Lodamun

[ReformedEndralon]

Jackson Thomas on the campaign trail

November 5489

The fledgling Republican Party is gearing up for next months slate of elections is what is proving to be the first contested election in Lodamun in over fifty years since 5436. The Democratic Party have governed continuously since that election however in the last 12 months various centre-right organisations have come together with disaffected former Democratic politicians to establish the Republican Party. They chose a name that has been commonly used throughout Lodamese history in the last millennium, typically by parties of the right.



Jackson Thomas at a campaign rally

Businessman and former soldier Jackson Thomas was selected as the Republican Party. He and his supporters have put together a manifesto which would represent a significant turn to the right with policies aimed at reducing state intervention in the economy, a conservative turn in social policies and an isolation turn in foreign policy.

[imperialpearl]

Although they have been gradually building up their prowess in search and rescue operations, especially following the formal establishment of Coast Guard Search and Rescue Station - Portswood, the Lodamese Coast Guard has made yeoman attempts to enhance its broader constabulary capabilities. Having made it clear that it intends to establish a visible presence in the White Ocean as the Harrington Company contemplates new, trans-Arctic routes for shipping originating from parts of Northern Dovani, LCG Search and Rescue teams partnered with their Hutorian counterparts in a makeshift search and rescue exercise, set in the frigid arctic. Although much of the Lodamese Coast Guard’s operations are likely to be conducted in the more temperate regions of the globe, the exercise nonetheless provided crews with a “change in environment”. Arctic operations are often more challenging than their temperate or tropical counterparts owing to the various factors which ultimately work against the crews and their equipment. “I mean it was something we had never experienced before,” PO3 Charlie Pearson, an Aviation Survival Technician, said. “Clearly after that experience, I need to re-evaluate what I can “cold”. We’re more accustomed to diving into waters where temperatures are slightly below average. But in the Arctic, we’re talking about diving into waters that ought to cause instant hypothermia.” Aviation Survival Technicians like Petty Officer Pearson form the backbone of the Coast Guard’s “at-sea” search and rescue operations. They are the persons who, come hell or high waters, are asked to dive into rough waters from low-altitude hovering helicopters to rescue persons stranded at sea. Captain Noah Parker, interim Commander of the LCG’s Search and Rescue Command stated that as the Lodamese Coast Guard continues to expand its operational umbrella to FON patrols to new, more exotic regions of the globe, it was imperative that the SAR teams be capable of operating effectively in these environments. “We have to ensure that we remain at the top of our game. We do not want to run into a situation wherein there is a call for help from any quarter and we can’t respond because we are not equipped to operate in a particular environment/climate.” Captain Parker explained. Commandant of the Lodamese Coast Guard, ADM. Mason Burgess confirmed that although the Lodamese Coast Guard would not be operating its usual complement when conducting FON patrols in international waters in the Arctic. He noted that much of the LCG’s operations in the region will likely be escorting Harrington Company ships through the region via icebreakers. Traditionally, Trigunia has maintained a “round the clock” icebreaker presence in the region which, has been to the benefit of various ships transiting the region, however amidst that nation’s collapse into irrelevance alongside a similar situation with respect to the Royal Hutorian Coast Guard, ADM Burgess noted that the LCG had no qualms in picking up the slack whilst his Hutorian counterparts “regain their footing”. It is expected the cold-weather trained SAR teams will likely be attached to the aforementioned Coast Guard icebreakers (which are yet to be constructed). “In Lieu of those vessels, this exercise provided our crews with a great opportunity to appreciate the work being done by their counterparts/allies in other regions, placing into perspective the often challenging environments other nations must overcome in order to secure prosperity for their respective nations,” ADM Burgess concluded.

[imperialpearl]

Coined the Social Welfare Administration, this new agency, which will exist independently of the federal government but under the supervision of the Department of Health and Social Services would be wholly responsible for the development and administration of the nation's federally administered social welfare programmes from old-age pensions to unemployment insurances and disability benefits. The report notes that this new agency would have to adopt a "digital first" policy as it opines that a modern social welfare system cannot operate on analogue and should attempt to remove as much of the public's interaction with unnecessary forms and documentation as possible. A national database containing data/information on the nation's most vulnerable individuals would have to be created to enable this new agency to better target its services to those who need it most.

