Embassy of The North Pacific

[Tinhampton]

MoD Koopa? TNP is literally becoming Mario Kart!

I'd like to join in the congratulations to MadJack (one of the good guys) and his cabineteers (even if I'm not a particularly big fan of some of them... or vice versa).

[Sincluda]

Congrats MadJack!

[Debussy]

Cards needs a big term to justify its existence

Does this mean your cards program had issues? What is TNP's standard of success for the department?

[RiderSyl]

Congrats MJ!

[Madjack]

Firstly thank you for the congratulations.

Cards needs a big term to justify its existence

Does this mean your cards program had issues? What is TNP's standard of success for the department?

It did, indeed, have issues. Success for the department this term will rely upon on sorting out our tech situation (which we're already addressing, so I have high hopes), reforming the cards lottery to make it sustainable in the long term, and some fun pull events.

[Chodean Kal]

As the last legitimate Delegate of The North Pacific, I welcome my illegitimate successor, Madjack. Hail!

[Madjack]

September General Elections Round-Up
by Polaris Staff

The people have spoken, the votes have been counted, the counts started, stopped, and restarted again and the kraken has been released… and TNP’s September 2021 general elections have been concluded. Here’s a rundown:

Delegate Election
The Delegate election saw Minister of Foreign Affairs MadJack defeat former Vice Delegate Dreadton, along with MTDemocracy and Comfed. With Comfed running a humorous campaign and MTDemocracy a newcomer to the region, it was a straight fight between MadJack and Dreadton.

Both major candidates ran on campaigns focussed around engaging the region and ensuring that admin-induced changes to the region could and would be countered with better and more effective outreach, along with renewed and reformed Ministries. MadJack also focused on reviewing the state of tech tools in the region, pursuing a more proactive foreign policy, and tackling over-reliance on a few staffers in the ministries. Dreadton campaigned on doing more to promote the region in-game to a wider audience.

Somehow avoiding the self-sabotage that has been a feature of his previous delegate campaigns, MadJack won the election on the first count, with 57% of the vote.

Vice Delegate Election
In the Vice Delegate race, three candidates ran, Sir Kasto, Lord Dominator and Blue Wolf II. Since Blue Wolf II did not post a campaign, the campaigns by the remaining two were quite similar, maintaining the WADP, the security checks on citizens and the maintaining endorsements, core responsibilities of a Vice Delegate. Both were also committed to welcoming and mentoring new citizens.

Sir Kasto had an additional focus on community relations, leading in trying to engage the Security Council with the larger gameside community, where it had been lacking in previous terms. In the platform, Sir Kasto advocated for a constant engagement that “will allow better communication and endotarting as they will recognize us.” With Sir Kasto additional focus on community relations and his experience as Deputy Minister in multiple ministries in the previous term, was elected convincingly with 62.07% of the vote.

Speaker Election
The remarkable happened in the Speaker's election, perennial candidate RON (re-open nominations) was elected with a landslide 77% of the vote. This occurred after the sole candidate Venicea pulled out of the election after a controversy erupted over their claims of tech issues.

In the re-run election (RON graciously stepped aside), 5 candidates stood - Deputy Speaker Bobberino, former Minister of Communications Fregerson, leader of the TNP Socialist Party Nubt II, former Speaker and Vice Delegate Oracle, and Gameside Advocate and Deputy Speaker Skaraborg.

Fregerson, who had run a campaign for RON prior to Venicea withdrawing from the race, was an early favourite, though when Oracle entered the race the smart money moved to backing the TNP veteran, who did indeed win the contest, defeating Skaraborg in the 4th round of voting.

[Gracius Maximus]

Congratulations, Madjack!

[Praeceps]

Hello all! The Ministry of Communications has just released our newest article featuring a ranking of the performance of the recent Delegates in TNP by performance. View the ranking here: https://www.nationstates.net/page=dispatch/id=1621990

[Madjack]

Statement on Military Activity in Stargate

At this morning’s major update, as raiders from The Black Hawks and Lone Wolves United attempted to throw off defenders from their planned raid of Japan, a group entered the region of Stargate. They were not cross-endorsed and so the risk of a raider delegate being installed was minimal. In their pursuit of the raiders, defenders from LibCord entered the region and, as is their standard operating procedure, were cross-endorsed and so inadvertently displaced Casl, the native delegate of Stargate.

