NationStates

Submitted 6/21/2020... and switched back to draft, to gather more comments.

This issue is about the benefits of an 'international defense treaty' policy. It works with or without an 'international defense treaty' policy.

Policies are not added until there are issues/options that use them. That's what I'm doing. Feel free to join in.

In this issue, there's a threat (Daguo?), and invoking a treaty would be a good option. But you can't run out and join one now, that's not how defense treaties work.

I've submitted an issue that allows nations to join the 'international defense treaty' policy.

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Description: There has been a significant increase in threatening anti-@@NAME@@ rhetoric coming out of Daguo, a large and aggressive nation. This morning your normally unflappable Minister of Underhanded Affairs, @@RANDOMNAME@@, nervously reported that your spies in Daguo's inner circle have confirmed that the now-hostile nation is going to invade @@NAME@@ and annex part of your territory. You have called an emergency meeting in your war room.

[option] “They won't invade,” sniffs @@RANDOMNAME@@, your Minister of Foreign Relations, sipping delicately at a glass of @@DEMONYMNAME@@'s Finest Merlittle. “They know all about our international defense treaty; this is about their internal politics. Just issue a grave diplomatic statement, mention the treaty, maybe rattle a saber or two. Once they settle down, you and @@NAME@@ will be international heroes.” @@HE@@ sets @@HIS@@ glass on the table without spilling a drop.
[validity: 'international defense treaty' policy is in effect]

[effect]: @@LEADER@@ and the nation are more admired than ever

[option] “I'm pretty sure they won't invade,” sniffs @@RANDOMNAME@@, your Minister of Foreign Relations, sipping delicately at a glass of @@DEMONYMNAME@@'s Finest Merlittle. “Trust me, this is about their internal politics. Just issue a grave diplomatic statement and maybe rattle a saber or two. Once they settle down, you and @@NAME@@ will be international heroes.” @@HE@@ tries to set @@HIS@@ glass down on the polished wood table and misses; the glass shatters on the floor, splashing red everywhere.
[validity: 'international defense treaty' policy is NOT in effect]

[effect] you learn the hard way that an ounce of prevention is worth a division of casualties and a province of land

[option] “Oh, they're invading, all right!” says your now panicked Minister of Underhanded Affairs, clutching a plastic bottle of tap water, “Maybe, hopefully, our allies will help - but then we'll be fighting on @@DEMONYMNAME@@ soil! No, we must go public, and not just with propaganda! Tell the world what we know and how we know it! Sure, Daguo will 'disappear' our sources, but once the global community knows the whole nefarious plan, Daguo will stop!” The Minister throws the bottle at a garbage can; it bounces around the rim and goes in. “We must tell the world the whole truth, @@LEADER@@!”
[validity: 'international defense treaty' is in effect]

[effect] the nation's surviving spies have a difficult time recruiting any informants at all

[option] “Oh, they're invading, all right!” says your now panicked Minister of Underhanded Affairs, clutching a plastic bottle of tap water, “No one will help us unless they know the truth! We must go public, and not just with propaganda! Tell the world what we know and how we know it! Sure, Daguo will 'disappear' our sources, but once the global community knows the whole nefarious plan, Daguo will stop!” The Minister throws the bottle at a garbage can; it bounces around the rim and goes in. “We must tell the world the whole truth, @@LEADER@@!”
validity: 'international defense treaty' is NOT in effect]

[effect] the nation's surviving spies have a difficult time recruiting any informants at all

[option] “What an opportunity – I mean, calamity!” says @@RANDOMNAME@@, your Minister of Defense, pulling a whisky flask out of @@HIS@@ attache case, “@@NAME@@ must defend itself! Sure, large-scale mobilization will cripple the economy and enrich war profiteers like my brother, but it's the only way to be sure, my Leader!” @@HE@@ waves the flask as @@HE@@ gets up from his chair.
[validity: military exists]

[effect] malls and businesses empty as war factories and military bases fill up

[option] “I purely don't understand what everyone is freaking out about,” says General @@RANDOMFIRSTNAME@@ Terror, calmly, taking a sip of sparkling fluoride-free water from @@HIS@@ tumbler, “This is exactly why we got nuclear weapons in the first place. Just remind Daguo that if they attack us, we'll nuke one of their cities. Then do it. That's the essence of it, all right.” @@HE@@ gets up and steps into the bathroom, closing the door behind @@HIM@@.
[validity: military exists, nuclear weapons]

[effect] nothing generates unintended consequences like nuclear weapons do

Why do we assume that one country insulting another country is getting ready for invasion?

Australian rePublic wrote:Why do we assume that one country insulting another country is getting ready for invasion?

Hmmm... that is a real good point. The description says:

"Minister of Underhanded Affairs, @@RANDOMNAME@@, nervously reported that the now-hostile nation is going to invade @@NAME@@ and annex part of your territory. "

Implying that the Minister of U.A., our spymaster whose job it is to know what our enemies are doing and thinking, has confirmed that an invasion is going to happen. But I don't actually say what his report is based on, like:

"Minister of Underhanded Affairs, @@RANDOMNAME@@, nervously reported that your spies in Daguo's inner circle have confirmed that the now-hostile nation is going to invade @@NAME@@ and annex part of your territory.

Thanks for the comment! Does this proposed change answer your question?

You've only had one comment. Please don't submit so quickly

Australian rePublic wrote:You've only had one comment. Please don't submit so quickly

Thanks, will do.

Description: There has been a significant increase in threatening anti-@@NAME@@ rhetoric coming out of Daguo, a large and aggressive nation. This morning your normally unflappable Minister of Underhanded Affairs, @@RANDOMNAME@@, nervously reported that your spies in Daguo's inner circle have confirmed that the now-hostile nation is going to invade @@NAME@@ and annex part of your territory. You have called an emergency meeting in your war room.

There's two separate premises here.

The first is that rhetoric against your nation is on the rise from a major world power.

The second is that spies are reporting that they are planning to invade you.

I don't think you should do both these issues together, it just makes it muddled, and results in insufficient information. Like for example, why, and why now?

Also Daguo may not be the best choice here. That nation has always been depicted as having tense but non-hostile relations with @@NAME@@, acting as a major rival in trade and geopolitics rather than as an outright enemy. It's always been implicit that neither NAME or Daguo would dare declare war on the other, because that would more or less mean World War 3.