Badara

[Drax]

SURPLUS TO GO TO LAB MEAT SUBSIDY AND AIRCRAFT PURCHASES

 MANARA  ALBRAYD SRIA AL-MUSAMI
(If it’s in the Monsoon, it’s got to be true)
 
Finance Ministry, June 17, 5713:  After receiving a report on the extent to which revenue was generating a surplus for the budget, Finance Minister Nazir al-Sayed was asked by The Monsoon what was his thinking on the suggestion of a common currency in SOMECO, and he replied:
 

The proposal seems like a sound one likely to be good for promotion of trade.  Jumhuriat al-Badara is quite prepared to cooperate should that initiative be pursued at some point.

 
The Monsoon asked if there was likely to be a surplus and, if so, and whether it would go to a sovereign wealth fund or to expenditures, and the Finance Minister responded:
 

In point of fact, revenues have produced a sufficient surplus for budget expansion.  The Ministerial Council has addressed this eventuality, and the first use of the surplus this revenue cycle will be to restart the production of laboratory grown meat.
 
This process has long been available but never made an effective business.  Believe the Kundrati Union tried after learning the process from Deltaria some years ago.
 
Be that as it may, we think it could be very useful in emergency situations such as disaster relief and aid for refuges which Terra regularly creates.  The thinking is a government owned facility is where we begin probably with a university operating it.  If investors want in so much the better.

And that will not exhaust the surplus this year. The Ministerial Council has decided some military aircraft purchases from New Dawn Nashwa will be the second use of the surplus.

Finance Minister Nazir al-Sayed

[Drax]

FRSC THINKS QOS MAY BE BEYOND REGULATION
 
MANARA  ALBRAYD SRIA AL-MUSAMI
(If it’s in the Monsoon, it’s got to be true)
 
Bier Qassem, February 17, 5714: The Monsoon asked former Foreign Minister Abdul Aziz if the Free Radical Supper Club faction in the Majlis was going to participate as a party in the next election and, if so, how they would present themselves, and Aziz replied:
 

Yes, think we will be ambiguous about whether to shorten the name to Free Radicals, a party which was operating here about 900 years ago, or keep the faction name for the party.  Either way, our mission will change somewhat.
 
Our faction was acting as a bridge between the members of the Majlis who really wanted governmental institutions to be working again and those members who really wanted to prevent a return to massive corruption, benefits only flowing to the rich and powerful, and domination by the oligarchy.
 
With several actual parties wanting to run things, believe there is a need for us to have a slightly different mission.  We will be presenting ourselves as technocratic problem solvers protecting the safety net and individual liberties.


We have credibility in shaping and making the structure of the government workable particularly in restoring the safety net and financial stability.  In a multi party system such as ours, predicting outcomes is difficult; but I can say we expect to do well on the next round and are talking to potential coalition partners.

Asked by the Monsoon if he felt there were institutions beyond the regulatory authority of the Government, and Aziz responded:
 

Of course.  You are likely thinking of the General Intelligence Service (GIS).  Its head is picked by a Governing Board.  Consisting of whom? And who selected them? And funded by whom? Probably the government. But possibly by parts of the oligarchy.  The GIS did restore Al’Baharia to the nation on good terms.  So honestly there is little appetite to make GIS more accountable. 
 
But there is another. Qat Oil Services (QOS) saw that nationalizing everything was likely so it went international.  Built and serviced oil rigs off Rildanor and in in Lake Majatra. Helped the Kafuris get their oil operation going again.  So we could nationalize them or regulate them to the nth degree and how would they respond.  QOS would leave again leaving a vast hole in our expertise, employment  and operating capacity.
 
What all do they do? They do not refine crude oil. They do occasionally purchase oil leases.  They provide exploration, drilling and extraction services to oil lease holders.  Sometimes as joint ventures and sometimes as contractors for services.  They have a transport fleet for crude oil, liquefied natural gas and refined petroleum products.  And they market crude oil domestically and internationally in their own name and as agents of others.

A majority of our crude oil passes through QOS at one stage or another.    And who knows where all they have invested. Or in what industries or institutions.  So do not think we want to suggest QOS go on its travels again.  Certainly not now.

