(08-14-2017, 06:27 PM)Roavin Wrote: The current stance wasn't reached based on "well Funk doesn't want fendas and the resistance does", as some claim. First, that's silly because I don't think it's a R/D dichotomy guiding this conflict, even if the sides ostensibly have more representation from opposing members of that spectrum (and it gets mentioned in the propaganda, which is in some instances unfortunate).

We kept ourselves well covered and neutral during the pre-coup conflict. We issued a statement that I believe to be neutral, offered mediation, and despite Omega badgering me about it in PM, didn't do anything to condemn Funk or close embassies or propose ending the treaty or anything of that sort. I was also invited to the Resistance chat, which I categorically refused to take part in.

When the coup broke out, Resentine gained access to the resistance server, and independently confirmed that the accusations made against the resistance by Killer Kitty/Evil Wolf on the GP forum were untrue and that the screenshots were taken out of context and didn't imply any of what was accused. After briefly debating the issue, referencing Lazarene law and our treaty with Lazarus, we came to the unanimous conclusion that this was, in fact, a coup d'etat by any sensible definition.

Our treaty with Lazarus states:

Quote:Section 3. Both parties agree to assist each other in responding to an internal coup d'etat, unless relieved of duty by mutual agreement.

From this, the way forward was clear - as a good ally, we would be supporting the resistance.

Now, going forward - yes, the resistance isn't as perfect as it should. Yes, things were said that shouldn't have been said. Yes, some people took the opportunity to take potshots at our region. But on the other hand, if we take that as a pretext to stop our involvement now, what does that say about us? If we did that, any outside observer would rightly say that we don't follow through on our commitments. The going was tough, so TSP just went home. That's not what a good ally does.

Even if the resistance ends up failing, it's our duty to support it while it stands so that any other region we are allied with can clearly see - yes, indeed, TSP takes their commitment seriously, and that if, say, TNP got couped today, we would fight just as hard there, just like they would fight for us (and indeed, TNP has fought for us). It's what a good ally does.

We tried hard to mediate at least one week before Funkadelia couped and therefore violated the terms of our treatied agreement as allies.  Then, I talked to Wolf for a while (who has previous history in TSP) and got nowhere with him either because he took over for Funk but reiterated more of the same.  The question of "If TSP were in this situation, what would we want our allies to do?" still seems relevant. If we only did things because we were sure to easily win, we would always be following other agendas.

I always like to remember that of the hundred or so active players in the game, only a handful are active on NSGP. The majority of TSPers, for example don't even go there or if we send a TG to them linking to the embassy thread are like "Why is this important?" Then there are the RMBers or TGers who are like "that place just seems really toxic."  Finally, I mean most of NSGP seems like a place for people to take pot shots at each other.  

Some of the people I respect most in this game and from TSP have not even posted there. I'd probably recommend taking NSGP with a grain of salt and instead talking concretely about things like what is beneficial to TSP and our regional security and our image as being faithful to our word.