One of the major initiatives expected to come out of this new agency is a unique identifier. This "U-ID" is expected to enable citizens to be identified by the Social Welfare Administration better than any government agency to date. It is expected to reduce instances of fraud as the U-ID number (which will be assigned to all born and naturalised citizens of Lodamun) will be the only means by which persons would be able to interact with the SWA. Director of the Office of Digital Policy and Governance Dr Michael James explained that the "U-ID" or social welfare number, as it would come to be known will become the foundation on which the digitisation and digitalisation of the federal government would be built. "When seeking to build up government digital services, the first place you often have to look is your social welfare system. The information which passes through such a system like that could be the foundation of any nation's digital transformation dreams." Clements explained.

Although the SWA would be empowered to handle its affairs in developing much of the programmes and initiatives to be administered under its remit, policy would still be needed to provide the agency with general/overall direction. In addressing much of the risks attributed to the failure of the current model, Dr Montgomery's committee noted that the nation would have to reckon with a change in the way how this new social welfare model would be financed. The committee's report noted that under the current model, much of the social welfare provided to the population is largely financed through taxation. It opines that the new model could not force an increase in taxation, especially in instances where persons who are being "taxed into the ground" could potentially be disincentivised from work. According to Dr Adams, the committee's expert on public policy and finance stated that financing the pay-outs the Whitmore Administration has in mind would require a widening of the of the tax base.

He explained that either the government increase taxes on the nation's rich and powerful or it continues to grow the economy whilst balancing not overheating the economy whilst attempting to effect an increase in the salaries of all employees, both public and private sector. Dr Kinnard, the committee's expert on labour and employment economics explained that for the new model to remain sustainable well into the future, it would have to move away from being based solely on the contributions of employed persons. "A noncontributory public pension system financed through a flat-rate tax levied against companies in the name of their individual employees is something which could be considered," Dr Kinnard explained. She noted that a contributory system could run into numerous challenges in its future, especially in instances where the labour force decreases but the number of pension recipients increases. The SWA will be governed by an Administrator who will be appointed by the President. Dr Emiel Carver, a former senior social policy advisor for the Department of Health and Social Services, has been tapped as the agency's director alongside the appointment of an Under Secretary for Social Services Sylvanna Lowe. According to Secretary Bailey, the SWA would become fully operational in the next 2-3 years whilst the Federal Government works with State and Local officials to become accustomed to the new way in which the nation's public social welfare programmes will be managed going forward.

[Robert F. Kennedy]

Luthori-Seleya trade set to increase as Darlington ratifies treaties.

[Robert F. Kennedy]

Luthorian financial joint venture set to sail for Lodamun

[Interstellar_]

The United States announces State Visit Schedule - Request for Lodamun - Possible Trade Deal?

[imperialpearl]

If there were any lessons to be learned from the previous Hubris War it was that in the grand scheme of things, Lodamun could not reasonably depend on other states (extra-regional territories) to secure its assets and protect its prosperity on its behalf. Although not a particularly destructive war in terms of destruction of vast amounts of territory or loss of life, the Hubris War nonetheless demonstrated the inherent danger of wars/conflicts over maritime supremacy. The broader disruption of the global economy, particularly in the waters around Seleya, where the vast majority of the conflict’s major engagements unfolded was certainly not lost on the Lodamese defence and trade establishment. It is no secret that Lodamun, like many other states is dependent on international trade, as a growing import/consumer market, international trade could be said to be the lifeline through which Lodamun endures. Ever aware of this inherent vulnerability, the Harrington Company’s involvement in the nation’s broader national security is thus contextualised. Yet in an era of inherent peace on the continent, largely negotiated through the detente established via the Treaty of Altatepec, the Department of Defence maintains that Lodamun should grab at the opportunity to better secure its prosperity going into the next millennia.

