The Inconvenient Truth - A Postmodern Nation RP

[joshuadim]

"The fear of life is the favorite disease of the 20th century." - William Lyon Phelps

As the sole remaining superpower, the United States oversees the world as its leader politically, economically, and militarily as the Cold War had ended and all seemed well. Although the behemoth of the Soviet Union has disappeared from the global stage, the world remains a fragile place still. Tension still remain in the everlasting battle for ideological supremacy while instability and civil wars rage throughout the Arab world. And key problems still face the world such as wealth inequality, nuclear weapons, and perhaps most insidious: global warming. Humanity's progress and industrialization has led to unchecked levels of environmental destruction as carbon dioxide is released into the air in record amounts and ecosystems become more and more polluted as the earth grows warmer. Yet, there are those that would seek to deny such facts for their own personal gain and stand to profit off of politicizing the issue. In this new era of peace, can the nations of the world stand together to tackle the challenges set before them? Or will things continue to degrade for the worse?

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RayPurchase - United States of America
Emperor Scorpious II - Russian Federation
Fighting Monk - Republic of India
Amfleet - Republic of Turkey
Euskalduna - Republic of Cuba
Zillamaster55 - North Korea
Amber902 - South Korea
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Turn Format
10 line limit

Diplomacy:
External:
Domestic:
Military:
Technology: (Not included in the 10 line limit)
Espionage:

Turn 1 due by July 12!

 

[joshuadim]

Simmering Waters - Regions of Turmoil and War

While the world remains at peace between the major military and economic powers of the post-Soviet world, many regions still face turmoil and violence as rivalries and hatreds brew and old points of contention continue to simmer under the surface as a result of the geopolitical game played by both the Soviet Union and the United States over the Cold War.

Korea
Ever since the end of the Korean War resulted in an armistice, both the South and the North have remained at odds with each other with their eyes trained at each other from across the Korean Demilitarized Zone. While the violence had ended long ago, both countries are technically still at war as a peace was never signed and both continually remain on vigil for any signs of potential invasion. And rumors circulate of North Korea potentially getting closer to obtaining nuclear weapons puts the entire region on edge.

North Korean troops stationed at a watchtower in their portion of the DMZ.

Afghanistan
With the Soviet Union's invasion and subsequent withdrawal from the region, Afghanistan has remained a region in turmoil with numerous secular and Islamic fundamentalist groups fighting one another for control of the country. With the fall of Islamic State of Afghanistan to the Taliban, this new fundamentalist group now seeks to crush the remaining factions in the region to assert its dominance over the country. The three remaining political factions to stand against the Taliban, Jamiat-e Islami, Junbish-e Milli, and Hazb-e Wahdat, find themselves in a tenuous agreement, dubbed the 'Northern Alliance' to fight against the Taliban's rule. However, with the Taliban gaining ground and with infighting between the Northern Alliance's factions constantly eroding trust between the three, it is entirely possible that the entire region falls under Taliban rule in due time.

Map of Afghanistan's current standings. [Olive Green - Taliban, Turquoise - Junbish-e Milli, Green - Hezb-e Wahdat, Pink - Jamiat-e Islami]

Chechnya
Having rebelled against historic Russian hegemony in an attempt to assert independence in 1994, Chechnya has been fighting a vicious and bloody battle against the successor to the Soviet Union against all odds. Having expected an easy victory with their much larger forces, the Russian Army has found itself in a quagmire and a nightmare of a fight against an extremely determined enemy. With the war having cost Russia far more than expected, especially with the Pyrrhic victory in Grozny in the winter, the Russian public clamors for an end to the fighting as the economy of the massive federation continues to plunge downwards with no end in sight. Some even clamor to allow Chechnya to have its independence as the region itself is rather insignificant in size, but the debate over what course of action to take rages on in the Russian government.

A lone Chechen fighter stands near the burned out remains of the Presidential Palace during the Siege of Grozny, 1995.

Sri Lanka
The Sri Lankan Civil War has raged on since 1983 and no end appears to be in sight as the Tamil Tigers, a revolutionary socialist and Tamil nationalist group, fights an uncompromising and bloody battle against the Sri Lankan government in an attempt to establish a separate state for the Tamil minority on the island. The fighting has been indecisive however, with neither side being able to deliver a finishing blow to one another and peace talks regularly come out empty handed as neither can agree on anything with one another. How long the fighting will continue remains to be seen, but as long as it does the country will continue to suffer and bleed.

 

[joshuadim]

Pre-Turn Supplemental: The Chechen War

An old woman walks through a ruined street after the Second Battle of Grozny.

With the war not only draining morale but also draining the economy, President Boris Yeltsin pushes his defense minister as well as the commanders in Chechnya to seek a decisive victory to finally put a rest to the insurgency that has plagued his presidency as well as the country.

February 20 - February 28
A new campaign is committed as forces are accumulated to push further along the lowland and mountain gains around Grozny that had been obtained after the siege. Russian forces, although demoralized heavily, manage to push an additional 5 kilometres inwards with stiff resistance in mountainous and forested regions hindering advances heavily. Bombing runs manage to score two small victories for Russian forces as they manage to break Chechen rebel hold on smaller villages and towns.

March 1
Russian troops reach the small town of Shatoy, some 57 kilometers away from Grozny, and capture it with little resistance.

March 5, 8:12 am
Ordered as an armored patrol, a convoy of 30 armored vehicles from the Russian 2nd Battlaion of the 245th Motor Rifle regiment push out of Shatoy and into the mountains nearby.

March 5, 9:00 am
The column enters a winding stretch of mountain road, deep in the mountains in a bid to push through to the nearest settlement.

March 5, 9:02 am
The firing shots of RPGs hit the convoy with one striking the command vehicle and killing the convoy's commander Pytor Terzovets instantly.

March 5, 9:03 am
Russian troops return fire, shooting blindly at targets they cannot see as more and more vehicles are struck with RPGs. Gunfire strikes down many of the soldiers exiting their vehicles as they attempt to either return fire or take cover.

March 5, 9:07 am
Half of the convoy has been destroyed, with casualties mounting heavily the next ranking officer orders a hasty and panicked retreat while calling for a bombing on the treeline nearby.

March 5, 9:12 am
After losing a few more armored vehicles, the battalion flees as bombers savage the mountain ridges with high-yield explosives although it is unclear if the rebels manage to take any casualties of their own.

March 5, 10:08 am
Returning to Shatoy, the dead and wounded are counted to a staggering amount.

March 5, 11:57 am
Russian state media reports initially 23 Russian soldiers dead with 40 wounded. Shortly after being disproven by other outlets, the number quickly rises to 57 dead, then 70, until finally resting at 82 dead with 40 wounded. Nearly the entire battalion was a victim of casualties.

March 5, 12:38 pm
Four Russian battalions in Chechnya refuse to follow orders and officially mutiny.

March 5, 2:06 pm
Defense minister Pavel Grachev is pressured to resign by the public and media for this calamity, although he remains steadfast and refuses to do so in a public statement from his office.

March 6-10
Chechen rebels launch a surprise attack on Grozny, managing to retake two-thirds of the city before being pushed out by Russian bombers and tanks. The city suffers more civilian casualties as a result.

March 12
The mutineering officers of the battalions are arrested and subsequently shipping off for court martial trials.

March 14
Large protests break out in St. Petersburg and Moscow as citizens demand an end to the war as well as the release of the mutineer officers.