FRSC's Aziz

[Drax]

LAB GROWN CHICKEN AT NIT
 
MANARA  ALBRAYD SRIA AL-MUSAMI
(If it’s in the Monsoon, it’s got to be true)
 
Finance Ministry, July 17, 5714:  The Monsoon asked Finance Minister Nazir al-Sayed if the laboratory meat project was going ahead, and he replied:
 

Absolutely. And it will start again where it did 800 years ago.  At the National Institute of Technology Zoology Department. It will receive funding from appropriations to the Education Ministry. The purpose of the project is to grow chicken meat from stem cells with a view to making a lab grown product available to food markets in Jumhurat al-Badara.
 
The impetus for the project is, first of all, that the environmental impact will be far less than raising and feeding chickens for slaughter, and second, eliminating the killing of the birds would seem to be more humane than the current practice.  Further, it is likely in the long run lab grown meat will be less expensive than meat from slaughtered animals.
 
The project is expected to be expanded to other meat eaten by the Jumhuriat al-Badara population such as beef and fish.  It is generally believed chicken is the place to start because taste and appearance issues have been resolved.  The project is not intended to appeal to vegetarians but people who eat meat.
 
Stem cells from the outside of living chickens are taken and initially grown in petri dishes in a laboratory.  When the project reaches production scale it will be produced in giant meat fermenters so production facilities will resemble a brewery or greenhouse depending on what is ultimately the most effective method.  The biological end product is meat; chicken in this case which looks like chicken and tastes like chicken.

[Drax]

NEW MILITARY AIRCRAFT TO BE PURCHASED FROM NEW DAWN NASHWA
 
MANARA  ALBRAYD SRIA AL-MUSAMI
(If it’s in the Monsoon, it’s got to be true)
 
Defense Ministry, October 27, 5717:  The Defense Ministry’s Procurement Division has been talking to New Dawn Nashwa about augmenting our military air assets with aircraft it has previously produced.  At one time the Air Force had around three hundred fifty fixed wing aircraft, and four of the five types were maintained at the complement level by by New Dawn Nashwa.  In recent decades, New Dawn Nashwa has produced few military aircraft focusing instead on production of commercial aircraft.
 
Defense Minister Salman al-Maktoum has approved the suggestion of the Chief of the Air Staff endorsed by the Chief of Defense Command that the Procurement Division of the War Ministry be authorized to purchase 15 NDN F-15’s to bring its complement thereof back to 50 and 7 NDN – F/A – 18’s to return its squadron size to 25 aircraft.  After this is done over the next 59 months, the Procurement Division will purchase another 20 NDN A- 10’s over the following 43 months.
 
It is recognized the existing plan anticipates more NDN A-10’s will be purchased at some point as well as enough NDN AC – 130 U’s to restore its complement.
 
The NDN F- !5 is an all weather multiple strike fighter.  The NDN F/A – 18 is an all weather, carrier capable, multi role aircraft suitable for air superiority, interception and ground attack missions.  The NDN A – 10 is a single seat subsonic twin turbofan straight wing attack aircraft suitable for close support of ground troops.



F/A - 18

[Drax]

ELECTIONS LIKELY TO PRODUCE REALIGNMENT
 
MANARA  ALBRAYD SRIA AL-MUSAMI
(If it’s in the Monsoon, it’s got to be true)

Chancellor's Office, August 7, 5718:  The Monsoon asked Chancellor Ivrahim al-Marwan if he and his party, Israi Values (IV), were likely to try to hold the governing coalition in place going into the election with him serving as Chancellor, and he responded:
 

That is an unlikely outcome for several reasons.  The primary one is friction was present between the Working Institutional Group (WIG) and the Metzists of Majatra (MM) since the coalition was formed and it has only grown worse with the passage of time.  Do not believe any chance they will serve together again.
 
Second the Dufazi can fairly be described as the solely owned proprietorship of the Abadi Cleric Moqtada al-Dufaz who is quite old and very close to death. They really are not participating in anything but the death watch around him.  Since they hold a lot of power in Al’Salmania Muhafazah and a lot of influence among Abadis we expect the Dufazi to continue but not be part of the current negotiations.
 
The MM and the Free Radical Supper Club (FRSC)  look like they have reached an agreement and we expect the Forgotten Abadi Majatrans (FAM) to join them.
 
