[DRAFT 3] Sky and Space Neutrality Act

[Goral]

Category: International Security
Strength: Mild

World Assembly members,
Recognizing that nations have a right to protect themselves and their interests with military power.
Noting that some nations do possess the ability to fly aircraft and satellite.
Further noting that some nations conduct business in the atmosphere and space not pertaining to the military, and that the business of those nations must be kept safe.
Acknowledging that some nations have had contact or business with extraterrestrial aliens.

Defining the following terms FOR THIS LEGISLATION:

1. Atmosphere/Sky- Any part of the air above the ground.
2. Aircraft- any man-made object that can fly above the ground
3. Weapon- An object that can pose a military or biological(bioweapon) threat to any nation by use of projectiles (i.e. guns, missiles cannons)
4. Satellite- a many-made object in orbit in space.
5. Extra-atmospheric/Space- Any region past the atmosphere.
6. Alien- a live being not from the home planet

Hereby puts into effect:

A. Enforcing that no aircraft that can be used as a weapon may be deployed into space AND TARGET/THREATEN ANOTHER NATION OR ITS PROPERTY whether it be in orbit or on another planet. All conflict between nations must be solved elsewhere other than space, so that new nations can start to explore the cosmos and use it for their peaceful interests
B. Denouncing any nation that does launch an extra-atmospheric weapon that threatens another nation.
C. Automatic approval by the WA to any member nation to shoot down any extra-atmospheric weapon, if they have the capability to do so.
D. Demanding the paying of reparations by the launching nation to any nation affected by an extra-atmospheric weapon.
E. Keeping the sky and space open and neutral to any nation who wants to use it for advancing their interests other than military gain.

Realizing that some nations have colonies or holds of other solar objects.
Allowing nations to protect themselves from alien species, but still reiterating that no weapon may point to any other nation.

DRAFT 1:

World Assembly members,
Recognizing that nations have a right to protect themselves and their interests with military power.
Noting that some nations do possess the ability to fly aircraft and satellite.

Defining the following terms for this legislation:

1. Atmosphere/Sky- Any part of the air above the flight height of commuter/commercial aircraft.
2. Aircraft- any man-made object that can fly above the ground
3. Weapon- An object that can pose a threat to any nation whether it be economic, military, biological, etc.
4. Satellite- a many-made object in orbit in space.
5. Extra-atmospheric/Space- Any region past the atmosphere.

Hereby puts into effect:

A. Enforcing that no aircraft that can be used as a weapon may be deployed into space, whether it be in orbit or on another planet.
B. Denouncing any nation that does launch an extra-atmospheric weapon.
C. Automatic approval by the WA to any member nation to shoot down any extra-atmospheric weapon, if they have the capability to do so.
D. Demanding the paying of reparations by the launching nation to any nation affected by an extra-atmospheric weapon.
E. Keeping the sky and space open and neutral to any nation who wants to use it for advancing their interests other than military gain.

[The Greater Siriusian Domain]

Ambassador Teran Saber of the Greater Siriusian Domain scowls in disgust

Teran Saber: "As a starfaring nation, this proposal completely neuters the military of the Greater Siriusian Domain. Without it, we would be unable to protect our people from space pirates, or escort military transport vessels during wartime. As such, we demand you immediately abandon this proposal. We already have to deal with one primitive planet-bound nation trying to screw us over with a proposal that would completely destroy our nation. We don't need a second."

OOC: Your proposal is extremely modern tech centric and does not take into account the varying technological levels of other nations.

[Projection Island]

"You may wish to re-consider the strength, given that this illegalizes any space program that utilizes a vessel capable of re-entry."

OOC: It doesn't take modern tech into account very well, either.

[Allied Sapients]

Olsh shakes her head, carefully mimicking the human gesture. "This proposal effectively forbids having any spacecraft which carry weapons, and furthermore, your definition of weapon is excessively broad. Defining an economic threat as a weapon essentially turns trade ships into weapons under certain circumstances, such as if that trade ship were to break a monopoly."