It has become entirely clear that Russia's position in Chechnya is untenable from both a military and political standpoint. The question that lingers however, is if President Yeltsin would double down to continue the war or to admit defeat and finish the fighting once and more all.

 

[joshuadim]

Pre-Turn Supplemental 2: Ultranationalism

General election results for India showing Vajpayee's victory.

In regions wrought with tensions against longtime enemies as well as ethnic hatreds, decades of fear and anger have led to the development of a startling new trend of ultranationlism which more often than not teeters on the brink of neo-fascism in an ideological sense. In India, while the Bharatiya Janata Party is not in any sense ultranationalist it finds itself in coalition with the ultranationalist Shiv Sena party as a majority of the BJP+ alliance to get Vajpayee the seats he needs to control the government. As a result of this dependence, ultranationalists gain a significant voice in governmental affairs as well as a strong introduction of its platform to the greater Indian public with many flocking to the party as its numbers practically double over a week after the elections conclude with many thousands more flocking to this appealing new breed of nationalism that seeks to take a no-compromise approach against Muslims, Pakistan, and China while touting a pro-Hindu voice first.

In Turkey, the situation is much more violent as the sudden banning of the Grey Wolves organization as well as mass arrests of hundreds of middle ranking and high ranking leadership leads to mass protests in Istanbul and Ankara that leads to violent clashes between police and ultranationalist protestors, leaving dozens injured in its wake. This, along with the escape of key top members of the Grey Wolves into regions abroad, make the message clear: the Grey Wolves are willing to fight back with force, and ultranationalism is here to stay.

 

[joshuadim]

Pre-Turn Supplemental 3: The Iraqi Powder Keg

A UN weapons inspector in Iraq within an Iraqi facility, prior to the crisis.

Following the Gulf War, Iraq was required to cooperate with the United Nations with allowing inspections of potential weapons of mass destruction facilities as well as destroying any biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons in possession of the Iraqi arsenal. In the years immediate, Iraq had been compliant with regularly allowing inspectors through... until recently. In the past few years, Iraq had been hindering and meddling with inspection work being done by the UN. While in May UNSCOM oversaw the destruction of Al-Hakam, the main biological warfare production facility, in June the mood suddenly soured as Iraq denied access to UN inspectors.

Almost immediately, the United States attempts to gather support for a military coalition to use as leverage against the Iraqi government but fails to do so due to general hesitance towards warfare. Days turn to weeks as inspectors are continually turned away and flat out rejected, thus leading some to believe that Iraq has fully restarted its weapons programs although these claims are at the moment lacking any substantial evidence to do so. The question that remains however is: what is to be done?

 

[Euskalduna]

Wake up; time to die

 

[joshuadim]

Turn 1: January 1 - June 30, 1996
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Ongoing Conflicts

Chechen War
Chechen Republic of Ichkeria vs. Russian Federation

Afghan Civil War
Northern Alliance vs. Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (Taliban)

Iraqi-Kurdish Civil War
Iraqi Republic vs. Kurdistan Democratic Party vs. Patriotic Union of Kurdistan

World Events

-The Chicago Bulls win their fourth NBA championship by defeating the Seattle SuperSonic in a best-of-7 series 4 games to 2.

-Ted Kaczynski is arrested on charges of murder and the transportation, mailing and use of bombs in the Unabomber killings.

-Hamas operative Yahya Ayyash is assassinated by an Israeli Shabak-planted, bomb laden cell phone, thus crippling the capabilities of Hamas’ bomb production in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

-The Siege of Sarajevo is officially ended with the Dayton Agreement, thus ending nearly 3 years of hardship and suffering for civilians of the city in fighting that has left nearly 5500 civilians dead.

-As Iraq refuses to allow inspectors to a number of sites, the US fails to build support for a military coalition against Iraq in the UN security council thus continuing the ongoing Iraq disarmament crisis. It is unclear whether Iraq has continued production of weapons of mass destruction.

-At the start of 1996, the United States is at the top of the world with unprecedented economic and military power whose reach can be felt and seen across the world. Leading the world as the lone superpower, America finds itself in a position never seen in the history of the world as one to dictate so much with but a few words.

-Eager to maintain his seat in power, President Clinton makes moves ahead of both the primaries and the general election for the Democratic Party to take back both houses of legislature as well as to win around the country. Citing the success of US operations in ending the Bosnian War through intervention as well as touting a strong economy along with a constant decrease in federal debt through smart management, Clinton has plenty of ammunition to use in his campaign.

-In addition, Clinton decides to bring a new campaign promise onto his platform that comes as a shock to many: Puerto Rican statehood. Almost immediately, pundits on Fox News and other conservative outlets do their hardest to smear the policy but also to detract from the issue that has been surrounding the US territory for so long now. Democratic insiders however report strong support for the move, considering the territory has strong leanings to Democrats. Should the dream ever become a reality, Puerto Rico could become a Democratic Party stronghold.

-Eventually, after a series of close-calls and doubtful moments, Senate Majority leader Bob Dole emerges as the clear frontrunner for the Republican ticket while only token resistance is shown on the Democrats with Bill Clinton practically handed the nomination on a silver platter. The general election’s fighters are set to take stage in the later half of the year, with the presidency at stake time will only tell who will win as the polls show only a small lead for Clinton at the moment.

-Spearheaded by Vice President Al Gore, President Clinton announces a program to increase renewable energy output and to decrease reliance on foreign fossil fuels in cooperation with the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency.

-Working in tandem with state level agencies, a large swath of land is set aside for use in solar energy creation through the installation and operation of thousands of solar panels. Located in the heartland of Texan oil, it is both a prime location for sunlight gathering as well as for symbolic purposes to show the future of energy production amidst the older and less future-proofed oil industry.

-Although complaints are raised by lobbyist groups and think tanks to protest the move, claiming that solar energy is ‘less powerful’ and ‘less reliable’ than what oil and coal provide, with one group even suing the federal government for litigation purposes. A boon for the Clinton administration appears as the federal judge presiding the case rules in favor of the government and thus prevents the matter from going any further, as the group lacks the will to take it higher to the Supreme Court.

-Outside of domestic affairs, the United States continues to exert its global influence in several key ways. Starting with the European Union, a more in-depth and mutually beneficial trade agreement is worked on between two of the largest economies in the world. Tariffs are reduced to near zero on practically all products and standardized regulations for shipping between the two regions is formalized in a lengthy 1700 page agreement. Ratified by both Congress and the European Parliament with a decent vote margin, both the US and the EU find themselves tied ever more closely together.

-Meeting at the White House together stand both President Clinton and President Yeltsin as the two shake hands, pose for the cameras and enjoy a lavish state dinner with their entourages. With the Soviet Union now defunct and a new Russia taking place, both leaders are eager to build friendship with one another and to establish cordial relations between the current superpower and a former one. Both leaders leave feeling good as Yeltsin returns to Russia.

-Along with this, troop numbers are reduced further in Europe with only necessary base personnel and logistical teams remaining in France, Germany, and Italy. Seeking to reduce America’s presence proves to be popular in Europe and among leftists in the United States, while hardline conservatives and war hawks in both the media and in Congress denounce the move as America “losing strength overseas”.

-The Korean Peninsula becomes a fixture for Clinton as he officially designates North Korea as the biggest enemy to the United States in the region apart from China. Obviously, the North Korean government does not take to the designation kindly as they rattle their sabers with military movements near the DMZ as a show of force.