In a bombshell report by the DoD’s Office of Doctrinal Research, it was noted that in recognition of the ever-changing geopolitical environment, the now-dormant Lodamese Marine Corps would undoubtedly play a major role in shaping Lodamese geostrategic goals alongside the Lodamese Navy. The report explained that for the better half of the past three (3) centuries, the Lodamese Marine Corps has been rather “rudderless”. As the report reads, “Although a separate branch onto itself, the Marine Corps sources much of budgeting from the Lodamese Navy which until recently had been unresourced and chronically underfunded. Now, amidst a rush of investment and congressional funding into the core branches of the Lodamese Armed Forces, the fortune of the LMC is set to change.” For decades defence planners have lamented the state of the Lodamese Marine Corps, noting that whereas during the initial LAF modernisation programme (initiated under the Neilson Administration) it should have been positioned as the nation’s premier fighting force, much of its activities have been largely eclipsed by the Commonwealth Guard or the Lodamese Army. “We have been calling for a top-down reorganising of the Marine Corps for years,” Col. Ben Phillips, a retired instructor at the Marine Corps Warfighting Institute said. “During that period where we [the Marine Corps] were doing absolutely nothing, we have been changing our strategy and doctrine to ensure it becomes more aligned with that of the Harrington Company.”

As the principal mechanism through which Lodamun maintains broad access to the global economy, the Harrington Company remains the nation’s single most important geostrategic asset. The DoD report notes that insofar as the Lodamese Navy and the Marine Corps should be concerned, a large part of the federal government’s rhetoric on “securing Lodamese interests abroad”, relates to securing the Harrington Company’s trade routes throughout the world. Drawing reference to the Hubris War, the report notes that Lodamun must maintain a ready and capable response to clear and active threats against the nation’s prosperity. Speaking to the broader details of the Marine Corps' reorientation towards expeditionary warfare, Secretary of Defence Ava Gallagher stated that the LMC will retake its place as the nation’s premier fighting force and will thus grant Lodamun the ability to respond to new and emerging threats in any and all environments. “We intend to ensure that the Lodamese Marine Corps of the future is well equipped and capable of meeting potential adversaries wherever they may rear their head. We must and will do all that is necessary to ensure our nation’s prosperity. And I will be extremely clear as to my intentions: those who place themselves in the path of our nation’s prosperity, whose who disrupt the otherwise peaceful and neutral operations of the Harrington Company will ultimately invite a confrontation.” Secretary Gallagher explained.

[imperialpearl]

Seemingly frustrated by the lack of attention being paid to the current imbroglio between the Harrington Company and the Beiteynuese Government, as the former continues to seek compensation for the destruction of a vessel by the latter, Merchant General Doug Halleck is reportedly enroute to Yishelem to speak directly with Prime Minister David Aristocrat-Goldbloom and Justice Minister Stella Eroncourte to determine the reason for what has been become an extremely drawn out process. Negotiations between the two states reportedly began when the Chief Factor of the Harrington Company Dr Joseph Williamson, stated that as a result of an internal investigation into the circumstances of the incident, the Harrington Company would seek compensation not only for the vessel itself but for its cargo and the lives of the crew lost. According to Dr Williamson, although arbitration on compensation is usually extremely winding as governments as often averse to “dishing out” millions of their dollars to a foreign state as a result of misconduct on the global stage, the process initiated with the Beiteynuese Government could be said to be moving as “snail’s pace.” He noted that although the Harrington Company had sent numerous communiques to various members of the Beiteynuese Government including the Ministry of Justice and the Office of the Prime Minister, which had been opened by those concerned with the matter, a response from either the MoJ or the OPM has been forthcoming. As a result of the lack of response and/or acknowledgement of the attempt to negotiate a settlement between the two entities, Dr Williamson said that the process was at a standstill.

Merchant General Doug Halleck, who initially instructed Dr Williamson to initiate the entire process, is now seeking to draw a response from the Beiteynuese Government. He noted that whilst the Harrington Company maintains no animosity towards the Beiteynu, he nonetheless points to the situation as reasoning for the wider involvement of the Lodamese State Department. Secretary of State Esther Strickland is also accompanying the Merchant General to Beiteynu where she intends to meet with her counterpart Foreign Minister Geoffrey Matthews, Prime Minister Aristocrat-Goldbloom and potentially King Albert to register President Carver's disappointment at the slow movement of what he [President Carver] believes should have and could have been a speedy process. In a statement issued prior to their departure, MG Halleck said:

“We [Lodamun] have historically recognised the importance of dialogue and discretion, especially as it pertains to sensitive issues such as this. We initiated this process with the hopes of coming to a reasonable settlement to conclude what was otherwise an avoidable military miscalculation. The families of the sailors lost in that tragic incident deserve closure and on their request, we have sought just compensation. Whilst we recognise that in the noise of geopolitics and one’s own domestic politics, our appeal to the government in Yishelem could have been lost to the wind, we will nonetheless use this opportunity to refocus their attention on this matter. We hold no animosity towards the Beiteynuese Government and are eager to work with them on concluding this matter and paving the way for better opportunities/avenues for cooperation between our two states.”

