China, and to help the Vietnamese eject the PLA from northern Vietnam.
"It is becoming clear that our so-called 'international partners' have stabbed us in the back, and are planning to impose a new Century of Humiliation on China as a whole," says acting Premier Wang Dongxing, during the Politburo meeting. "Russia and America are going to use Vietnam and the Philippines to do its dirty work, and as a result, our soldiers are dying faster in northern Vietnam."
The recent skirmish between China and the Philippines, just outside northwestern Luzon, had resulted in over 46 Filipino and 52 Chinese soldiers dead, had been an embarassment for the Chinese regime, who had failed to take into account the increased shipment of arms to the Philippines, in violation of the UN arms embargo that was imposed on the island nation in 1990, due to its human rights violations. However, US President Jack Kemp had announced that it was no longer willing to abide by the UN arms embargo, due to it being abused by China, in order to keep its rivals weak. More recently, the Philippine diplomatic isolation is being used by the Tadiar regime to carry out acts of terrorism against China, with the infamous Shanghai Oriental Pearl and Radio Tower terrorist attack being one of them. Vietnam, likewise, has used the Philippines' diplomatic isolation to its advantage, often cooperating with the Tadiar regime in carrying out acts of piracy against Chinese shipping in the West. The estimated amount of money lost to these raids had reached as high as 800 million US dollars, creating fears of a Chinese economic recession because of it.
"We must rely more on our relations with our neighbors in the West and the North for our exports, as maritime trade is becoming extremely costly," says regional CCP leader Bo Xilai, during a press briefing in Chongqing. "In its attempts to shut down our maritime trade, our enemies have given us an opportunity to revive the Silk Road trade, as a way of going around the seas. China is going to emerge stronger economically, as a result of its decision to move its trade inland."
--- TADIAR TRIAL CONTINUES WITH CONCURRENT TRIAL OF ANTONIO TRILLANES IN THE HAGUE Los Angeles Times December 11, 2016 Former Philippine Navy Lieutenant Commander Antonio Trillanes testifies during his trial at the Hague, on charges of human rights violations.(The Hague) - The trial of former Council for National Sovereignty leader Artemio Tadiar continues, with the trial of former Philippine Navy officer Antonio Trillanes, on charges of crimes against humanity, human and drug trafficking, as well as various war crimes committed during the 2002-2004 Second Korean War, when the Philippine Navy, as part of the coalition forces that invaded the former North Korea, had massacred an entire North Korean crew, whose ship, the Sariwon-class frigate, had been sunk by South Korean fighter planes. Citing an order given by the leadership of the Provisional Government for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Trillanes had justified his actions with such an order. If convicted, Mr. Trillanes would face the possibility of a life imprisonment, with zero chances for a parole. The charges of drug and human trafficking is related to the Philippine Navy's role in selling captured female New People's Army fighters taken during the communist insurgency against the Tadiar regime to various organized crime groups, as well as organizing mass executions of captured left-wing activists and dumping their corpses into the sea, where they would be used as food for the sharks.
"Mr. Trillanes is another thug who took orders from the head honcho of this dictatorship we're fighting against," says Virgilio Garcillano, during an interview with a Canadian reporter back in November of this year. "The former government-in-exile based in Whistler has received reports of widespread mass executions and testimonies from survivors who were extremely lucky to escape the executions, as well as former military officers who defected to us."
The trial of Antonio Trillanes is a part of the larger trial of the entire Council for National Sovereignty, in which Artemio Tadiar is being tried for his role in the dictatorship of his own making. However, other wanted figures have yet to be arrested, most prominently John Bennett Ramsey, the only American to be listed on the list of people to be arrested for crimes against humanity, and Rolando Mendoza, for his role in the human rights abuses committed against political dissidents and targeted killings of political exiles overseas. The trial of Tadiar is expected to be the most widely discussed topic since the trial of Adolf Eichmann in 1961, on charges of crimes against humanity, stemming from WWII and the Holocaust. Moreover, the Loren Legarda administration is also cooperating with former government-in-exile officials in hunting down other wanted figures that the Hague has placed on an international arrest warrant, to help rehabilitate the Philippines diplomatically.
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Post by kyuzoaoi on May 24, 2021 4:58:47 GMT
Oh, I think you should incorporate Magdalo symbolism as well.
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Post by TheRomanSlayer on May 24, 2021 5:26:34 GMT
I would think that the Magdalo symbol would be better suited for Nicanor Faeldon’s extremist party. In a way, the Magdalo symbol is already used for TTL’s Tadiar era Philippine flag.
