[Submitted] Update: More Military Men And Their Toys

[Annihilators of Chan Island]

A landmark budget proposal, which calls for a huge effort to update the military's equipment and weapons, has passed through the legislature to hit your desk. As you pore over whether to sign it or not, you ask the question nobody knows how to answer... what is going to be done with all the obsolete items?

validity: positive arms industry
positive scientific advancement
40 or more economy

[option] "Weeeeeeeeeeeee!" Cries fight pilot @@RANDOMNAME@@, while flying in a brand new jet."This thing is SO much better than my old dirty plane! Violet, I hate that old clunker so much I would pay to watch it being blown up on live TV!"
[effect] "Tank go boom live" is attracting massive ratings

[option] "Fancy flier that is," mutters soldier @@RANDOMNAME@@, wielding an old rusting rifle."But blowing up the old one is a bit of waste of my time. I can't wait for this gun to be replaced, but surely it still has some value? We could just sell it on to whoever wants it, like some poor, helpless nasty dictator who doesn't need the latest greatest stuff?"
[effect] weapons in news report frequently have "Made in @@NAME@@" written on them

[option] "It sure does have value," grins metal worker @@RANDOMNAME@@, barely resisting taking a spanner to the works of a nearby jiip."Ever heard of "swords into ploughshares? Well, think how many of those that rustbucket over there could pull on a nice farm! All of these useless "swords" could make great things for civilians! Think of the possibilities! The rich can sail around in old submarines, video gamers can shout into old radios and you can sit in a chair made from old helmets while thinking how about how great the economy is going!"
[effect] more than half the nation's farmers use ex-military APCs instead of tractors

[option] "Humbug!" Shouts general @@RANDOMNAME@@, while waving a sword."Old weapons still work do they not? Not as great as the new ones for sure, but what does a conscript know! I say we stockpile the old weapons in case of an invasion."
[effect] hundreds of muskets yearn for their hour of need, when they once again will save the country from destruction

[option] "This entire conversation is pointless!" Declares @@RANDOMNAME@@, threatening you with a stone axe."Arms races are relics of the past with no purpose in modern diplomacy! I say you don't sign the bill and show that you are serious about peace!"
[effect] historians frequently steal the still in-use antique military gear

[Drayxaso]

There should be an option to put the equipment in museums. Right now, it's all varying degrees of militarism other than one option.

On a separate note, you should probably change the validity so that the issue's only valid for nations with military.

[Dytarma]

For option one, how is the man/woman in the plane talking to the leader? Would the leader be in the plane, or is it through radio?

[Aclion]

How do they have new jets if the budget hasn't passed yet?

Some of the dialogue needs work as well. I'm not sure what's meant by "If you just don't sign the bill! That way my taxes are not raised on some silly military ego project." and what "Fancy flier that is," is supposed to be in response to.

[Australian rePublic]

sword."Old weapons still work do they not? Not as great as the new ones for sure, but what does a conscript know! I say we stockpile the old weapons in case of an invasion."
[effect] hundreds of muskets yearn for their hour of need, when they once again will save the country from destruction

So poetic, so well written. Well done!

I don't like the wording of the fourth effect, however.

Also, there needs to be a whinging environmentalist bitch'n about how war is so bad for the environment, and how the military should give the littlest back through recycling

[Candlewhisper Archive]

There should be an option to put the equipment in museums. Right now, it's all varying degrees of militarism other than one option.

I agree. The premise of this issue is excellent, but I think the options should all be around different ways to dispose of old arms. I'd make it something like:

1) Destroy them with the new weapons, on LIVE TELEVISION. For entertainment.
2) Sell them to whoever wants them, be it the general public or less advanced nations.
3) Set up military museums, with the weapons rendered unusable.
4) Stop buying new weapons. It's arms races that are obsolete in the modern world.

[Caracasus]

I like the premise. I'm reminded of this charity (and others) http://rawtools.org/ that take the "forging swords into ploughs" literally. Perhaps include an option where people suggest repurposing the old ordinance into useful tools? It'd work nicely as a contrast to the "let's sell them on to some dictator" option.

[Aclion]

1) Destroy them with the new weapons, on LIVE TELEVISION. For entertainment.
2) Sell them to whoever wants them, be it the general public or less advanced nations.
3) Set up military museums, with the weapons rendered unusable.
4) Stop buying new weapons. It's arms races that are obsolete in the modern world.

This is a nice selection.

[Annihilators of Chan Island]

There should be an option to put the equipment in museums. Right now, it's all varying degrees of militarism other than one option.

I agree. The premise of this issue is excellent, but I think the options should all be around different ways to dispose of old arms. I'd make it something like:

1) Destroy them with the new weapons, on LIVE TELEVISION. For entertainment.
2) Sell them to whoever wants them, be it the general public or less advanced nations.
3) Set up military museums, with the weapons rendered unusable.
4) Stop buying new weapons. It's arms races that are obsolete in the modern world.

Some of these are genius. Implementing in particular the first one.

I like the premise. I'm reminded of this charity (and others) http://rawtools.org/ that take the "forging swords into ploughs" literally. Perhaps include an option where people suggest repurposing the old ordinance into useful tools? It'd work nicely as a contrast to the "let's sell them on to some dictator" option.

I remember seeing something like that also happened after a war in Africa (I think it was Dafur) where somebody made chairs out of AK-47s. It's an interesting thought though; could be a sneaky economy option.

[Annihilators of Chan Island]

Bump

[Drayxaso]

I really like some of the humor of this draft. Good job on that.

Again, there really isn't any option for education/culture-based nations. An option to put the equipment in museums would provide that kind of option, but I'm worried that might add too many options. I'm not sure you really need 2 if you're going to make 3 the economy option.

[Annihilators of Chan Island]

I really like some of the humor of this draft. Good job on that.

Again, there really isn't any option for education/culture-based nations. An option to put the equipment in museums would provide that kind of option, but I'm worried that might add too many options. I'm not sure you really need 2 if you're going to make 3 the economy option.

It would be a tad many options.

Option 2 I'm not really envisioning as an economy option= more of a diplomatic and economy one.

But if you (or anyone) can put forward a convincing case for it, I'll happily rework the draft to accommodate.

Anything else?