[Imperium Anglorum]

Olsh shakes her head, carefully mimicking the human gesture. "This proposal effectively forbids having any spacecraft which carry weapons, and furthermore, your definition of weapon is excessively broad. Defining an economic threat as a weapon essentially turns trade ships into weapons under certain circumstances, such as if that trade ship were to break a monopoly."

Elsie Mortimer Wellesley, somewhat nonchalantly, 'Ships are weapons. They can move fast and run into things. Seems quite clear to me that they could be used to effect kinetic bombardment'.

[Allied Sapients]

Elsie Mortimer Wellesley, somewhat nonchalantly, 'Ships are weapons. They can move fast and run into things. Seems quite clear to me that they could be used to effect kinetic bombardment'.

"FTL-capable spaceships are too expensive to use as weapons," says Olsh. "However, we will not confirm or deny the existence of 'ships' that may or may not be asteroids with sublight engines and a primitive guidance system bolted on to them. Asteroids which, as it should be noted, would have already been in space and thus would not have been 'deployed into space.'"

[Imperium Anglorum]

Elsie Mortimer Wellesley, somewhat nonchalantly, 'Ships are weapons. They can move fast and run into things. Seems quite clear to me that they could be used to effect kinetic bombardment'.

"FTL-capable spaceships are too expensive to use as weapons," says Olsh. "However, we will not confirm or deny the existence of 'ships' that may or may not be asteroids with sublight engines and a primitive guidance system bolted on to them. Asteroids which, as it should be noted, would have already been in space and thus would not have been 'deployed into space.'"

Elsie Mortimer Wellesley CXXVII, dismissively, "Pah, it's easy to travel faster than light – just fire a beam of electrons at a [CENSORED] and direct the reaction byproducts into a [CENSORED]-coated reflector. I remember doing it in primary school."

[Allied Sapients]

Elsie Mortimer Wellesley CXXVII, dismissively, "Pah, it's easy to travel faster than light – just fire a beam of electrons at a [CENSORED] and direct the reaction byproducts into a [CENSORED]-coated reflector. I remember doing it in primary school."

"I don't doubt what's possible in your universe, but in mine it is rather difficult to do. And the "easier" method unfortunately runs afoul of a species of very powerful alien with a tendency to throw stars around." The jaran ambassador fluffs her mane. "They're a picky bunch."

[Excidium Planetis]

Evander Blackbourne walks into another drafting room, ironically (or perhaps unironically?) just after leaving another drafting room with another space proposal. He reads this one over.

"I take back what I said to the last author. This definition list is remarkably even worse than the other one. See here:"

1. Atmosphere/Sky- Any part of the air above the flight height of commuter/commercial aircraft.
2. Aircraft- any man-made object that can fly above the ground
3. Weapon- An object that can pose a threat to any nation whether it be economic, military, biological, etc.
4. Satellite- a many-made object in orbit in space.
5. Extra-atmospheric/Space- Any region past the atmosphere.

"The atmosphere usually includes even the parts that are below aircraft height. You also fail to account for commercial aircraft which fly above the atmosphere." Blackbourne notes. "And aircraft... man-made specifically... Birrin-made planes are not aircraft, according to this definition, nor are any aircraft which fly below the ground- and they do exist. This definition of weapon includes either everything in the universe or almost nothing, I'm not sure which yet. It depends on whether one would consider an ordinary thermobaric weapon a threat to an entire nation or not, and whether knives are weapons despite not usually posing a threat to an entire nation. Satellites... please tell me what a many-made object is. The final definition includes every location in the known universe.

"And the proposal itself... It allows nations to shoot down exoatmospheric weapons, but the countermeasures launched would themselves be exoatmospheric weapons, leading to a never ending cycle of firing weapons off into space."

[Serrus]

Category: International Security
Strength: Mild

World Assembly members,
Recognizing that nations have a right to protect themselves and their interests with military power.
Noting that some nations do possess the ability to fly aircraft and satellite.

Defining the following terms for this legislation:

1. Atmosphere/Sky- Any part of the air above the flight height of commuter/commercial aircraft.
2. Aircraft- any man-made object that can fly above the ground
3. Weapon- An object that can pose a threat to any nation whether it be economic, military, biological, etc.
4. Satellite- a many-made object in orbit in space.
5. Extra-atmospheric/Space- Any region past the atmosphere.