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Post by TheRomanSlayer on May 30, 2021 7:41:11 GMT
Chapter Sixty-Two: A Royal Hassle
"It cannot be denied that Princess, or rather, Lady Diana's contributions to humanitarian missions around the world have been beneficial. However, the Crown was in an uproar when it was revealed that the former Princess of Wales had joined scores of volunteers who traveled to the Philippines to give medical and dental aid to the Filipino victims of the Chinese aerial bombardment of the country. It was here that the former Princess of Wales had developed controversial connections with the Ramsey family, of which the current CIA Director John Bennett Ramsey was head of, as well as top military leaders of the Tadiar regime. It is not to say, that Lady Diana had given support to General Artemio Tadiar at all. In fact, in her private diary, she placed the blame for the bombing on both China's military leadership and the Filipino junta, and even tried to play peacemaker, only to be threatened by Tadiar himself with expulsion from the country. Since then, her experience as a volunteer nurse in the Philippines had given her a new view on life in general, and in her later trip to Canada in 1999, Lady Diana met the former President of the Philippines, Corazon Aquino, who now headed the government-in-exile, based in the resort town of Whistler, British Columbia. Their discussions on the humanitarian crisis in the Philippines was crucial in the government-in-exile's insistence on a diplomatic reconciliation between China and the Philippines, only for her biggest critics to point out that it was the People's Liberation Army who killed the late Foreign Minister Arturo Tolentino, and Tadiar's retaliatory attack was the infamous 1998 Shanghai Oriental Pearl and Radio Tower attack. Upon her return to Britain, Diana began to contemplate running for political office, but the Crown decided against it, seeing her as a major liability and embarassment. It was a shame, really, because if the Crown had decided to allow the former Princess of Wales to run for political office in exchange for her renouncing her title as Princess of Wales, she would have been a valuable asset to either the LibDems, or even Labour. The People's Princess would also have been a major force for change in the country. Instead, the revelation of her connections to the Tadiar regime was a valid excuse the Crown needed to contemplate the idea of excluding her sons from the succession, resulting in yet another royal scandal. Anti-monarchist groups in the Commonwealth had been campaigning for the end of the monarchy in those countries, and the idea of a divorced King ascending to the throne would have been like King Edward VIII all over again, only this time Camilla Parker Bowles would play the role of Wallis Simpson and the succession would have gone to Prince William." Christopher Hitchens, from his University of Alberta speech, "How Princess Diana Almost Single-Handedly Destroyed the Commonwealth"
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"America has demonstrated to the world that when they are facing a major crisis like climate change, they have the ability to come up with ingenious solutions to it. It took a major earthquake to wake the former Dole administration to the dangers of double decker viaducts, which in turn raises the alarm of over-reliance on gasoline-consuming vehicles that is one of the major causes of climate change. However, I must ask Presidents Jackson and Kemp as to why would they turn to MagLevs as a solution. I don't mind seeing America adopt the magnet levitation railway technology. Far from it, America is behind Europe in the railway renaissance, and let us not forget that it was Japan or France, who started the whole magnet levitation railway technology in the first place. It is for this reason that I would like to set up an organization that will dedicate itself to the promotion of magnet levitation technology." Prince Charles on "MagLevs: The First Phase of the Green Revolution" seminar in Coventry, United Kingdom, May 29, 2002.
---
Excerpts from the Monarchism-Republicanism Debate in Australia ABC Australia August 30, 1998
Malcolm Turnbull is the leader of the 'Yes' Campaign, while Kerry Jones is leader for the 'No' Campaign
***
TURNBULL: For years, we have seen less enthusiasm for the monarchy that is based in London. Since Australia is fast becoming more diverse, more new Australian citizens have not recognized the British roots of the Australian nation. Of course, the shameful episode with the White Australia Policy is something we have truly regretted, and it is also tied to the kind of British elitism that we have seen. An Australian Republic will be more open to voices from all backgrounds, and we will certainly ask the public, should we become successful, on what kind of republican government should we adopt. This is my opening argument.
MODERATOR: All right, Mr. Turnbull. Thank you. (turns to KERRY JONES) Mr. Jones, you have the floor.
JONES: Thank you. (turns to audience) While I agree with Mr. Turnbull's statement that the White Australia Policy was a stain in our nation's history, I disagree that a turn to Republicanism would be the solution. We ought to remember that Australia's roots lay with our British heritage, that it was under the British flag that we built various colonies everywhere, including our great Australian nation. Most important of all, we owe our allegiance to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. That is my opening argument.
MODERATOR: Thank you, Mr. Jones. (pauses) Gentlemen, in what capacity would Australia take, should the results go the way your campaign would have wanted? (turns to TURNBULL) Mr. Turnbull, you may have the floor.
TURNBULL: Thank you, sir. (turns to JONES) A good majority of the new immigrants who come and settle in Australia come from mainly Catholic nations, although Protestants also make up the sizeable amount of migrants who settled here as well. However, many of the working class Australians here do not like the idea of inherited privilege that is common with the elites who make up of the monarchist movement.
JONES: I object! Mr. Turnbull here is mudslinging here!
TURNBULL: I haven't finished yet, Mr. Jones! (pauses) As I said, inherited privilege is common with the elites who tend to lean towards monarchism. However, it is also true that there are also elites within our own movement who might not take it too kindly about inherited privilege as well, and yet our own elites are more eager to help the common man and woman with their burdens.
MODERATOR: Any counter-arguments, Mr. Jones?
JONES: (nods) Yes, sir. (turns to TURNBULL) Your proposal for a republic does have some merit, but let us not forget that the immigrants of the late 1940s to the late 1980s who arrived here have come from unstable republics. That is not to say, all those republics are unstable to begin with. They were functioning republics, but they were not sufficiently developed. Furthermore, we would propose our own candidate for a uniquely Australian monarch, if we were allowed to.
MODERATOR: Do you have any idea as to who would be a suitable candidate to take up an Australian throne? Let us not forget that as the Heir Apparent, Prince Charles is next in line for the throne, followed by his sons, Princes William and Harry. Who would you say, should be a candidate in this case, Mr. Jones?
JONES: Well, we initially would propose Prince Andrew as our new monarch, mainly because he almost has no chance of inheriting the British throne, but one of our members suggested that we should take a look further down the line. In the end, we narrowed it down to three to four candidates: Prince Richard, the current Duke of Gloucester, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and perhaps, Prince Michael of Kent.
MODERATOR: (turns to TURNBULL) What do you think of the Monarchist proposals?
TURNBULL: We republicans would prefer a uniquely Australian resident as our leader. Of course, we will retain the Prime Minister's position in the meanwhile, while we make our eventual transition to a semi-presidential system.
MODERATOR: Would your system of government be based on the French model, or on the American model?
TURNBULL: Well, if we were going for the full Presidential system, then it would obviously be on the American model. However, if we want to keep the position of Prime Minister, then I'd say we could use the French model.
JONES: It is not only the matter of tradition and heritage that we must keep in mind, when discussing the pros and cons of the systems that we're proposing. The middle class people that I've talked to, had preferred to keep the monarchy, because it represented stability and order.
MODERATOR: Mr. Jones, you don't have the floor yet.
TURNBULL: (raises hands) I will allow it. (turns to JONES) There is a limit to how much stability and order that we can have, before the desire for change kicks in. Let us not forget that we landed here in Australia, as criminals convicted in British courts, and sentenced to a lifetime of exile here. Did we keep our love for the Crown while our ancestors were sent here to serve their sentences?
MODERATOR: Mr. Turnbull, I'm afraid you're also out of line as well.