This use of Stargate, a treatied ally of The North Pacific for 9 and a half years, as a venue for military gameplay is entirely unacceptable and should not have occurred. The displacement of the native delegate would not have occurred had raiders not picked this particular thorn out of the bush - they could’ve and should’ve chosen other regions. We do not accept blame being placed on defenders for moving to prevent what they thought was a raid, nor do we accept that it was appropriate to use Stargate as a decoy to distract from a raid.

At minor update the North Pacific Army deployed to Stargate, as did defenders both independently and after discussions between themselves and The North Pacific. With 47 endorsements, Casl was restored to the delegacy and we thank the South Pacific Special Forces, The Grey Wardens, the Rejected Realms Army, the League Defence Force and all other forces involved in doing so.

Actions have consequences, and actions whereby a treatied partner of The North Pacific is targeted or exploited or disrupted especially so. As such, I am today announcing the following measures are to take place, with others under active consideration:

• Military cooperation between The North Pacific and The Black Hawks, and The North Pacific and Lone Wolves United, is to cease for the foreseeable future.
• The forum embassies of The Black Hawks and Lone Wolves United will be closed, as will the in-game embassy of Lone Wolves United.
• The North Pacific Army will refocus its activity to work more closely with our other military partners, and will actively pursue opportunities to engage in a wider range of military gameplay going forward.

It is unfortunate that, for now at least, our long working relationship with The Black Hawks has come to an end, but if just one thing is learnt from this, let it be this: The North Pacific will not passively stand by whilst liberties are taken with our partners, allies and friends.


MadJack
Delegate of The North Pacific

[Apatosaurus]

Not exactly surprised to see TBH doing this.

EDIT: Speaking personally, TNP has every right to call out TBH on this.

[Aivintis]

I completely understand the reasoning here, TNP is 100% justified in this action. There's so many regions they could have used as distractions, there was no reason to specifically target a TNP ally.

[Lord Dominator]

At this morning’s major update, as raiders from The Black Hawks and Lone Wolves United attempted to throw off defenders from their planned raid of Japan, a group entered the region of Stargate.

A disappointing decision

[RiderSyl]

TL;DR - Defenders fell for a thorn, TBH delenda est

I was hoping for some actual drama.

[Apatosaurus]

TBH delenda est

This but unironically

[Quebecshire]

At minor update the North Pacific Army deployed to Stargate, as did defenders both independently and after discussions between themselves and The North Pacific. With 47 endorsements, Casl was restored to the delegacy and we thank the South Pacific Special Forces, The Grey Wardens, the Rejected Realms Army, the League Defence Force and all other forces involved in doing so.

The LDF is happy to have aided in Casl being returned to the delegacy of the region. If for whatever reason The North Pacific believes the region is at potential risk or needs further stabilization in addition to TNP and its direct allies we will be glad to assist in that as well.

Best of luck to TNP in sorting this issue after last night's unfortunate and harmful lapse in judgement on the part of raiderdom.

[RiderSyl]

TBH delenda est

This but unironically

But aren't they part of the voting bloc you need to pass your anti-griefing proposal?

Best of luck to TNP in sorting this issue after last night's unfortunate and harmful lapse in judgement on the part of raiderdom.

What about it was harmful?

[Quebecshire]

Best of luck to TNP in sorting this issue after last night's unfortunate and harmful lapse in judgement on the part of raiderdom.

What about it was harmful?

Actions which lead to displacing the delegacy of a founderless region are harmful to the ability to administrate the region. This is particularly notable in this case, as mentioned above, because Stargate is an ally of TNP.

[RiderSyl]

Okay, I feel like I'm going to be arguing more against defenders tonight just by virtue of raiders being quiet on purpose. I get in trouble often for not making my own opinion clear and letting others define my opinion for me, so let me get this out early.

1. TNP should have paddled both sides of R/D on this one, but paddling defenders for this wouldn't have been politically or practically advantageous, so that's why they didn't.

2. TNP has a tendency to take legit gripes with real infractions and milk the fuck out of it, which is only endearing when you give it a fun theme.

3. Defenders, I get you're going to take a victory lap around this massive foreign affairs W, but don't be too cocky. You got thorned into fucking up Stargate and had to clean up the mess. It may have blown back on TBH publically, but tactically, getting thorned into Stargate is just plain embarrassing.