The WIG leadership had expected the Dufazi to be functioning and work with them to put together a governing coalition, but this plan obviously has come to nought.  WIG will be sitting this one out.
 
The question seems to be whether FRSC, MM and FAM can attract enough Independents to make a majority and form a government or whether they will need my party, IV, in order to reach a majority.
 
IV leadership is meeting very soon in my office to consider how  we would respond to an offer should it come.  My own view is there will be an offer to join a governing coalition led by FRSC’s Abdul Aziz as Chancellor.

The Majlis

[Drax]

FRSC’S AZIZ ELECTED CHANCELLOR, MEETS WITH APC MONK LEADER
 
MANARA  ALBRAYD SRIA AL-MUSAMI
(If it’s in the Monsoon, it’s got to be true)
 
Chancellor’s Office, January 27, 5719:  The Free Radical Supper Club’s (FRSC) Abdul Aziz, a former Foreign Minister, has been selected by the Majlis as the new Chancellor. The FRSC was able to form a governing coalition with three other parties, the Majatran Metzists (MM), Forgotten Abadi Majatrans (FAM), and Israi Values (IV).  The Monsoon caught up with the new Chancellor as he and outgoing Chancellor Ivrahim al-Marwan were about to leave the Chancellor’s Office, and asked what had been their first order of business, and Aziz responded:
 

Under our new governing coalition, Chancellor al-Marwan is serving now as Minister of Religious Affairs.  A meeting was scheduled with the First Master Drusus Antonius of the Contemplative Monastic Order of Occidentalium, an Auroran Patriarchal Church (APC) monastic order recognized by the Arch Patriarch 600 years ago which is overseen by the APC Archbishop of Atyr.
 
Traditionally in Jumhiriat al-Badara, religious affairs were handled out of the Chancellor’s Office. The Order’s First Master has not met with the Government since the fairly recent creation of the Religious Affairs Ministry.  Accordingly we thought it appropriate in this case for us both to meet with him.
 
He essentially wanted to be sure the Order was operating within the current state of the law as we saw it.  We assured him that the Government regarded it as a part of a recognized religion and that its activities seemed to be within the scope of activity authorized by the Majlis.
 
We reviewed a number of activities.  Conducting prayer, contemplation and discussions on seeking a loving spirit are certainly permissible.  Also accepting Badaran novices and employing Badarans in compliance with our wage and hour and work place safety laws.
 
Production and purchase of necessary sustenance is permissible. Also production of mustard, herbal remedies and wine were permissible but there two caveats with respect to those activities; proceeds therefrom was subject to taxation as income and, if the herbal remedies were controlled substances, they were not exempt from prohibition or the necessity of a prescription from a physician.
 
Wealth management of which the Order had a considerable amount was also permissible but again profit might well be taxable as a capital gain.  Repayment of loans for expansion efforts in Dundorf and Kanjor was not taxable if principal but interest thereon was taxable.  Outright grants were not taxable.
 
First Master Antonius assured us records were quite intact and a review for possible tax liability by officials would be welcome. Since there are statutes  of imitations on tax due which has not been established as a judgment lien or a liquidated account held by the government, this does not appear to present much of a problem.
 
Quite frankly, I can say we look forward to the Order continuing to operate as a positive for our community as it has in the past.

[Drax]

NEW UCAVS TO BE PURCHASED FROM BADARA MILITARY AIR
 
MANARA  ALBRAYD SRIA AL-MUSAMI
(If it’s in the Monsoon, it’s got to be true)
 
Defense Ministry, June 27, 5720:  The Procurement Division of the Defense Ministry has been discussing drones with the management of Badara Military Air (BMA), the State owned corporation which has for a very long time been supplying BMA Saeqeh multirole fighters to the Air Force and BMA Shahed 285 helicopters to the Army and Navy although to a much lesser extent in recent years than at the peak.
 
For a number of years BMA has also been supplying one way attack drones and reconnaissance drones to the Army.  The BMA Abadil 2S is an inexpensive and somewhat primitive reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle produced as needed for use as a divisional reconnaissance asset.  The smaller lower altitude BMA Yasir is also used for surveillance.
 