JONES: I don't deny that many of the colonists and British subjects who landed here have run afoul of the law back in Britain. I don't deny that our ancestors paid for their crimes by living here. However, is your support for a Republican Australia genuine, or does it have to do with your class status?
TURNBULL: Objection!
MODERATOR: Gentlemen, please! Keep it civil.
TURNBULL: It's the attitude that this gentleman over there that makes the working class yearn for a system where they would be far more represented. Even I would admit that there will be elites in a Republic, but there must always be a man of the people. A figurehead who will listen to the voices of those classes who have been marginalized by the current system we live in. I can give the example of the former Princess of Wales, Lady Diana Spencer. She renounced her title as Princess of Wales after her divorce with Prince Charles, and has focused her energies on human rights in general. She is an example of what we would call a populist figure whom the working class and many other classes with progressive mindsets can rally around.
JONES: To cite Lady Diana Spencer as an example is the worst thing you could ever say, Mr. Turnbull. You have no right to use an adulteress as a so-called shining figure!
---
"You may not like what I'm saying, but I stand by my comments when I said that Australia must keep open any diplomatic connections it has with the Tadiar regime in the Philippines, to ensure that we will have options for Artemio Tadiar to choose from, should he decide to renege on his diplomatic isolation. I agree with US President Kemp that the Tadiar regime has abused the notion of 'diplomatic irregularity' as an excuse to commit those terrorist attacks against China, but that does not mean I defend the Chinese dictatorship. Far from it, its military adventures in SE Asia, and in the Eurasian heartland has aroused certain reactions from nations who suffered under Chinese rule. It is for this reason that Australia should take a leading role in prying open the heavy doors of Filipino isolationism, to create a suitable situation where the Tadiar regime would eventually fall, and be replaced by a government that is more accountable to its citizens. I do not also support the so-called government-in-exile set up by the previous administration, as they have received significant diplomatic and financial support from China, despite their headquarters in a resort town that is well liked by many of our citizens who travel to Canada on their work visa. It is even revealed that Corazon Aquino has accepted a 66 million dollar payment from the Chinese government as 'reparations' in exchange for recognizing China's annexation of the Spratly Islands. If we are to witness the fall of the Tadiar regime, we must exploit it to its fullest by giving support to moderate figures who understand international relations." Pauline Hanson, addressing the Australian Parliament on her controversial comments regarding Philippine-Australian Diplomatic Ties in the Tadiar Era, July 11, 1999.
---
Excerpts from "Cue for Conspiracy: The Rise and Fall of Senator Alex Jones" By: Isaac Feldman University of California Berkley Press
Chapter Eleven: The Perotian Revolution in Real Time
Since the victory of Ross Perot over George W. Bush in the 1998 Texan gubernatorial election (which I found it shocking, as George W. Bush had been a heavy favorite to win it, but with the state of Texas's economy in dire straits, a lot of Texans voted with their feet, so to say), much of Texas's youth had started to develop second thoughts on finding jobs out of state. Manufacturing firms like Texas Instruments had started to post job ads, looking for production assemblers and other general laborer positions that could attract such people. Ironically, the victory of Ross Perot also resulted in the entry of college freshmen into the state from around the United States. In fact, Texas from 1998, until 2012 (long after Ross Perot was impeached) was the major source of all college and university students who were drafted into various major league sports. 45% Texan post-secondary students who got into various Texan universities and colleges had received a sports based scholarship, and a good chunk of them were normally football and basketball players. Although Alex by now, had temporarily stepped back from his activities with the Texas Libertarian Party to attend UT Austin for his Political Science and Government Degree (I was surprised that he dove deeper into his books, with Monica and Linda Tripp acting as his tutors), I also began to increase my involvement with the Libertarians.
One day, while I was busy writing the script for "Corporate America's Dirty Little Secret", Monica arrived inside with a newspaper in her hand. Alex followed suit, as he also entered my room at the same time. I could tell that their facial expression had darkened, indicating that there might be something wrong. I was right, for the newspaper in question, had caught my attention.
PLANE CRASHES IN COAST OF CUBA, KILLING EVERYONE ONBOARD
"What's so interesting about a plane crash in Cuba?" I asked Alex and Monica.
Monica answered first. "It's more of who was aboard the airplane that is extremely fishy."
I read its contents, and was stunned that a former Governor of Arkansas was among the people who died onboard that plane, along with some oddball by the name of Jeffrey Epstein. According to official reports, Cuban anti-aircraft defenses had opened fire on the plane, thinking that it was a reconaissance plane. However, when it became apparent that the pilots of the plane had either drank before they flew, or the pilots were sober, but they were a bit reckless with their flying, my head immediately rang its alarm bell.
"Why the hell is Bill Clinton flying aboard a private jet belonging to some nobody, and where in the world was he going?" Alex asked back.
"That is a good question, Alex." Monica continued to read the article, until her eyes widened. "This isn't good."
"What's not good?" I reponded.
Monica answered once again. "It seems that one of the pilots was playing truth or dare while on the job, and that Epstein oddball had apparently dared the pilot to fly closer to Cuban airspace. Former Governor Clinton placed $300 on the private jet surviving any Cuban attack. Stupid fool not only lost the bet, but his own life too. Stupid idiot."
"You know, I don't know how his widowed wife must have felt about her husband's death, but I don't think she would go the Corazon Aquino route, would she?" Alex said. Both Monica and I winced at his words, since that would mean that America could have its own Tadiar like figure if Hillary Clinton were to become President, and an ambitious American general has an idea to get rid of her. "Anyways, we saw a lot of frat boys driving down Route 290, waving both Texan and American flags."
"I wouldn't be surprised, but at least we don't have to see those awful looking Confederate flags ever again." We heard a commotion outside, so we went outside to take a look.