Hereby puts into effect:

A. Enforcing that no aircraft that can be used as a weapon may be deployed into space, whether it be in orbit or on another planet.
B. Denouncing any nation that does launch an extra-atmospheric weapon.
C. Automatic approval by the WA to any member nation to shoot down any extra-atmospheric weapon, if they have the capability to do so.
D. Demanding the paying of reparations by the launching nation to any nation affected by an extra-atmospheric weapon.
E. Keeping the sky and space open and neutral to any nation who wants to use it for advancing their interests other than military gain.

OOC: Dude, you forgot about natural satellites.

[Goral]

Category: International Security
Strength: Mild

World Assembly members,
Recognizing that nations have a right to protect themselves and their interests with military power.
Noting that some nations do possess the ability to fly aircraft and satellite.

Defining the following terms for this legislation:

1. Atmosphere/Sky- Any part of the air above the flight height of commuter/commercial aircraft.
2. Aircraft- any man-made object that can fly above the ground
3. Weapon- An object that can pose a threat to any nation whether it be economic, military, biological, etc.
4. Satellite- a many-made object in orbit in space.
5. Extra-atmospheric/Space- Any region past the atmosphere.

Hereby puts into effect:

A. Enforcing that no aircraft that can be used as a weapon may be deployed into space, whether it be in orbit or on another planet.
B. Denouncing any nation that does launch an extra-atmospheric weapon.
C. Automatic approval by the WA to any member nation to shoot down any extra-atmospheric weapon, if they have the capability to do so.
D. Demanding the paying of reparations by the launching nation to any nation affected by an extra-atmospheric weapon.
E. Keeping the sky and space open and neutral to any nation who wants to use it for advancing their interests other than military gain.

OOC: Dude, you forgot about natural satellites.

I said "for the purpose of this legislation," I know that there are natural satellites.

[Greifenburg]

"Just a quick question regarding"

4. Satellite- a many-made object in orbit in space.

"Wouldn't this definition include actual space ships in the satellite category, at least during the stay in orbit? As for the rest of the proposal, it would appear to be quite crippling for any interstellar nation and actually a threat to peace, since every fleet could be argued to be threatening, including ships for anti-piracy actions and defense. A freighter could be used as a weapon. Are those outlawed too?
Not to mention that it seems to be very human and Earth centric. I assure you, the WA has many species from many planets besides humans from Earth."

[WA Kitty Kops]

OOC: Illegal for RL reference (Earth). (I could swear I'd already posted this same note on this - or are there two of these making the same mistake?)

[The Greater Siriusian Domain]

Category: International Security
Strength: Mild

World Assembly members,
Recognizing that nations have a right to protect themselves and their interests with military power.
Noting that some nations do possess the ability to fly aircraft and satellite.
Further noting that some nations conduct business in the atmosphere and space not pertaining to the military, and that the business of those nations must be kept safe.
Acknowledging that some nations have had contact or business with extraterrestrial aliens.

Defining the following terms FOR THIS LEGISLATION:

1. Atmosphere/Sky- Any part of the air above the ground.
2. Aircraft- any man-made object that can fly above the ground
3. Weapon- An object that can pose a military or biological(bioweapon) threat to any nation.
4. Satellite- a many-made object in orbit in space.
5. Extra-atmospheric/Space- Any region past the atmosphere.
6. Alien- a live being not from Earth

Realizing that some nations have colonies or holds of other solar objects.

Hereby puts into effect:

A. Enforcing that no aircraft that can be used as a weapon may be deployed into space AND TARGETING/THREATENING ANOTHER NATION OR ITS PROPERTY whether it be in orbit or on another planet.
B. Denouncing any nation that does launch an extra-atmospheric weapon that threatens.
C. Automatic approval by the WA to any member nation to shoot down any extra-atmospheric weapon, if they have the capability to do so.
D. Demanding the paying of reparations by the launching nation to any nation affected by an extra-atmospheric weapon.
E. Keeping the sky and space open and neutral to any nation who wants to use it for advancing their interests other than military gain.