-Along with this, Clinton makes a series of diplomatic gestures to Beijing in an effort to convince President Jiang Zemin to reduce its support for the Hermit Kingdom. Unsurprisingly, China flat out refuses as it states its “necessity” for a friendly relationship with the North Korean regime as a staunch ally for its own interests. This obvious failure makes for conservative attack points as pundits call Clinton ‘weak’ on foreign policy.

-In contrast to this, President Clinton moves to not only conduct naval exercises with Japan in the Sea of Japan but also removes and replaces a few officers in Korea who were known to be less than effective and rather disorganized in order to better improve command in the region.

-In the field of solar energy, bolstered by the government’s support for the sector, new start-ups appear to take advantage of this including First Solar and Lumos, the latter of whom manage to develop a more effective solar panel that allows for a higher rate of energy intake from photons which in turn allows batteries to be filled quicker to a certain degree.

-For the time past the Soviet Union’s collapse, Russia has suffered both economic and political shrinkage as the ruble continues to show its weakness and the Chechen War ravages both the military’s and the public’s morale more and more. Yet through centuries of hardship, Russia and its people have persevered and perhaps they shall persevere through these times of trouble as well.

-Meeting at the White House together stand both President Clinton and President Yeltsin as the two shake hands, pose for the cameras and enjoy a lavish state dinner with their entourages. With the Soviet Union now defunct and a new Russia taking place, both leaders are eager to build friendship with one another and to establish cordial relations between the current superpower and a former one. Both leaders leave feeling good as Yeltsin returns to Russia.

-Seeking friends, Russia opens itself up to its neighbor Belarus as the latter has been seeking closer economic ties and a general friendship. Both are secured as Yeltsin immediately moves to integrate Belarus’ economy into Russia’s and soon both find themselves grow ever closer to one another as a comprehensive deal is struck between the two countries.

-In this initiative, Kazakhstan is also looked to as Yeltsin proposes an expansion of highways that run between the two countries. The former Soviet country agrees to the proposal, with leaders of both countries shaking hands as the joint-infrastructure agreement. Workers from both countries begin their construction for hundreds of miles of roadways to be repaved or outright redone altogether due to the sheer state of some regions.

-A bright spot appears on the horizon for Cuba as Russia reinstates economic support, however small it can afford in the meantime anyhow, to the island nation. Needing as much economic stimulus and trade as possible, Cuba is eager to accept and take whatever it can given the situation at hand.

-With elections beginning to approach over the horizon, Yeltsin not only prepares to campaign but also seeks to decisively finish the Chechen War, which has proven to be nothing but disastrous thus far for the Russian military. Pursuing his campaign with a strategy of “lesser of two evils” regarding his opponent who he degrades as being a Soviet-era communist, Yeltsin finds it rather easy to campaign off of just that alone as he can focus his attention on Ichkeria.

-Although Russia had captured Grozny in the early months of 1995, the cost of such a victory was so bloody that it practically rendered the benefits moot. Yet Russia continued to persist as a tenuous hold was not only established on the capitol but also on its surrounding lowlands. With new orders from the Kremlin, the Russian troops stationed in the region are ordered to push further not only into the region around Grozny but also into the mountains.

-Supported by Su-27 fighters and Tu-160 bombers, Russian forces slowly but surely begin their assault as they move further into Ichkeria, much to the dismay and protest of the common soldiery. While armed and capable to fight against a generalized conventional army, what the Russian army is dealing with is a guerilla force that very well knows its own home territory as well as how to fight against superior forces as they have done so time and time again.

-On March 3, as an armored column from the Russian 2nd Battalion of the 245th Motor Rifle regiment passed through and beyond the town of Shatoy, they find themselves in what was essentially a ‘perfect’ killzone that found the vehicles sitting ducks for RPGs and IEDs as the command vehicle was struck and killing the commander, Pyotr Terzovets, almost instantly. Out of the 30 armored vehicles that had entered the winding mountain road, 27 were destroyed through RPG fire. In what would be known as the Battle of Yaryshmardy, or as in Russian media the Shatoy ambush/Shatoy massacre, nearly 76 Russian soldiers lie dead in the aftermath with only a few Chechen rebels dying in return from subsequent aerial bombardments as the rebels retreat into the mountains.

-This stunning defeat subsequently leads to four Russian battalions in Grozny to refuse following orders as morale drops to near zero for Russian soldiers and becomes a widely publicized series of events that brings pressure for defence minister Pavel Grachev to resign, who refuses to do so.

-In a never ending cascade of bad events, a surprise attack by Chechen forces catches Russian troops in Grozny completely by surprise in what would be known as the Second Battle of Grozny. Within days, Chechen forces manage to capture more than two-thirds of the city itself, although are eventually driven back with the help of Russian bombers and fighters. Still, the attack as well as the ambush shows just how out of depth the Russian military appears to be in this conflict as well as how vulnerable its troops are in the region.

-Although these events shake Russia as well as Yeltsin’s public confidence, the president manages to barely scrape by a victory in the election with just 51.8% of the vote, with the next closest being Communist Party chairman Gennady Zyuganov at 43.8%. His hold on Russia is rather tenuous, but Yeltsin does secure his next term as president.

-A new model of the widely used AK is created by Kalashnikov Concern, dubbed the AK-101, goes into circulation after extensive testing and design refinement. Boasting a frame created with plastics and other composite materials as well as using the NATO 5.56x45mm cartridge, the rifle is more lightweight and more robust than its predecessors while still retaining the familiarity of previous weapons, making it a must have for military and policing units within Russia as well as potentially a popular weapon to export overseas.

-In the decades following the Korean War, the Korean Peninsula remains a region wrought with tensions as conflict could explode at any moment between the two feuding neighbors. In the South, the Republic of Korea has maintained not only a strong economy but one that has excelled and recovered from all the damages that had been brought upon its people from Japanese occupation and from the Korean War. Yet its people remain ever wary about Kim Jong-un’s regime to the North and the always likely possibility of a conflict erupting right into their homes.

-The continued partnership with the United States has always been fruitful for the South Korean government, as military aid and vigilance from the world’s superpower helps to maintain the peace in the region for the time being as all North Korea can do at the moment is saber rattle. Nonetheless, with the Americans looking to better improve their command structure in Korea it gives the opportunity for the South Korean government to make overtures for an incremental increase in military aid to the region.

-Tensions flare up as the Americans conduct naval exercises with Japan in the Sea of Japan as North Korea rattles its sabers and moves several divisions near its side of the DMZ as a show of force, although it quickly becomes apparent that it is nothing more than Kim Jong-un’s response. Still, the headlines rattle South Korean’s populace as always.

-Seeing the need for a Korean based fighter craft in order to reduce reliance on American made, the government officially signs Korea Aerospace Industries, in cooperation with Lockheed Martin, to start developing and working on a multirole aircraft. After a few months of deliberation, a design is settled on to begin rigorous testing and construction which is set to take place until early into the upcoming new millennium. Known as the KAI T-50 “Golden Eagle”, it is set to take a multirole fighter craft to take place in the Korean Air Force by an estimated date of 2005.

-Working in conjunction with Toshiba in Japan, Samsung helps to develop and release a new standardized format for information storage known as Digital Video Discs (DVDs). Able to read 10.5 Mbit/s as well as store almost 5 gigabytes of data on one side, it becomes an instant hit as movie companies quickly rush to begin storing their motion pictures onto these small discs for public consumption as it is cheaper and more reliable than VHS tapes.