The unmanned  one way attack aerial vehicle BMA Shahed 131 is available as a low cost but not very sophisticated suicide drone.  The Army would like to try a different type platform for both aerial surveillance and serious ground strikes which could be landed and reused.
 
BMA and the Procurement Division have agreed on a project to be developed over several years which would produce a prototype and then produce seven such unmanned combat aerial vehicles for the Army in 81 to be called the Mohajer.  The Mohajer project has in fact been approved by the Defense Minister Salman al-Makhtoum according to Monsoon sources.
 
The BMA Mohajer is to have a maximum speed of 210 kilometers per hour and be able to reach  a maximum altitude of 7 kilometers. It will be able to carry surveillance and electronic warfare equipment as well as air to ground missiles, bombs and glide bombs. The BMA Mohajer 10 will have an operational range of 2000 kilometers.
 
The Monsoon also learned the Procurement Division has  asked BMA to see what it could do about an unmanned aerial vehicle capable of launching air to air missiles for use by the Air Force to be called the Sarir Project.


BMA Mohajer 10
 
OOC: BMA Mohajer, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohajer_10
 
OOC: BMA Sarir Project,  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H-110_Sarir_(UAV)

[Drax]

DIPLOMACY IS FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE
 
MANARA  ALBRAYD SRIA AL-MUSAMI
(If it’s in the Monsoon, it’s got to be true)
 
Defense Ministry, February 27, 5721:  After Defense Minister Salman al-Makhtoum met with the military service chiefs of staff and the Chief of Defense Command to set equipment acquisition priorities, The Monsoon asked him what was our actual overall military strategy, and he responded:
 

First, we are a small nation trying to conduct our affairs so that we are not attracting attack either because we have gotten crossways with somebody or because we look like easy pickings. Generally wanting to trade with most everybody and respecting other nation’s sovereignty has worked pretty well in that regard.
 
Second, if at odds with somebody our first line of defense is diplomacy to try and settle disputes. As a member of MATO and Majatran predecessors as mutual defense organizations, many will hesitate before attacking us thereby inviting counterattack by our allies.  Admittedly, when we were swarmed by masses of foreign religious wingnuts intent on our destruction, deterrence failed.  But thanks to our allies, reinforcements were eventually cut off so the invaders could be defeated in detail.
 
Third, we maintain some air power including fighters, missiles and unmanned combat aerial vehicles to lessen the effects of bomb or missile or drone attack.
 
Fourth, we have combat vessels, largely consisting of frigates, to contest an amphibious landing as  well as aerial gunships, helicopters and aircraft with ground support capacity to assist our Army as it opposes enemy combatants coming ashore.
 
Finally, Defense Command together with Interior’s Central Security Organization and the General Intelligence Service have contingency plans in place to make it virtually impossible for any foreign invader to ever govern Jumhuriat al-Badara.
 
Again we believe avoiding trouble through diplomacy is our primary way to peace.

 
Asked by The Monsoon  if there were things foreign powers could do that lower our resistance to foreign domination, the Defense Minister replied:
 

Yes, of course there are.  But not what one might think. Our oligarchy is not going to sell out our Sovereign People for a few extra Dinar.  But there are a few things we would really like and could convince ourselves the price of getting them was not too high.
 
For instance, the Defense Ministry occasionally daydreams about a plane Trigunia and Deltaria developed that would plug the biggest hole in our defenses.  And another developed for Majatran defense that would be extremely useful.
 
But independence and cooperation are what we are pursuing, not some foreign power to dominate us and exploit our citizens.

Defense Minister Salman al-Makhtoum

[Drax]

DUFAZI FUTURE UNCLEAR
 
MANARA  ALBRAYD SRIA AL-MUSAMI
(If it’s in the Monsoon, it’s got to be true)
 
Interior Ministry; October 20, 5721: Monsoon sources in the Interior Ministry have learned that General Intelligence Service (GIS) Director Bandar al-Qasabi has briefed Chancellor Abdul Aziz, Interior Minister Magdalena al-Mansur and Religious Affairs Minister Ivrahim al-Marwan on the likely direction of the Dufazi in the wake of the death of their leader, the Abadi cleric Moqtada al-Dufaz.
 