Teran Saber: "This is no less problematic than your first draft. Clause A still prevents star-fairing WA-members from defending themselves from hostile non-members. After all, targeting a hostile starship from another nation counts as targeting that nation's property."

OOC: Illegal for RL reference (Earth). (I could swear I'd already posted this same note on this - or are there two of these making the same mistake?)

OOC: Someone else made the same mistake, though I'd argue Earth is a bit too generic to be an RL reference. For all we know, this proposal could be referring to some fantasy Earth where Pangaea never separated, or even with a completely different geographical and/or evolutionary history.

[WA Kitty Kops]

OOC: Someone else made the same mistake, though I'd argue Earth is a bit too generic to be an RL reference. For all we know, this proposal could be referring to some fantasy Earth where Pangaea never separated, or even with a completely different geographical and/or evolutionary history.

OOC: The consensus has generally been that when you're talking about the Planet Earth, it's a RL reference, even if it was the Earth Araraukar is on, which hasn't followed RL plate tectonics for the past 60-65 million years, where dinosaurs went extinct more gradually due to a certain asteroid missing the planet, and which has two moons (one of which kindly picked up the previously mentioned asteroid).

If you're talking about earth, as in, the ground or soil, then you're fine, but using RL names of planets counts as RL reference, even if you meant your RP's version of one.

[Sierra Lyricalia]

"Ambassador, why would you define terms you have no intention of using? Why tell us what satellites and aliens are if your law makes no reference to them?"

"Also, have you noticed that clauses A and E are inherently contradictory? Do you really imagine all the people who settle the cosmos are going to be kindly space hippies who'll never step on each other's toes? When the settlers start dropping meteors and spent rocket stages on each other's houses, who do you think is going to show up to stop them? The Metrons? The freakin' Ship of Lights? Your Clause A is going to cause a lot of misery, ambassador. Pacifism kills."

[Projection Island]

"Since you don't seem to be taking hints..."

3. Weapon- An object that can pose a military or biological(bioweapon) threat to any nation.

...

Hereby puts into effect:

A. Enforcing that no aircraft that can be used as a weapon may be deployed into space AND TARGETING/THREATENING ANOTHER NATION OR ITS PROPERTY whether it be in orbit or on another planet. All conflict between nations must be solved elsewhere other than space, so that new nations can start to explore the cosmos and use it for their peaceful interests
B. Denouncing any nation that does launch an extra-atmospheric weapon that threatens another nation.
C. Automatic approval by the WA to any member nation to shoot down any extra-atmospheric weapon, if they have the capability to do so.
D. Demanding the paying of reparations by the launching nation to any nation affected by an extra-atmospheric weapon.
E. Keeping the sky and space open and neutral to any nation who wants to use it for advancing their interests other than military gain.

"Your definition of weapon is far too broad. Even with your 'patch' for A, B still denounces anyone who launches anything into space and C allows you to shoot down anything launched into space, including manned vehicles. Also, D implies that you can force a nation to pay you for shooting down their space station as long as the weapon used was more expensive than their space station, since both nations would have to pay reparations to each other due to the fact that both were 'affected by extra-atmospheric weaponry'. It is absolutely essential to separate intention from simple potential when defining weaponry. At which point you will find the 'patch' unnecessary."

"Speaking of which, aforementioned 'patch' caused several parser errors. 'Targeting/threatening' should be 'target/threaten'. In addition, please remove the bold, underlined capital letters. This is, if you keep it."

Allowing nations to protect themselves from alien species, but still reiterating that no weapon may point to any other nation.

"This forbids nations the use of weapons in enemy territory during a non-civil war. You may wish to reconsider."

[Tinfect]

OOC:
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[Imperium Anglorum]

I'm pretty sure it's the OP.

[The Puddle Jumping Wads of Wrapper]

ARI: How is this an International Security proposal, and not a Global Disarmament proposal? The net effect is the removal of many kinetic weapons from national arsenals.