-Since the armistice that ended the open conflict of the Korean War, North Korea has found itself constantly under threat of invasion from the West and has thus built up a regime and society that not only is heavily militarized but centralized around the will of its dictator. Previously led by Kim Il-sung, North Korea is now led by Kim Jong-un as he lords over a nation in insolation, poverty, famine and constant fear.

-With China being one of the country’s last remaining trade partners, North Korea opts to strengthen ties with their neighbor through a railway that joins Pyongyang and the Chinese city of Harbin. Hot off the heels of renewed American pressure to get them to isolate North Korea, China agrees as a show of defiance against western politics to the railway construction and works begins quickly to establish this route.

-Tensions flare up as the Americans conduct naval exercises with Japan in the Sea of Japan as North Korea rattles its sabers and moves several divisions near its side of the DMZ as a show of force, although it quickly becomes apparent that it is nothing more than Kim Jong-un’s response. Still, the headlines rattle South Korean’s populace as always.

-The Korean People’s Army conducts its own training exercises along the coastline Ongjin in an effort to drill its soldiers in tactics to oppose naval landings from an enemy. Practicing positioning mortars and machine guns to properly do as much damage as possible against an invading force before retreating appears to be the main doctrine at play here as North Korea’s military, as large as it is, is technologically outmatched by both its neighbor and by western powers.

-In parallel with this, a military doctrine is adoped by the Korean People’s Army that focuses on “prolonged conflict”, where an invading army is forced to deal with guerilla warfare, hit and run tactics, and ‘defense in depth’ in order to savage the enemy as much as possible for every piece of land they take. Essentially, the goal is to make it too bloody to make it worth it to invade North Korea as hidden pillboxes, machine gun nests, and other encampments are made in the forests and mountains of the country to help support this doctrine.

-In a bid to update its armored units, Kim Jong-il strikes a deal with China for the importation of surplus tanks in exchange for raw materials and foodstuffs. Dozens of surplus and unused Type 69 and Type 79 tanks make their way by rail into North Korea and are immediately put into use to replace old T-34s and T-54s used in service currently, thus helping North Korea’s armored divisions receive an upgrade to second generation tanks. Although the amount received is not nearly enough to bring the entire armored forces to speed.

-On the homefront, harsher harvest quotas are instituted by the Kim regime in order to both pay for the tank deal with China as well as to try to alleviate the ongoing famine that wracks the country’s population. Troops not near the DMZ are mobilized to aid in harvest efforts as well to boost the workforce as well as confidence in the regime itself. However hard the government tries though; people continue to starve and suffer the consequences of years of mismanagement and natural disasters. What barely keeps the country afloat however, ironically, is foreign aid from dozens of outside nations which helps to prevent an outright collapse of the country's limited food supply altogether.

-The situation is ripe for building anti-regime sentiment and wrongthink however, and the government quickly takes action to combat this through a propaganda campaign through its state media to root out “capitalist ideals” from Europe, further demonizing their way of life and their ideology as being “impure” and “foreign”. As much of the population already eats up such things, the propaganda campaign easily finds success in continuing to keep the populace under the regime’s control.

-As the DPRK’s territory only consists of 20% arable land, it becomes a necessity for the regime to find alternatives in how to maintain food production for its own populace as well as to reduce dependence on foreign imports/aid. To this end, the method of hydroponics is copied with the help of Chinese agricultural scientists and is tested in Pyongyang, where a batch of potatoes is successfully grown and celebrated as an accomplishment by the Kim regime. Widespread use is yet to be achieved however as this is only an emerging advancement for the hermit kingdom.

-Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Cuba and its people have faced economic hardships as it lost practically its main trade partner and economic supporter. Since then, the Castro government has tried its best to alleviate the impact, but the rigidity of its economic planning as well as the ongoing embargo from the United States prevents anything meaningful from being done.

-A bright spot appears on the horizon for Cuba as Russia reinstates economic support, however small it can afford in the meantime anyhow, to the island nation. Needing as much economic stimulus and trade as possible, Cuba is eager to accept and take whatever it can given the situation at hand.

-An agreement is made with Vietnam as well in which capable and well-trained doctors are sent overseas from Cuba in exchange for food imports to help deal with the economic crisis at home. The food is welcomed readily as the country moves to mobilize its farms in the meantime, which helps prevent an outright famine from occurring.

-Agricultural techniques to help improve the country’s own yield is also sought after as experts are sent overseas to learn of methods used by western countries. The theory of permaculture is sought after as agricultural experts make their way to Australia to study and learn what it means and how to utilize it as well in their own country. After learning for a few months the basics of the theory as well as some of its branches, these Cubans return home to spread their learnings to their peers in the same field.

-As the country marches through its economic crisis, a special mandate is made by Fidel Castro to increase rations for children under the age of 18 in order to ensure their health. Although this would have strained the current food supply of the country to its near limits, the food imports from Vietnam help make up for this and allow this policy to become a reality.

-Some lands owned by the government are opened up to communal farming in rural regions in an effort to help boost local food production and to ease the strain on the nation’s food supply. The move is welcomed as villagers put the land to good use for the most part growing small crops to feed themselves and their families as best as they can with plants such as cassava, potatoes and wheat which helps maintain basic nutritional needs in most cases. A similar policy is encouraged for urban areas for urban farming plots to be used by the citizenry, where old and unused buildings are torn down to make room for such projects, although rationing is still widespread for most of the population.

-As a result of these policies, these plots in urban areas become rather crowded and it becomes hard for a family to find space to grow their own small plants in. Out of this comes ingenuity as rooftop farming become commonplace in Havana as a result, making as much use of space in the concrete regions of Cuba as possible for growing food.

-Touting a rapidly growing economy balanced with a massive population and internal problems regarding poverty and social inequality, India presses onward as one of the most rapidly developing third world nations on the current geopolitical sphere. Along with this, tensions between India and its neighbors of China and Pakistan over border disputes along the Doklam Plateau and Kashmir, respectively, brings about an atmosphere of fear as conflict could potentially break out at any point as all three parties field nuclear weapons and massive armies to boot. How India deals with these problems has yet to be seen…

-As its regional neighbor, India moves to mediate the Sri Lankan conflict that has ravaged the island nation for decades now in a never ending conflict that has ravaged its people. Prime Minister Rao proposes that the Sri Lankan government either adopt a federative model or to give autonomy to Tamil plurality regions. Both the government and the Tamil Tigers flat out refuse, although for differing reasons. The former is unconvinced that it would get the Tamil Tigers to agree to a peace agreement and the Tigers demand full independence for themselves, leaving India out of luck in mediating the conflict.

-Liberalization of the economy continues as unprofitable government businesses are sold off and privatized in order to reduce waste in government spending, which allows new companies to prop up in their stead. As is par for the course, increased corporate growth both domestically and from overseas is nurtured as a result and the economy benefits from this.

-Land acquisition is pushed by the Rao government through a new act passed through legislation called the Green Energy Act, 1996. Similar to other legislature that deals with land acquisition for industrialisation, land is bought up by the government with proper compensation both monetarily and help with resettlement to land owners. In exchange, the government moves to import and establish solar panels on these new government owned areas in a bid to begin increasing green energy production in the country as well as to reduce reliance on fossil fuels which smog up cities and pollute the environment to the extreme in some cases. Although India lacks any significant green energy production, it’s a start for environmentally friendly energy production and consumption in the rapidly developing nation.