Hundreds of high school kids, as well as elementary kids, were waving small American and Texan flags, while singing songs about Ross Perot. To Monica and myself, seeing those kids act a little bit too fanatical about a Governor who was just elected conjured some unwelcoming scenes from our parents' and grandparents' pasts. It looked like one of those so-called 'patriotic rallies' that Tadiar's underling Nicanor Faeldon had held in the Philippines, but what really sickened us to our core was the flags that were being flown. Swastikas, Confederate flags, the Apartheid-era South African flag and the recently disbanded AWB's flag, and to our shock, the weird flag used by the former National Redemption Army during the Second Russian Civil War, are being flown in the streets of Austin. What we saw next was just as terrifying. Counter-demonstrators, many of whom are anti-fascists, were waving their hammer and sickle flags, the anarcho-communist black and red banner, and various flags of communist nations like the old Soviet Union, China, Cuba, and even the African National Congress flag used by anti-Apartheid activists. Luckily, the demonstrations were rather uneventful, with the police arriving on time to prevent a potential mob fight between the two groups. It was not until one of the far-right groups had started singing something that none of us understood, but the tune was rather similar.
"Why are they singing the German anthem?" I asked. Alex and Monica shook their heads in confusion.
"The language isn't in German. Monica, do you know what language it is?" Alex asked her, but she didn't know either.
"Well, it sounded a bit like Dutch." My eyes widened in shock. "Hold on, Alex. Do you see one of those Apartheid-era flags out there?"
Alex squinted at the flags and groaned. "Afrikaans, I am guessing. The bloody Afrikaners that helped Perot win the election are there."
We continued to watch the rally, and even after the Afrikaners on the right-wing crowd finished, the anti-fascists started singing the English-language version of the Internationale, followed by an old American socialist song, "Which Side Are You On". To our surprise, the singing continued throughout the day, and into the evening. When it started to get dark, the rallies just simply melted away. That was comforting; I honestly thought that they were going to fight each other, but the surprising thing is, both sides were waiting for the other to blink. I guess both did blink, and boy am I relieved. However, I don't know if there is also a foul play involved in the mysterious death of former Governor Clinton. Whatever it is, it sure gave Monica an idea.
"I don't want to act like a conspiracy nut, but I believe that there is foul play involved, and that the Corsairs could have been a key player in Governor Clinton's death," Monica revealed to us during dinner time. Apparently, Linda Tripp had decided to pop by our house for a visit, after interviewing Hillary Clinton regarding her husband's trips and his connections with the Epstein oddball. "What if Governor Clinton's death was a part of the power struggle within the CIA?"
Alex, surprisingly, nodded quickly. "I was wondering about that. Back in the 80s, there was the Cowboys who were purged from the CIA by the Carter administration. Reagan had connections to the Cowboys, and Papa Bush was one of them. Since the rise of Artemio Tadiar's dictatorship, the Cowboys couldn't play any role, allowing another group like the Corsairs to rise as a rival."
"But what is Governor Clinton's connection to either side then?" I asked back.
Surprisingly, it was Linda who spoke. "Well, when I interviewed Hillary Clinton, she mentioned her family investment in a firm called the Whitewater Development Corporation. She also said that there was another buyer who was interested in buying out WDC when it revealed its financial losses."
"Another buyer?" I asked curiously. "Who would that be?"
"Well, Hillary told me that a company calling itself the Greymarble Financial Group was interested, but her fellow associates Jim and Susan McDougal raised their suspicions when they asked who was on the board of directors. As it turned out, the ten so-called board of directors were non-existent, and even if they were existent, chances are that it could either be the Cowboys seeking to use a front organization to cover their activities, or the Corsairs doing the same thing," Tripp replied back. "Oh, and this Greymarble Financial Group did have one notable guy who is connected to them."
"Who would that be?" Monica asked back. Linda grimaced, and I can tell that she was not comfortable with the answer she was about to give to us.
"Patricia Ann Ramsey."
---
ARKANSAS IN MOURNING AS BODY OF FORMER GOVERNOR CLINTON IS REPATRIATED FROM CUBA Dallas Morning Tribune October 8, 1998
(Little Rock) - Arkansas woke up to a tragic day, as news of the death of its former governor, Bill Clinton, was announced. Official reports coming out of Washington and Havana have revealed that a private jet plane belonging to a minor businessman named Jeffrey Epstein was flying closer to Cuban airspace, and was instructed to turn back, unless they would be subject to a warning shot from its anti-air defense systems. However, in an interesting turn of events, the two pilots had not responded fast enough to the warning, causing the Cuban military to give out warning shots. However, one of the warning shots had accidentally hit the jet plane in the front, killing the two pilots, while another warning shot had struck the fuel tank of the plane, causing it to explode. In addition to former Governor Clinton, Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell were also killed onboard the plane as well, raising questions as to why a private plane owned by a nobody would intentionally travel to Cuban airspace.
"I don't know what is going on in the minds of the pilots, but moreover, I don't understand why Cuba would shoot down the plane carrying the former Governor of Arkansas," says Linda Tripp after she interviewed Hillary Clinton. "It is just confusing."
Former Governor Clinton had been a popular figure in Arkansas, and was a pioneer in overhauling the state's education system. However, the Clinton family had been prominent players in various political controversies, most notably the scandal involving Jim and Susan McDougal's company, the Whitewater Development Corporation, shortly before it was bought out by a newcomer called the Greymarble Financial Group. Additionally, Greymarble has not revealed the identity of its CEO, indicating that the original owners of Whitewater might have fallen for a scam, but the real question remains, who is doing the scamming at this point. Gennifer Flowers, one of the women who knew Bill Clinton, had revealed her romantic and sexual involvement with the former governor, prior to his tenure as Governor.
In addition, Clinton was also known for his failed 1992 Presidential campaign on the Democratic Party ticket that ultimately landed on former President Jesse Jackson, and at one point, had served as Secretary of Labor, before stepping down from his position after the victory of Jack Kemp. After Kemp's inauguration, former Governor Clinton was appointed by President Kemp to lead a delegation to Northern Ireland for a peace summit between the Catholic and Protestant communities there, leading to the Easter Sunday Treaty of 1997, where the IRA would renounce their campaign of violence, and in return, the Northern Irish Loyalist paramilitaries would do the same. At the time of his death, Bill Clinton was on his way to Mexico to help mediate the conflict between the Zapatista rebels and the Mexican dictatorship of Mario Arturo Acosta Chaparro, before his untimely death.