4. Raiders, whatever apology tour you're going on, I just want to know whose bright idea it was to not have Stargate on an exemption list. If it was on an exemption list, then I just don't know what to say other than.. do better. Some of the FA blowback is a bit harsher than what I'd expect, but I'm guessing that's because TNP relations with raiderdom were already frayed or something.

[USS Juneau]

Okay, I feel like I'm going to be arguing more against defenders tonight just by virtue of raiders being quiet on purpose. I get in trouble often for not making my own opinion clear and letting others define my opinion for me, so let me get this out early.

1. TNP should have paddled both sides of R/D on this one, but paddling defenders for this wouldn't have been politically or practically advantageous, so that's why they didn't.

2. TNP has a tendency to take legit gripes with real infractions and milk the fuck out of it, which is only endearing when you give it a fun theme.

3. Defenders, I get you're going to take a victory lap around this massive foreign affairs W, but don't be too cocky. You got thorned into fucking up Stargate and had to clean up the mess. It may have blown back on TBH publically, but tactically, getting thorned into Stargate is just plain embarrassing.

4. Raiders, whatever apology tour you're going on, I just want to know whose bright idea it was to not have Stargate on an exemption list. If it was on an exemption list, then I just don't know what to say other than.. do better. Some of the FA blowback is a bit harsher than what I'd expect, but I'm guessing that's because TNP relations with raiderdom were already frayed or something.

Why do I feel like this post was made with the sole purpose of stirring up shit?

[Madjack]

So I suppose I should address something here I guess.

1. TNP should have paddled both sides of R/D on this one, but paddling defenders for this wouldn't have been politically or practically advantageous, so that's why they didn't.

We recognised that defenders were only there due to the actions of raiders - we appreciate their help in restoring Casl to the delegacy. The reason defenders aren't being 'paddled' here is that, from our estimation, they didn't do anything particularly wrong, and they also reached out to us immediately in order to explain what happened and discuss follow-up actions.

Which is not something the raiders who decided to engage in military activity in our treatied ally did not do.

2. TNP has a tendency to take legit gripes with real infractions and milk the fuck out of it, which is only endearing when you give it a fun theme.

I've been in charge of TNP's foreign policy for the last 8 months, and I'd like to think that even if TNP had this tendency in the past, it's been broken during my tenure.

Our actions aren't 'milking' anything here, they're proportionate and reasonable for the actions that were taken.

[RiderSyl]

Why do I feel like this post was made with the sole purpose of stirring up shit?

Indigestion, maybe? 'Cause that's not the purpose of that post at all, much less its sole purpose.

We recognised that defenders were only there due to the actions of raiders - we appreciate their help in restoring Casl to the delegacy. The reason defenders aren't being 'paddled' here is that, from our estimation, they didn't do anything particularly wrong, and they also reached out to us immediately in order to explain what happened and discuss follow-up actions.

Which is not something the raiders who decided to engage in military activity in our treatied ally did not do.

Thanks for responding, MJ. I'm used to TNP's realpolitik of old, so that's the thought process I assumed TNP had. Would it be accurate, then, to say that better urgency on the part of raiders to rectify the situation with TNP could have avoided the situation here and now? Or, would the initial infraction's seriousness still have lead to this souring of relations regardless?

I've been in charge of TNP's foreign policy for the last 8 months, and I'd like to think that even if TNP had this tendency in the past, it's been broken during my tenure.

Our actions aren't 'milking' anything here, they're proportionate and reasonable for the actions that were taken.

The statement itself says the "risk of a raider delegate being installed" in Stargate "was minimal", that LibCord inadvertently installed their own delegate, and can only vaguely refer to what happened as Stargate being a "venue for military gameplay". You call it "military activity" in your response to me. For a time that should be about verbal reprimand and diplomatic consequence, these terms are the softest possible terms one can use to refer to raider actions against a sovereign allied region.

I have no dog in this fight, but I didn't see the fight either. Your statement is my only account of it so far. Don't make it sound so inoffensive, and it won't seem like you're milking a mild offense.

[The North Polish Union]

"Defenders" raid a region and overthrow the native delegate, raiders punished. more at 11.

[The Church of Satan]

I wouldn't call attacking a treaty ally a "mild offense." TBH should have known better, or if they didn't care that it was one of TNP's allies, should have expected a firm response from them. TBH brought this on themselves.

[Fantoccini]

I am personally appalled at the cavalier disregard that raiders had for whatever this is.