-After making some overtures with the Pakistani government, both sides agree to a reduction in troops along the Line of Control in Kashmir in order to reduce tensions in the region as well as build a level of trust between the two. Although the move does help stabilize the region, it is unpopular at home among right-wingers and ultranationalists who raise hell about India “weakening and kowtowing to Muslims” under the INC and PM Rao.

-Border defenses along contested regions with China go under inspection, finding several key positions to be undermanned, poorly commanded, or outright poorly fortified particularly among to Doklam Plateau and Arunachal Pradesh. Although the government attempts to keep it discrete and moves funds to rectify this as soon as possible, word leaks to the public and once more it becomes a furor from nationalist voices who blame the current governing party for this failure.

-This comes to a head as on the elections of April 27, May 2 and May 7 as the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party win a plurality of seats and take up the government with a coalition included in the BJP+. Most notably this includes the Shiv Sena which is an ultranationalist group and becomes a powerful voice within the government itself. Although this is somewhat tempered by the more moderate BJP and the socialist Samta Party, it is undeniable that the Shiv Sena wields significant influence in policy making.

-Increased privatization and economic growth is generated from liberalization of the economy, however moves are made by the new government headed by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to maintain healthcare, utilities, energy, and infrastructure to be government run and funded and out of the hands of “greedy corporatists”.

-In a bid to reduce influence of foreign banks from taking over the financial sector, the Vajpayee government starts an initiative to establish Indian born banks through subsidies to newly established and registered financial institutions that are owned by Indians. By the dozens small regional banks pop up as a result of government aid that help farmers take out small interest loans for farming equipment as well as for aspiring entrepreneurs to establish businesses.

-As green energy starts to grow ever so slowly in the country, solar roofing becomes a new fad in urban areas for some of the emerging middle class as a means to reduce their own energy bills. This helps these families to not only save money in the long term but also to reduce cardon footprints ever so slightly in a country still heavily reliant on coal and oil.

-Holding a stable government is no small feat for a region so close to the middle east, yet Turkey remains a pillar of stability within the Muslim world as it touts a growing economy and strong leadership as it presses forward. Yet, issues still plague the country as Kurdistan Workers’ Party pushes for the creation of an independent Turkish state, relations with Iraq and Syria remain tense, and the situation in Cyprus remains a thorn in Turkey’s side for European relations.

-As for the latter, the Turkish government makes a departure from its previous foreign policy towards the Cyprus region and begins to lay the groundwork for a bi-zonal Cypriot Federation in which the region would be reunited with two governments operating within it, not too dissimilar with the situation between Bosnia and Republika Srpska. While the idea is sound, the issue that faces with the plan comes from the almost complete lack of recognition for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as well as the problem of a near lack of support from Greek Cypriots for such a deal as the TRNC is still considered to be an illegitimate body supported by an occupying force.

-The move does come as a boon for Turkey in regards to its relations with the European Union as the issue of Cyprus had prevented Turkey from making any progress in the past with regards to membership with the economic bloc. With the Turkish government showing willingness to change its stance on Cyprus, it helps Turkey’s image for potentially applying for membership however the issues mentioned previously seriously hinder any major progress from occurring.

-Maintaining their support for the Northern Alliance, new shipments of weapons and equipment from Turkish surplus/outdated equipment makes its way to Northern Afghanistan for use by the shaky coalition in their war against the Taliban. Leaders of the coalition voice their appreciation for the continued aid as weeks later, a small victory is achieved from a convoy ambush against the Taliban.

-In cooperation with Israel, a batch of F-4E fighter craft in service by Turkey are upgraded to a new variant dubbed the F-4E “Terminator” 2020. With AGM-142 Popeye missiles equipped for use as well as additional improvements to the jet’s frame and technology allows the fighters to handle more modern weaponry, field more powerful radar, and have more powerful databus packages onboard for information transmission and reception. This allows Turkey to field a small batch of more modernized aircraft without spending large sums on entirely new aircraft shipments altogether, and serves to be a boon for the Turkish Air Force.

-A new student program is introduced by the Turkish government in a bid to promote technological growth in the realm of computers which includes: student visas are given priority to foreign students that apply for studying software engineering, computer science, or computer engineering as Turkish universities and stipends for Turkish students that enter into prominent schools of technology abroad such as CalTech and MIT and more. Turkish universities receive an uptick of applications from European students as a result of this newly announced study program.

-The death penalty is officially outlawed within Turkey in a bill signed by the government and reinforced by the Turkish Constitutional Court. Human rights activists both in and outside of Turkey applaud the move as a progressive step while conservative elements decry the move as “senseless” in regards to combatting violent terrorism from Kurdish elements as well as radical Islamism.

-In a bid to appease the Kurdish population within Turkey, the Kurdish language and dress is legalized much to the dismay of hardliners including the outspoken and violent Grey Wolves whose anti-Kurdish sentiment is made well known as sponsored ultranationalist protests prop up in Istanbul and Ankara.

-What comes next however routs even more anger as the Turkish government officially bans the Grey Wolves as a political organization in Turkey. Almost immediately, Turkish police move as quick as they can to arrest top leaders and figures within the organization as well as to break up ultranationalist demonstrations within Ankara and Istanbul. Although much of the higher leadership manages to slip away into Europe, the Caucasus and Syria, much of the middle leadership is successfully arrested. Violent clashes occur between demonstrators and police in which dozens are wounded, though thankfully nobody is killed.

-An improvement is developed for the AH-1W Cobra helicopters in service by the Turkish military, where the standard twin engines on board are replaced with more powerful engines that can produce more torque as well as being more reliable with improved build quality on the compressors and turbines for more durability.

 

[joshuadim]

Turn 2 Pre-Turn Supplemental: Rumble in the Jungle

Zairian government forces training for combat.

Following the Rwandan genocide, many Hutu soldiers involved within the genocide had fled to the Republic of Zaire for refuge to hide from the Tutsi led government back home much to the chagrin of the Tutsi population in Rwanda who had suffered as a result of their crimes. With the Zaire government helpless to do anything about driving these Hutu marauders out, they instead began to support them in fighting the Tutsi-led Rwanda. As a result, the ethnic Tutsis within Zaire join a revolutionary coalition called the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo-Zaire (ADFL for short) and with the support of regional neighbors bordering Zaire, begin an all out war against the republic of Zaire.

Within two months since the start of the fighting in November, the ADFL capture many of the far eastern border regions near Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi and thus helps to secure vital lines of support from these allied nations to their cause. Led by the charismatic Laurent-Désiré Kabila, his intentions are made rather clear: to overthrow the current Mobuto regime and to establish a proper democracy in its stead. Zaire, a country long wrought with internal strife and infighting, now faces what potentially can be a killing blow for its current regime. Mobuto Seko finds himself without many friends and without much international sympathy as well as being surrounded by enemies from all fronts.

The truth becomes rather evident as the ADFL prepares for further offensives in the next year: it is only a matter of time before things collapse entirely for the regime.

 

[joshuadim]

Turn 2 Pre-Turn Supplemental 2: Failure of the Revolution

President Clinton delivering a victory speech on the day following the general election.

Ever since the midterm elections of 1994, the House had been controlled by the Republicans ever since the so called 'Republican Revolution' helped usher in a republican controlled congress for the first time in decades in a bid to oppose President Clinton and to institute their own agenda led by House Majority Leader Newt Gingrich. Yet as the first term came to a close, republicans had little to show for their ambitious agenda as a result of having to compromise with a president holding veto power. In the end, dissatisfaction would be their downfall on the eve of the election as the results came in to great shock for republican leadership as the headlines read: House retaken by Democrats, Senate split.