"Mr. Clinton was known as a man on a mission for peace. We will never forget his contributions to the peace in Northern Ireland, and as a result of his death, he now joins Arturo Tolentino on the list of murdered envoys of peace," says President Jack Kemp, during the funeral ceremony in Washington, DC. "The fact that he was most likely murdered by Cuban military forces indicate that the Zapatistas have begged their Cuban comrades to prevent any peaceful resolution to the civil war in Mexico. As a result, the United States now has a legitimate justification to call for war with Cuba. I will formally ask Congress to issue a Declaration of War on Cuba later on today."
Jack Kemp's surprise announcement had stunned the American public, but Congress is most likely to support the President's formal request to issue a Declaration of War on Cuba, given that the President has gone through Congress for it. Furthermore, Cuba is one of the main supporters of the Zapatista movement in Mexico, and has also funded the Popular Revolutionary Army, which is also waging an insurgency against the Chaparro dictatorship in Mexico. Kemp's declaration of war on Cuba would also mean that the United States will now become involved in yet another Central American conflict.
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gillan1220
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Post by gillan1220 on May 30, 2021 8:15:00 GMT
So Diana lives to present day in this timeline due to the butterflies?
I didn't expect that chapter with Clinton and Epstein. A very great add on to the list of ongoing butterflies in this timeline. I wonder if there will be a scandal regarding their sexual relations with other women especially in Epstein's private island. I guess the secret died with them.
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stevep
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Post by stevep on May 30, 2021 11:38:23 GMT
Well that was unexpected. I'm not sure of the language and arguments in the debate in Australia. I can't see the monarchists supporting a break with the British monarchy by suggesting a lesser member of the royal family. Bloody glad they did drop Andrew given some of the shady connections he has!
I might see Diana acting as a nurse although think she would be more useful for most campaigns she would support as a celebrate bringing attention to it. While before marriage she was involved in child care - checking she was a "nursery teacher's assistant" she didn't have any medical training. Would agree she would distance herself from Tadier and similar from Ramsey if/when she found out what he was like. Don't think she voluntary gave up the title of Princess of Wales as lost it automatically when the divorce went through. Also I can't see her going into politics but if she did I doubt that the royal family would be in a position to stop her. [Other than possibly threatening to cut off connections with her son's which would be a potential very bad own goal for them if it became public. Similarly I doubt they would consider removing William and Harry from the family without real reason - i.e. that both made themselves clearly unsuitable - as that would discredit the entire system so much.
The last section with Clinton's death sounds definitely murky. Can't help thinking, with the amount of blood on his hands already that Kemp might ultimately be behind it, in part of get an excuse to attack Cuba. Especially if the shadowy Greymarble Financial Group were from the corsairs rather than the cowboys as that could be payback for the Clinton's managing to defeat them on the Whitewater bidding.
Steve
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Post by TheRomanSlayer on May 30, 2021 18:35:48 GMT
So Diana lives to present day in this timeline due to the butterflies? I didn't expect that chapter with Clinton and Epstein. A very great add on to the list of ongoing butterflies in this timeline. I wonder if there will be a scandal regarding their sexual relations with other women especially in Epstein's private island. I guess the secret died with them. Yep, although she might actually calm down and not get involved with any more affairs. The truth about what happened with Clinton and Epstein would be revealed in the next chapter.
Well that was unexpected. I'm not sure of the language and arguments in the debate in Australia. I can't see the monarchists supporting a break with the British monarchy by suggesting a lesser member of the royal family. Bloody glad they did drop Andrew given some of the shady connections he has!
I might see Diana acting as a nurse although think she would be more useful for most campaigns she would support as a celebrate bringing attention to it. While before marriage she was involved in child care - checking she was a "nursery teacher's assistant" she didn't have any medical training. Would agree she would distance herself from Tadiar and similar from Ramsey if/when she found out what he was like. Don't think she voluntary gave up the title of Princess of Wales as lost it automatically when the divorce went through. Also I can't see her going into politics but if she did I doubt that the royal family would be in a position to stop her. [Other than possibly threatening to cut off connections with her son's which would be a potential very bad own goal for them if it became public. Similarly I doubt they would consider removing William and Harry from the family without real reason - i.e. that both made themselves clearly unsuitable - as that would discredit the entire system so much.
The last section with Clinton's death sounds definitely murky. Can't help thinking, with the amount of blood on his hands already that Kemp might ultimately be behind it, in part of get an excuse to attack Cuba. Especially if the shadowy Greymarble Financial Group were from the corsairs rather than the cowboys as that could be payback for the Clinton's managing to defeat them on the Whitewater bidding.
Steve
That could be a possibility, or another theory would be that the death of Clinton might be connected to the ongoing civil war in Mexico. However, I doubt that the Corsairs would have known Jeffrey Epstein at all, and even if they did, they wouldn't try to recruit him without pissing off whoever is friends with him.
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Post by kyuzoaoi on May 31, 2021 0:04:00 GMT
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Post by TheRomanSlayer on May 31, 2021 0:34:46 GMT
Not sure, but Faeldon is the one getting the most exposure to extremist movements in Europe, thanks to his connections to the Falangists in Spain.
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gillan1220
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Post by gillan1220 on May 31, 2021 1:47:58 GMT
Sounds like a conspiracy theory made by leftists such as KMU, the NPA, or those UP activists.
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Post by TheRomanSlayer on May 31, 2021 2:15:30 GMT
You know, I could insert that thing into the next update.