The GIS analysis is that virtually everyone associated with the Dufazi is in favor of maintaining the Dufazi Militia to honor their deceased leader and protect their political party and more generally Abadis.  Few advocate obtaining weaponry beyond small arms which would violate the current arrangement with the Government.
 
The Dufazi involved with the political party both in Al’Salmania Muhafazah and the Majlis of Jumhuriat al-Badara do plan to continue to function as a political party claiming to be the One True Voice of the Abadis.  GIS has concluded that Narouz ben Bella, who has led the Dufazi participation in the Al’Salmania government, will be the Interim Head of the Dufazi Political Arm and Dufazi Floor Leader in the Majlis.  Ben Bela is not a cleric, Abadi or otherwise, but rather a retired naval officer.
 
The primary issue splitting the Dufazi is whether it should openly advocate the return of the thought police with a healthy majority basically in favor of thought police but very much split on being open about it because it is known the Government is unlikely to tolerate it.
 
There is an identifiable group that believes it could sell the Government on the idea of thought police but only for families that volunteered and only using practices that were not otherwise criminal.  This group is viewed by most Dufazis as wasting its time with futile activity.
 
Another group wants full restoration of thought police over everybody it can control with traditional barbaric practices in full force.  They consider Dufazi who do not share their view as traitors to their cause.
 
A third group believes it made a deal with the Government and intends to honor it recognizing Moqtada al-Dufaz himself made the deal and it was a right good deal. For now, this is how the Dufazi under its Interim Head are proceeding.
 
The GIS does intend to continue monitoring since the situation appears volatile.


Deceased Abadi Cleric, Moqtada al-Dufaz

[Drax]

ARMY DIVISIONS TO GET SAMS BATTERIES
 
MANARA  ALBRAYD SRIA AL-MUSAMI
(If it’s in the Monsoon, it’s got to be true)
 
Defense Command Center, December 27, 5721:  The Monsoon has learned the Defense Command Chief met with the Army Chief of Staff and the Chief of Air Staff to discuss two recommendations of the Army Staff which would not reacquire additional budgeting largely because of past savings.
 
First, The Army would like to establish a fourth motorized infantry division.  Nashwa has two which would which likely is able to have a fighting chance to repel an invasion, but the one on Mu’Tassim really seems to be not enough.  The recommendation is to form a fourth motorized infantry division, 3rd Division, in Ras El-Haram.
 
The Air Force had no objections and agreed with the reasoning.
 
The second recommendation by the Army Staff was that the four divisions each be augmented with an MIM 104 D Service to Air Missile System (SAMS)battalion as a divisional asset.  Currently all air defense is done by the Air Force, but the Army Staff believes this would give the divisions added protection.
 
The Chief of Air Staff indicated that since no reduction in the Air Force budget or current usage of the MIM 104 D SAMS was proposed, he had no objection whatever.  He did propose that some of the Air force batteries be transferred to the Army so that training in their use could begin. These could be replaced by Udayl Gunnery Corporation while it was supplying those needed by the Army.
 
The Defense Command Chief approved both recommendations and forwarded them to the Defense Ministry.  The Monsoon has learned that the Defense Minister subsequently approved both.
 
In 4905 Ground Forces Weaponry (GFW) was supplying the military with MIM 104 D SAMS.  GFW was sometimes a for profit company and sometimes a government owned entity depending on profitability and the nature of the regime operating during a  particular era.  At some point Udayl Gunnery Corporation bought out GFW and now supplies these SAMS to the military as needed.
 
The MIM 104 D is a Mobile interceptor surface to air missile system (SAMS).  The radar component at the heart of the system is a phased array tracking radar for interception of targets.  It can be used against aircraft and as an anti missile interceptor as well.  Its four major operational functions are communications, command and control, radar surveillance and missile guidance.  The radar set and launchers are on truck towed trailers.
 
An MIM 104 D battalion has a headquarters battery, a maintenance company, and four line batteries which has about 6 launchers and several platoons for headquarters and maintenance, fire control and launcher.  The fire control platoon operates the radar, engagement control station, antenna mast group and electric power plant.
 
The missiles themselves have an operational range of 160 kilometers and a maximum speed of 5630 kilometers per hour.  Each weighs 900 kilograms.



https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=04c225efc...9QYXRyaW90

https://particracy.fandom.com/wiki/Badar...circa_4905