With a resounding electoral college and popular vote victory, President Clinton returns for a second term with a small majority in the House and holds de-facto control on the Senate due to the split nature bringing an additional vote from the Vice President Al Gore, thus securing free reign over the future of the country for at least two years if not for the full 4 year duration. But for now, the Republican Revolution has failed and the voters have reflected their minds on this.


Electoral college distribution for the 1996 Presidential Election.

 

[joshuadim]

Turn 2 Pre-Turn Supplemental 3: An Answer To Our Question

An electron microscopy of meteorite Allan Hills 84001 (ALH84001) revealing potential fragments of fossilized bacterial life from Mars.

The question of 'Are we alone in the universe?' has perhaps been solved... or perhaps not. After finding the meteorite in Antarctica in 1984, the martian based meteor was placed into an electron microscope for research by lead NASA researcher David S. McKay and has announced the possibility of bacteria structured forms on the surface of the meteor on August 6, 1996. Almost immediately, the claims find controversy as many scientists doubt the findings and in fact outright refuse them through claiming more 'probable' explanations in regards to the structures.

President Clinton gave a speech in regards to the findings, speaking on the potential of such a discovery being confirmed as well as its possible implications but gave no further comment on the matter.

 

[joshuadim]

Turn 2: July 1 - December 31, 1996

​

Ongoing Conflicts

Afghan Civil War
Northern Alliance vs. Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (Taliban)

Iraqi-Kurdish Civil War
Iraqi Republic vs. Kurdistan Democratic Party vs. Patriotic Union of Kurdistan

Congo War
Republic of Zaire, Republic of the Sudan, Interahamwe vs. Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo-Zaire (AFDL), Republic of Rwanda, Republic of Angola, State of Eritrea

Chechen War (Ceasefire)
Chechen Republic of Ichkeria vs. Russian Federation

World Events

-The 1996 US elections result in Bill Clinton securing a second term in office, along with Democrats retaking the House in a stunning electoral upset and the Senate being brought to a split after Democratic party upsets in Virginia, New Hampshire, and Oregon helping bring the Senate to de facto control of the Democratic party with the tiebreaker being in the hands of Vice President Al Gore.

-Civil war breaks out within the Republic of Zaire as soldiers of the ADFL, backed by numerous African allies, cross over from Rwanda and Burundi and immediately push to secure the borders regions near Uganda. By December 24, ADFL forces have pushed from Goma to Bunia and have secured a large front against government forces as well as having secured easy passageway for supplies, munitions, and men to cross over from the countries supporting them. With Zaire being an already dying state wrought with infighting and bloodshed, the ADFL seeks to depose the Mobutu regime and to install a democratic government in its stead. The fighting in this short amount of team has already seen thousands dead, and many thousands more are likely to die as the fighting picks up and the ADFL makes further gains.

-The Iraqi disarmament crisis continues as Iraqi forces launch an offensive in the northern No-Fly Zone of the country and capture Arbil, a blatant violation of international agreement. Yet many countries still find themselves unwilling to get themselves embroiled in another war in the middle-east, including the United States, as popular opinion shows favourability to staying militarily uninvolved.

-Dolly the sheep is inaugurated as the first mammal to be successfully cloned from an adult cell as the copy is born at the Roslin Institute in Midlothian, Scotland. This landmark achievement is a major accomplishment in the field of genetical sciences and can prove to be a jumping off point for further developments in the future.

-The government of New Zealand agrees to pay $130 million worth of compensation for the loss of land suffered by the Maori people between the years of 1844 and 1864, a move celebrated by both Maori descendants as well as human rights activists internationally. Perhaps now victims can find a bit of solace in knowing the Kiwi government has both taken responsibility and apologized in this method.

-With the election of 1996 drawing near, President Clinton makes several policy moves in a bid to improve the standing of his administration as well as the Democratic party which includes a series of domestic programs as well as additional military moves in order to improve his image that had been slandered for ‘withdrawing American influence’.

-One such program is the Clean Rivers Act that passes through congress only barely and signed into law only a day later which sets standards for water cleanliness in rivers and lakes around the country as well as instituting EPA regulations for companies in regards to waste being dumped into waters, threatening fines to companies that fail to meet such regulations.

-Dozens of Republican lawmakers and interest groups decry the move as ‘unnecessary government interference’ in the free market as a few large manufacturing plants are found to be dumping large amounts of toxic chemicals into nearby rivers and are subsequently fined for it. One such company is Georgia-Pacific, owned by the notorious Koch Brothers, who was found to be dumping literal tons of toxic waste into the St. Johns River in Florida are fined by the government for the tune of nearly $80 million which is immediately disputed by the Koch Brother’s army of lawyers.

-Along with this, a government loan program is instituted for company startups founded by graduates of prestigious universities such as MIT in order to help build up innovation as well as to subtly protect American intellectual properties. While popular with most, budget conservatives in Congress take the time to continue to decry the move as ‘wasteful liberal spending’ by the President to garner support from their own constituents for re-election.

-While the United States scales back its troop involvement in Europe, President Clinton proposes an amendment to the military budget that makes room for two additional Nimitz-class aircraft carriers to be built, launched and commissioned into service at some point in the future. Although the USS Harry S. Truman had recently been launched on 7 September, the motion is easily passed through Congress. The lack of a strict timetable for when these two aircraft carriers need to be built however allows for flexibility on when they ought to be brought up.

-As the election day results come in, a stunning electoral upset occurs in both the House and Senate as Democrats manage to retake the former and split the body with the latter while Clinton easily secures re-election against opponent Bob Dole and thus Clinton readies to start his second term with Congress under control of Democrats although the Supreme Court remains contentious with four strongly conservative judges opposing two moderates for swing votes and three liberals on the highest court in the country.

-As the likelihood of large scale conventional warfare seems to be a thing of the past due to the collapse of the Soviet Union, military doctrine begins to make a shift towards dealing with irregular warfare such as insurgencies, guerilla warfare, etc. As such, a small plot of the Rocky Mountains is bought by the federal government to build ‘combat situations’ that can help simulate such warfare to help train soldiers for such types of warfare. Both semi-urban and rural combat is emphasized with the terrain surrounding whatever mock situation is built being considered into exercises as well. The Navy Seals in particular take great interest into the training area as they use it for night operations practices as well as dealing with HVT extractions from dangerous regions.

-In Europe, although US troop numbers are being reduced from military bases on the continent, the NATO airbase at Ramstein is given additional funding for operations as well as improvements for its capabilities. The goal is to establish the base as a central hub for NATO air command in Europe in order to properly control movements of military aircraft in European airspace as well as to house large numbers of aircraft for any potential military response. As such, two F-15 squadrons and a B2 Spirit bomber are redeployed to the base to help establish this goal and helps improve American air superiority and power projection in the area.

-Back home an infrastructure plan is proposed by President Clinton to help expand cell coverage across the country, including the more population dense regions in the Midwest and the South such as Chicago, Atlanta, and Charleston. This is done by federal grants doled out to cell providers that allow them to invest in setting up and building new towers across the country, with strict requirements as to how to use the money in order to prevent mismanagement and pocketing although a few mishaps do occur when some executives from providers such as Sprint and AT&T are found to be embezzling the funds into their own accounts and are subsequently arrested and charged with felony fraud.