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Post by TheRomanSlayer on May 31, 2021 5:12:53 GMT
Chapter Sixty-Three: We Have Seen This Before "The government of Cuba is to blame for the death of former Governor Bill Clinton, since it was their military that shot his plane down. I cannot find any other reason for his murder, other than for the Zapatistas to prevent any peace agreements made between the government of General Mario Chaparro and the rebel forces fighting against him. However, Mexico has fast emerged as the new hotspot in the resurgent Cold War between the forces of democracy and individual liberty, versus the forces of international communism and totalitarian collectivism. Moreover, the Cuban and Nicaraguan governments are also to blame for the parasitic influence of communism in the Americas, and that by virtue of the Monroe Doctrine, they have outed themselves as puppets of the former Soviet government, before pledging their allegiance to the Chinese government. As such, I hereby defer to Congress for the issuing of the declaration of war on Cuba, and I also ask Congress to give me authorization for the resumption of hostilities against Nicaragua. The twin threats of Cuban and Nicaraguan communism and socialism arises from those regime's own ability to inflict as much terror and suffering upon the free peoples of the Americas. The relic from the Cold War era must come down, and it cannot just come from outside, but it must also come down from within. It is thanks to the policies of those communist governments that many of its own citizens chose to vote with their feet, and flee for the safety and sanctuary of the United States. We have welcomed those refugees who fled from communism, and we will continue to welcome them now. As such, I hereby issue this ultimatum to Cuba and Nicaragua: either those so-called elected officials resign and turn themselves in to the International Court of Justice voluntarily, or we will invade to ensure that the likes of Fidel Castro be dragged into the ICJ." Jack Kemp, addressing Congress on the possibility of the United States going to war with Cuba over the death of Bill Clinton, October 9, 1998.
--- CONGRESS ISSUES DECLARATION OF WAR ON CUBA, CONFLICT WITH NICARAGUA TO RESUME AMIDST MEXICAN CIVIL WAR Washington Post November 11, 1998 (Washington, DC) - Congress today has officially issued a Declaration of War on the nation of Cuba by the United States, after President Jack Kemp has formally asked them for such a request. The Declaration of War on Cuba comes after the assassination of former Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton over Cuban airspace, despite repeated warnings made by Cuban military authorities, while on his way to Mexico to mediate the peace between the Zapatista and Popular Revolutionary Army on one side, and the Mexican government under acting President Mario Chaparro. It is widely believed that the Cuban government had assassinated former Governor Clinton, as a way of prolonging the civil war in Mexico long enough for the Chaparro regime to fall, and for a communist government to rise in its place, but so far, there is no concrete evidence that motivated the Cuban government to kill a man who wanted to mediate peace in Mexico. The declaration of war on Cuba is also followed by the announcement that the United States will resume its unfinished conflict with Nicaragua, as a way of bringing peace and stability to Central America.
"The era of international communism will end, one way or another. The question is, how many American lives will be inevitably lost in this patriotic quest to rid the world of communism and socialism," said President Kemp, after Congress voted unanimously to approve the declaration of war on Cuba. "The great General Patton once said that America should have taken the Soviets out, while they are weak. His words proved prophetic when it became apparent that the Red Army is emerging as a stronger force in Central Europe after World War Two had ended."
However, the international response to America's declaration of war on Cuba was mixed. For the rest of NATO, America's declaration of war on Cuba was a strong indication that their existence is still necessary to help combat new threats emerging from the ashes of the post-Cold War order and the aftermath of the Second Russian Civil War. German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who recently won the 1998 German federal election, was one of the few European leaders who criticized Jack Kemp's declaration of war on Cuba, while British Prime Minister Tony Blair had given a mild criticism of Kemp's actions.
"America today is prone to resolving its problems with ideologically opposite neighbors through the use of military force. We have seen this before, with one other nation that did the same thing," warns German Chancellor Schroeder while addressing the Bundestag. "Just as the late Bill Clinton was appointed to help mediate peace between the warring parties in Mexico, we will appoint someone who will do the same thing between America and Cuba."
By far the biggest political shock was the reactions coming from Russia, the Union State of Ukraine and Belarus, and China. They issued a harsh criticism of America's declaration of war on Cuba as nothing short of an act of political thuggery. In addition, Russia's Defense Minister Alexander Lebed was reported to have lost his temper when he heard of the news, while Russian President Gennady Burbulis hardened his stance on America's war with Cuba. In China, Acting Premier Wang Dongxing also condemned America's aggressive behavior, and compared the actions of Jack Kemp to that of Filipino dictator Artemio Tadiar.
"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, as we saw with the American aggression against the Cuban revolutionary working class," says Wang while addressing PLA officer cadets during his visit to the PLA academy in Beijing. "Comrade Deng may have been smart in certain areas, but given America's endless lust for power and domination of the Americas, it is hypocritical of them to condemn us for wanting the same thing in the Asian continent."
President Kemp on the other hand, has appointed Marine Corps General Paul Van Riper as the Supreme Commander of the US forces tasked with invading Cuba, while Richard Nantonski is appointed the commander of the US forces that is poised to launch an attack on Nicaragua. In addition, the President has also mobilized all of the US Air Force squadrons for a 24-hour bombing campaign against Cuban and Nicaraguan targets, and the US Navy has given orders for the 4th Fleet to make their way into Cuban territorial waters to initiate a naval blockade, while at the same time taking in Cuban defectors who wished to leave the country. The 4th Fleet is now being reactivated for the first time since 1947, when it was disestablished, with their first mission being in Cuba. At the same time, President Kemp has also ordered more US forces to transfer to its military base in Guantanamo Bay, as a precaution against any potential Cuban attack on the only military base in the Caribbean region.
--- Excerpts from "When Civilizations Collide: America in the Age of Rogue Generals" by: Paul Manafort Simon and Schuster, published 2019
Chapter Eight: The Greymarble Matter Like everyone who worked in the White House, I was stunned by the news of Bill Clinton's assassination over Cuban airspace. However, the idea that President Kemp had practically used his death as an excuse to get the United States into another Central American war had become apparent, as even the Cuban exiles were screaming the loudest for a regime change. Already, recruitment numbers climbed to the point where the Defense Secretary had to scale down the maximum amount of recruits needed to fill up the ranks. After the whole debacle in the Spratly Islands, and the shocking attempt by the Chinese military to storm the beaches of northwestern Philippines, only to be ambushed by Filipino troops riding those technicals you would see in a place like Zaire. Even as the 7th Fleet is now attempting to intervene in the Philippines before it becomes another shooting war, the reactivated 4th Fleet is now being sent to blockade Cuba.