[imperialpearl]

In a statement seemingly building on overtures made prior to their deployment, the Department of the Navy confirmed earlier this morning that three (3) Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft had begun a 6-month deployment to Luthori as part of an agreement between both the Lodamese and Luthorian Governments which has allowed for Lodamese aircraft to patrol parts of the Artanian Sea and the South Ocean via Luthorian bases. The deployment, which according to the DoN statement had been years in the making, represents a major leap in the enduring relationship between Luthori and Lodamun. The Lodamese Navy’s purchase of the patrol aircraft signalled a shift in the branch’s operational dogma from a reserved approach to security on the Seleyan continent to a more proactive one. Recently, the new force structure of the Lodamese Marine Corps had been unveiled, seeking to re-establish the Corps’ expeditionary warfare traditions in order to “better secure the nation’s economic crucial trade routes.” Whilst the Poseidon deployments do not fall directly in line with this defence policy shift, it is nonetheless aligned with the Lodamese Armed Forces’ outlook for security on the Seleyan continent. “We have no intention of waiting for the world’s powers to address the glaring inequities of global trade. Our posture has been the same well before the Treaty of Altatepec and will certainly not be altered to suit that framework. What we do here is for our sake recognising that until recently, the powers that be viewed security on this continent as secondary to their broader geopolitical ambitions,” former Secretary of Defence Morgan Sharp noted in a now disclosed internal memo on future maritime patrols throughout the Seleyan continent and along the Harrington Company’s primary routes.

Even as the Lodamese Coast Guard’s Barracuda operations continue in the Artanian Sea, the introduction of the Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft is expected to augment these existing patrols. Aside from being able to cover a much wider area of the Artania Sea and the South Ocean, refuelling aircraft from Lodamun could be flown into the AO to potentially extend the range of these patrols as well as their endurance. Speaking to the broader details of the rotational deployment, the Department of Defence has insisted that the deployment of these aircraft, their respective crew and weaponry be relegated to a non-permanent deployment (and be subject to the approval of the Luthorian Parliament), comes amidst concerns related to the most recent diplomatic conundrum between Luthori and the powers of the Treaty of Altatepec. “As the world should come realise, the North Seleyans are hardnosed and a very selfish people. In any circumstance, their interests will come first and all others are secondary,” Frederick Bailey, a social commentator said. “Lodamun would ultimately always view these patrols as an extension of its existing work throughout the North/North-Western reaches of the Seleyan continent. From drone patrols in the Mad Dog and Karzon Strait to Barracuda patrols in the Artanian Sea, it is part of the gradual building up of a clear Lodamese presence in these areas.”

According to statements from the Department of Defence, a caveat of the 6-month deployment, intelligence gathered by these maritime patrol aircraft will likely be shared with the Luthorian defence establishment. It is no secret that the Luthorian Armed Forces has taken note of the transformation of the Lodamese Coast Guard and the work currently done by the service via Operation Barracuda. Luthori’s establishment of its own Coast Guard unit based on the LCG “blueprint”, is but an example of this. Chief of Naval Operations ADM. Owen Hudson, stated that the patrols were largely underpinned by the well-established importance of maintaining the Harrington Company’s freedom to navigate Terra’s waters without hindrance. He said: “As was iterated ad nausseum, our Operations are underpinned by the simple fact that we must and will secure the prosperity afforded to our nation by the Harrington Company. The Lodamese Navy will continue to work alongside the LCG and other partners in ensuring that objective is met.”

[GreekIdiot]

Beiteynu
Beiteynu issues formal apology to Lodamun; compensation to be expedited on loss of Harrington Company vessel during the war - November 5495