-Although the Cold War had ended, the position of the United States on Cuba had remained the same nonetheless with the continuation of the US embargo on the country. Although in recent years the US finds itself mostly alone in trying to promote this and prevent its allies from trading non-food goods with the lonely communist nation. Additional overtures are made by the Clinton administration to allied in Europe with incentives such as an increase in NATO funding by the United States but is spurned as the countries find themselves comfortable trading with Cuba as they always had and ignore the United States like usual. These moves do bring about additional denouncements from members of the United Nations who decry the United States as ‘attempting to interfere with economic and foreign policy of sovereign nations’.

-Computer microchip company Intel announces the availability of their new line of Pentium processors with 150MHz and 166MHz clock speeds with respective bus speeds of 60MHz and 66MHz. With CPUs become more and more powerful nearly every year, advancements become more and more powerful in the world of computing but Pentium represents a new shift in design and sales as rather than naming the processor some long winded number this series has been given an identifiable name to go along with it. Thus, it allows the brand associated with Intel to be put into the public consciousness and help produce sales figures for the company.

-As Boris Yeltsin secures his second term as president of the Russian Federation, he immediately begins work in securing a cease-fire and peace talks with Chechnya in a bid to finally stop the bloodshed. On August 30, the Khasavyurt Accord is signed between Alexander Lebed and Aslan Maskhadov. The agreement includes a timelines for withdrawal of all federal forces from Chechnya by 31 December 1996 as well as the creation of a joint headquarters in Grozny to preclude any looting within the devastated Chechen capitol.

-With a ceasefire secured in the region as well as a general path to take forward, the sounds of violence cease to exist in Chechnya as Russian forces retreat first back to Grozny and then begin their withdrawal from the region. In the meantime, a peace treaty begins negotiations as a tenuous status-quo from before the war begins to take effect. The end of fighting brings both cheering crowds in Russia as well as Chechnya with the former being relieved that the bloodshed was finally over and the latter with seeing their independence all but secured in the near future.

-A state visit is made by Yeltsin to neighboring country Mongolia in a bid to strengthen ties between the two as well as to build a stronger relationship with Mongolia than what China has with the small landlocked country. Although Mongolia is rather receptive to the idea, Chinese primier Jiang Zemin makes a strongly worded statement to Russia that ‘encroachment on Chinese interests and relations will not be tolerated’.

-With Belarus’ economy being more and more integrated into Russia’s, Yeltsin proposes that the country adopts the Russian ruble in order to continue building these strengthened ties with one another. Although not immediately viable, President Lukashenko promises a timetable for such an action to take places within the next few years so that the Belarusian economy and its institutions can take the time to prepare for such a move.

-An economic deal is agreed upon and signed by Russia, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine for the building of a series of pipelines that run from Azerbaijan, through Russia, and into Ukraine for the purpose of moving oil and gas for use both in the participating countries as well as to customers in mainland Europe further west. Construction begins with Russian state-owned gas company Gazprom and Ukrainian state owned firm Naftogaz taking the bulk of construction in each of their territories. The lucrative movement of oil and gas is bound to rake in a lot of revenue for all three countries and everyone walks away happy.

-With the internet becoming a rapidly growing technological infrastructure in the West, Yeltsin proposes an ambitious infrastructure plan for internet lines to connect major Russian cities such as St. Petersburg, Moscow and Yekaterinburg through the expansion of current state-owned telecom company Rostelecom to include internet services. This state venture into ISP space directly competes with several newly founded internet provider companies in the country and thus leads to some very angry oligarchs decrying the government for interfering in the market and hindering their opportunities. In the meantime, such an amibitious state-run plan would take years to properly develop as currently the economic situation of Russia finds itself unable to

-With his new term starting, Preisdent Yeltsin removes his current deputy chief of presidential staff and replaces the former holder with an up and coming promising bureaucrat from Moscow by the name of Vladimir Putin. His experience in the KGB in the past as well as his generally unscrupulous political career post-Soviet Union makes him a rather uncontroversial choice for the government as Yeltsin attempts to repair public confidence in him.

-Additional nuclear power plant locations are scouted out by the Ministry of Energy to determine where best such projects can be located to service large amounts of people within the vast country. Several regions in Siberia and the Far East are looked at, including Vladivostok as major candidates for such projects. Discontinued constructions are also looked at closer to some such as the unfinished reactors in Gorky, Kostroma, and Tatar are given some thought to as whether or not to resume production in these regions. While such projects are too economically unviable at the moment to pursue, it doesn’t hurt to keep tabs on such things for the future when the possibility does become available.

-In addition, the MIR Space Station is looked at by Russia’s space agency to determine the viability of the station and its future as its rapidly aging structure and technology on board continually hinders the operations capability of the station itself. As a result, the Yeltsin government orders an inquiry into the construction of a new space station to replace MIR for when it eventually re-enters and burns up in the atmosphere. While the Yeltsin government holds optimism and asks for a replacement to be ready by the year 2000, Rocosmos has a more pessimistic outlook into the costs and timeframe that would be required to build a replacement with at minimum completion date for the bare essentials being by 2003 and thus proposes that Russia, rather than build its own station, use the International Space Station in cooperation with the United States as a cheaper alternative.

-As GPS technology from the US grows more and more advanced, the Russian government takes steps to ensure that its own technology, named GLONASS, does not fall behind. This comes hot off the heels from improvements to topographical mappings from satellites transmitting their data for use by GLONASS and thus allows the technology to stay nearly toe-to-toe with the United States. In addition to this, a target is given for complete Russian coverage by the year 2000 and a further date for world coverage by the mid 2000s.

-A program of economic and trade agreements with both former Commonwealth and Indian plurality/dominant countries such as Trinidad & Tobago, Suriname, Mauritius and Guyana is established by the Vajpayee government in a bid to grow relations with Indians overseas as well as to establish more economic influence in these countries as well as political capital as being the ‘mother country’ to Indian pluralities in these countries. The increase of trade relations is mutually beneficial to all parties as it helps expand India’s exports while at the same time helping improve the economies of these much smaller countries.

-As ultranationalists push for a stronger policy against China and Pakistan, the Vajpayee government orders an expansion to the Indian Navy with an ambitious two aircraft carriers to be established for naval projection in the Indian Ocean and beyond. Although the ordering of two aircraft carriers is popular with the public, the costs of such an expansion as well as the construction capabilities are well beyond what India is capable at this time. As such, candidates for a full-fledged purchase are considered in order to meet this quota. At the time, only one viable candidate comes to the forefront with the decommissioned aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov currently at port in Russia at the Black Sea. Currently unused due to the inability of being able to run it on a post-Cold War budget, it is a prime candidate to consider for both the Vajpayee government and the Indian Navy.

-Although under a new government, the green energy initiative of the previous ministry still sees public popularity as the Vajpayee government continues to expand renewable energy production under the Green Energy Act with the inclusion of subsidies and grants to upstart solar energy production and technology firms in the country in order to promote their growth. The inflow of cash injected into the sector allows new firms to stay afloat and not have to worry about their immediate future due to government aid while the Vajpayee government can take a public relations victory by supporting ‘Indian businesses and futures’.

-With many of the countries railways being old and/or outdated in their standards, the Vajpayee government announces the Future Indian Rail Project(FIRP) in an effort to standardize the massive span of railroads across the country to the 1676mm gauge standard as well as to upgrade and refurbish many of the older railroads across the country. With Indian ridership of railways being absolutely massive and the current system being filled way past capacity in pretty much all cases, the task will be both expensive and time consuming as it is expected to take at minimum nearly 10 years to finish such a project, barring no delays or unforeseen events occur to hinder this initiative.