Thankfully, President Kemp had allowed me to return to Japan while turning his full attention to the situation at hand. I arrived in Tokyo in the morning, and once I came to my hotel room, I saw both Steve Bannon and John Bennett Ramsey talking to each other. I know why Bannon is present in my room, but John Bennett Ramsey? I thought he was in the Philippines, supervising the Corsairs and the Tadiar regime. His presence in Japan can only mean that something went wrong in the Philippines. I was right, because when John turned his gaze towards me, I assumed the worst scenario in my head.
"You heard about the shooting war that Tadiar and Wang started, right?" Ramsey asked me, to which I nodded. "The President is seriously thinking about bombing a few Chinese bases to ensure that this crap won't go out of control."
"Good luck telling Wang Dongxing that. He's now making speeches in Beijing, showing moral support for Fidel Castro and the Sadinistas in Nicaragua. Thankfully, China cannot send soldiers to help the Cubans, or we would probably see the jarheads fighting alongside Artemio Tadiar. Can you imagine the propaganda those ChiComms would make if they saw our soldiers fighting alongside them?" I retorted. Both men nodded in agreement, and I sighed as well. "In any case, President Kemp is also steering clear of Tadiar at the moment."
Steve Bannon raised his hand. "In any case, did Bill Clinton really purchase Whitewater?" I nodded grimly. "At first glance, it appeared that this Greymarble group was responsible for his assassination."
"I doubt it. My wife is working for Greymarble, and she has already built a branch in the Philippines. Officially, Greymarble is the de facto dominant financial investment group in the Philippines, purchasing land for real estate development," John told us. He then grabbed the folder that was inside his suitcase, and showed us the profits that Greymarble made. "Unofficially however, we're using Greymarble as a front for bringing in much needed cash to the Philippines. Artemio Tadiar's political reforms is becoming a bit more popular, as the activists who were demanding federalism are now being won over to his side, including former exiles who had the same federalist attitude."
"And what of our Japanese friends? Don't they have partial ownership in the Greymarble stocks?" Steve asked back.
John nodded once again, and showed us the paper that revealed Japan's investment in Greymarble. "One of the men who invested in Greymarble is Hiroo Onoda. He's used his stake in the ownership of Greymarble to purchase the land in Lubang for his carabao ranch, and would use half of his profits to compensate the families that he's terrorized from his days as a holdout soldier."
"Well, tell Patsy to be careful with how she's managing her business in the Philippines. The last thing we need is our valuable asset beind wiped out by accident at the hands of the PLA," I advised John.
We all sat down in our chairs and started watching the live news of the American invasion of Cuba. To our horror, the first footage that we saw was a squadron of B-52 bombers flatten Cuban towns, while scenes from both the USS George Washington and the USS John C. Stennis appeared next, with F/A-18 Hornet fighter planes launching from the carrier decks of those carriers. Another footage appeared, and it was the scene of several Cuban anti-air missiles and other equipment being bombed to the ground by the B-52s, although the US 4th fleet steered away from the Cuban coast, lest they be vulnerable to anti-ship missiles. We knew that the Cubans possessed several old Soviet P-15 Termit anti-ship missiles, but luckily our ships were over 500 feet away from the missiles. However, those missiles were installed in Cuban vessels, meaning that we would have to take them out by submarines. We continued to watch the live action scenes of our military launching attack after attack on Cuban military targets, and news of the 101st Airborne Division's landing in the town of Cayo Cruz had reached us.
"Do you think the President would use some ballistic missiles against the Cubans in this scenario?" Steve asked me.
John shook his head, however. "I don't think Jack would be interested in turning Cuba into a radiated mess. For one thing, folks in Florida would get sick rather quickly if that ever happened. I'd say the President could just use incendiary bombs instead."
"So, like Vietnam, basically," I replied back.
"Yeah, but I wouldn't be surprised if the President decided to just napalm the damned place already," John replied back grimly. "I just hoped that it wouldn't come to that. The last thing we need is for Wang Dongxing to get the same idea, and napalm the Philippines plus give it a nuclear spanking."
--- "It is completely heinous and disgusting that the Kemp administration has used my late husband's death to launch a new war against Cuba, and at the same time, re-ignite the war against Nicaragua. Have we learned nothing from the last time we fought the Nicaraguans? Or the Vietnamese, for that matter? Who then, will speak of the Cubans and Nicaraguans that we would presumably kill after the war is over? I understand that those regimes are just as brutal as the former communist regimes, but Jack Kemp has gone overboard. Camaguey, Manzanillo, and even Matanzas are now burned out husks, as a result of American firebombing. We have reduced the Cuban nation to a condition far worse than Dresden during World War Two, and on top of that, we are responsible for the deaths of over 75,000 Nicaraguans, 34,000 Mexicans, and God knows how many more we've rendered as homeless. I honestly hope that we would do something to moderate President Kemp's stance on Cuba, but if Bill was still alive, he would tell the President to come to the table, alongside General Chaparro and Fidel Castro, and come up with a peace deal. Thanks to the Kemp administration's 'bomb 'em all' policy, I'm afraid that we have awakened a sleeping jaguar, and woe to the one who woke it up. In his honor, I have won a spot on the House of Representatives as candidate for Arkansas's 4th Electoral riding, and I will run on a campaign for peace!" Hillary Clinton on her condemnation of Jack Kemp's aggression on Cuba and Nicaragua, during her victory speech in the 1998 US Midterm Elections, November 4, 1998.