-Keeping in touch with its green initiatives, FIRP includes the electrification of its railways in a bid to reduce the reliance on coal powered trains to reduce overall pollution. While electric trains will still need to rely on power lines fueled by fossil fuel plants around the country, the overall footprint will be reduced somewhat as a result of this.

-As India’s roadways suffer from massive traffic issues as well as being a major contributer to pollution and severe smog in its massive urban areas, the Vajpayee government also implements a public relations campaign program known as ‘Bike to Stop Pollution Spikes’ in which citizens are encourage to, if possible, to ride bicycles to work rather than to ride in a car or take up a train. The idea is to both reduce the amount of pollution produced per capita as well as to reduce the clogging of roadways and trains due to the massive ridership that currently face both. Sales of bicycles goes up as people realize the economics of saving money from not having to buy gas or train tickets as tens of thousands of people participate in the campaign. Although not nearly enough to cause a significant drop in pollution, it does help free up some space on roads and trains.

-Naxalites have remained a force to be reckoned with in Indian politics for decades, even following the post-Soviet collapse, and with a conservative government in coalition with ultranationalists they have found that the Communist insurgency in India has only grown in response to such a development. Essentially being ideological opposites and enemies, the Vajpayee government takes steps to undermine Naxalite support in regions that are considered to be strongholds for these parties by providing economic grants for small businesses and stores in affected regions as well as to provide state-paid teachers to affected regions for literacy programs. While the move is essentially a base level measure, it does nothing to alleviate the underlying roots of the problems that caused the insurgency in the first place as violence against security forces continues to be a weekly occurrence.

-As peace talks fall through in Sri Lanka between the island government and the Tamil Tigers, the Vajpayee government proposes the return of Indian peacekeepers to the country’s northern regions in an effort to secure a tenuous peace in the meantime. While the Sri Lankan government is only somewhat receptive to this, the Tamil Tiger’s response is an attack on Sri Lankan government forces that sees dozens dead on both sides as retaliation for this public statement.

-With the MiG-21 fighters in service by the Indian Air Force rapidly aging, a replacement is sought after through the Light Combat Aircraft programme that had been established since the 80s for this very reason. Among the dozens of designs and prototypes tested over the years, a single-engine multirole light fighter catches the attention of the government and is officially ordered for further testing and eventual deployment by the mid 2000s. Designed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, it is named the HAL-DP by internal developers although the name is subject to a name change in the future.

-The Turkish government begins a foreign investment program aimed towards aiding post-Soviet Turkic nations such as Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan in order to help their struggling economies get off the ground properly as well as to ‘help investment in brother nations’ as the government cites common Turkish heritage. Initially, the money invested is in small amounts but is slated to grow over the next few years as the government makes preparations for investments in industries and sectors that in the end will benefit both parties.

-Following the ceasefire of the Chechen War, Turkey sends hundreds of Red Crescent volunteers to the war torn region in an effort to aid in humanitarian efforts that plague the country such as a lack of medicine, medical care practitioners, and hunger. The Chechen leadership is extremely grateful for such help from the Turkish Red Crescent branch, as well as dozens of other Red Cross/Red Crescent branches from around the world, as aid workers enter the country to help its people.

-The Turkish government passes large tax cuts and incentives to automobile manufacturers in a bid to attract overseas producers to establish factories and operations within the country. Although Turkey has already been home to several overseas manufacturers, the move helps attract interest from Toyota as they announce plans to establish operations in Turkey by 1998 while domestic manufacturers such as Diardi and Erkunt are also helped by the tax incentives laid out by the government.

-An education law is passed that mandates basic computer education/literacy be taught in schools in order to teach younger generations on how to use a computer and how to type. Thousands of personal computers are bought by the government to help this program to fill at least one computer in each classroom across the country and keyboarding classes are mandated to help with this. The program easily sees use in more urbanized areas of the country while rural regions, expectedly, lag behind on the program due to infrastructural issues as well as general education problems in more sparsely populated areas of the country.

-Two dozen armored Caterpillar D9 bulldozers are bought from Israel for use in potential urban counterinsurgency operations, seeing how effective such machines have been in destroying resistance in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Within a few weeks the shipments arrive and both police and counterterrorist military units are instructed upon their use as well as trained on how to use them. With ultranationalist tensions higher than ever due to the recent ban on the Grey Wolves, these might come in handy in the future.

-With Iraq having captured Erbil from the PUK, and subsequently having pushed the disarmament crisis further, Turkey openly declares its support for the KDP as a large shipment of weapons is sent to help the faction. From a geopolitical standpoint, the move comes hot off the heels of the PUK allying with Iran as an effort to curb Iranian influence in the region as well as to secure its own southern border with Iraq. This support also comes with military action against the PKK with unilateral action taken by the Turkish government to bomb PKK positions within Iraq. While it is unclear as to how effective such an attack was, the Turkish government claims it to be a success nonetheless.

-As the world of electronics becomes ever more advanced each year, Turkish company Beko analogously develops the Plasma display panel for televisions that sports a 40 inch display size with a 852x480 resolution, while Japanese company Fujitsu and Dutch company Philips both develop a 42 inch display with the same resolutions. This advancement in both size and resolution shows the viability of such displays for use in larger commercial electronics in the future as these panels are put to use in computers and television products.

-Seeing the success of common land usage for small-scale farming being implemented across the country, the Cuban government further implements policy to increase the amount of state land for use in both rural and urban areas as the expanded room allows for more families to take small plots of their own to grow their food in conjunction with the many others who do the same. More and more does the sighting of farms in concrete jungles become a regular thing as the country continues to struggle economically to progress forward in the post-Soviet world.

-The major city in exception to this major growth is Havana, which undergoes a government mandated ‘revitilization’ project in a bid to make the city not only look good for tourists, but also to rebuild many of the older and derelict buildings found within the capitol of the island nation. Work is slow due to a lack of proper construction equipment and power rationing and only a few of the greatly dilapidated buildings are successfully torn down in the latter months of the year with construction planned for replacement buildings for cafes, shops, etc.

-Although the Cold War had ended, the position of the United States on Cuba had remained the same nonetheless with the continuation of the US embargo on the country. Although in recent years the US finds itself mostly alone in trying to promote this and prevent its allies from trading non-food goods with the lonely communist nation. Additional overtures are made by the Clinton administration to allied in Europe with incentives such as an increase in NATO funding by the United States but is spurned as the countries find themselves comfortable trading with Cuba as they always had and ignore the United States like usual. These moves do bring about additional denouncements from members of the United Nations who decry the United States as ‘attempting to interfere with economic and foreign policy of sovereign nations’.

-Overtures are made to the Iranian government by Cuba in regards to both their general anti-colonialism and anti-imperialist stances, seeking trade relations with the isolated middle-eastern country. Cuba is in dire need of oil and fortunately for the island nation, Iran needs trade partners and thus agrees to material exchanges with Cuba supplying sugarcane and Iran delivering oil. This new source of oil required for energy production is a massive boon for Cuba, but it comes at the expense of heightened tensions with the United States who now see Cuba as economically allying themselves with a new ‘major evil’ of the world.

-As Cuban cigars are one of the most expensive luxury items to be produced by Cuba that is exported overseas (apart from the United States in a legal manner), the manufacturing of these goods becomes a major asset in Cuba’s economy. In the production of the cigars, a small innovation is made in the rolling of the cigars that allows for less material required for wrapping individual units and thus helps save time and resources in their production.