--- OMAN AND QATAR REACH AN AGREEMENT WITH RUSSIA FOR MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR TRADE DEALS, GREATER ACCESS TO EACH OTHER'S MARKETS Moscow Times November 13, 1998 A Russian operated cargo ship owned by Venta Maersk is towed by an Omani tug boat. The multi-billion dollar trade deal signed between the Russian, Omani and Qatari governments have been advantageous for all parties involved.(Doha, QATAR) - Russian Foreign Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin had paid a visit to the Qatari capital today, to negotiate a multi-billion dollar trade deal with the Qatari and Omani governments, while his Omani counterpart, Oman's Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, had reached a similar deal with both the Russian and Qatari governments. The blockbuster trade deals come at a time when Russia is rebuilding its shattered economy, following the 1997 financial crisis that gave interim Minister for Reconstruction Boris Yeltsin an opportunity for the Central Bank of the Russian Federation to be abolished, while maintaining his official economic policy of destroying the regressive toxic economic legacy of Soviet command economy, in favor of building a completely capitalist-run economy. In the trade deals, both Qatar and Oman would give access for Russian exports to be shipped out to places like India and Australia, while in return, Russia would give access for Qatari and Omani exports destined for ECA markets. In addition, both nations would be given preferential access to the purchase of Russian military hardware, in their attempts to boost their nations' securities.
"Oman and Qatar have become Russia's newest allies in the Middle East, and with their help, we would be able to project more influence into the region. While we would be happy to continue cooperating with the United States on the ongoing peacekeeping mission in Iraq, we are worried that America's overextension might be exploited by its enemies," Chernomyrdin said in his speech, while addressing all the Russian, Omani, and Qatari delegates in the same room used for the conference in Doha. "Their assistance in keeping Iraq stable and prosperous enough for reconstruction is vital to the peace in the Middle East."
The question of who will become the new leader of Iraq is a hot topic that no one wanted to address, primarily because President Kemp had insisted on developing an Iraqi democratic government, while Russian President Gennady Burbulis suggested the brother of Jordan's King Abdullah II, Prince Faisal bin Hussein, as the new King of Iraq, stating that a form of constitutional monarchy would be more practical, and through constitutional monarchy, a rudimentary form of democracy will develop in the future. Ironically, President Burbulis's suggestion of a Hashemite restoration was not well received, both inside Iraq and Jordan, primarily because of the vivid memories of the last time the monarchy of Iraq had been brutally deposed by radical forces that paved the way for the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein. Yet, King Abdullah II was a bit lukewarm to the idea of recreating the Hashemite Arab Federation, as a way of counterbalancing the influences of both Israel, and the Syrian Ba'athist regime of Basel al-Assad.
"The Arab world has been far too fragmented to pave the way for peace in the Middle East. While I am a bit open to the idea of seeing Jordan and Iraq in a de facto union state, similar to how Ukraine and Belarus formed their own union state, there are outside forces that might prevent its reformation," says Qatari Prime Minister Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdul Aziz al-Thani during an interview with local reporters on the fate of Iraq. "In a way, if the proposed project was successful, what is to stop Qatar from asking the United Arab Emirates if they can join the UAE? Although it is a wonderful idea, not everyone would be open to such an idea."
--- HAVANA UNDER INTENSE AERIAL BOMBARDMENT AS US TROOPS LAND ON CAYO ROMANO AND PUERTO PADRE Dallas Morning Tribune November 19, 1998 Cuban Army personnel gather in response to Fidel Castro's general mobilization order as US forces continue their aerial bombardment against military targets throughout Cuba.(Havana, CUBA) - For the eighth day in a row, Cuba is subjected to American aerial bombardment, as approximately 35,000 US troops land in the towns of Cayo Romano and Puerto Padre and took control of the towns. Accompanying the US forces were Cuban exiles who formed the so-called Cuban National Liberation Army, which provided crucial intelligence to their US military counterparts, to ensure a safe and easy operation in Cuba. In addition, several other American troops arrived in Guantanamo Bay to help provide support to the other invasion forces that have already landed elsewhere in Cuba, while US Air Force bombers continue to pound several cities and various military targets around the island nation. In response, Cuba has issued a general mobilization order for all of its military personnel and has even launched a surprise attack on an exposed American position in the town of Baracoa, before American paratroopers arrived to launch their own surprise attack on Cuban forces in the region.
"Approximately 35% of Cuba's territory have fallen to US and Cuban National Liberation Army forces, and in areas under their occupation, medical and other humanitarian supplies are being delivered to starving civilians in the region," announces US Supreme Commander of the Expeditionary Force in Cuba and Nicaragua Paul Van Riper. "Moreover, we have also liberated several networks of labor camps where political prisoners are being given medical attention by our paramedics."
Cuban government forces who surrendered to the invading troops were given the choice of switching sides, with many prisoners of war opting for defection to the Cuban National Liberation Army side. Those who refused were sent to internment camps in the Key West area, where Florida state authorities were given orders by President Kemp to build POW camps to house Cuban and Nicaraguan POWs captured in the campaign. However, a small scale uprising broke out in the city of Bayamo, where armed rebel militias that were hastily formed engaged government forces in a series of skirmishes. In response, Cuban dictator Fidel Castro has decided to direct the war effort from the mountainous regions of central Cuba.
"The American imperialist of today is the same American imperialist who threatened to invade our homeland during the missile crisis. When we asked our Soviet comrades for help in defending our Revolution against the American imperialist, they responded by blockading our nation. We have humbled the United States before, and we can do it again!" yells Castro over the radio to his dwindling supporters.
However, various reports of executions committed by the Cuban National Liberation Army were confirmed by General Van Riper, especially the executions of Cuban labor camp guards, who were subjected to revenge attacks carried out by the liberated labor camp internees. At one point, a Cuban labor camp commandant was forced to endure insults and humiliations at the hands of the inmates, before being dragged into the front yard, where Cuban National Liberation Army troops proceeded to execute the camp commandant, before executing the rest of the camp guards in an orgy of violence. Elsewhere in Cuba, right-wing exiles have engaged in a series of atrocities against loyalist supporters, mainly by setting their houses on fire and locking them inside. Although US military officials have tried to downplay such incidents, the Cuban National Liberation Army had not only admitted to the atrocities, but has loudly insisted that they are taking revenge for the previous dictator before Castro.
"The heirs of Fulgencio Batista have come to take revenge on the followers of Fidel Castro!" says prominent Cuban National Liberation Army commander Erneido Oliva, who also commanded the group called Assault Brigade 2506. "We chose exile rather than servitude to the communists, and now that we have come back, we will take our revenge. Fidel Castro's regime is over, and the people of Cuba will be free!"
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