Intervention in the Union of Syndicates | Emergency Discussion
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I'd like to start by thanking Speaker Michel for allowing me to represent my country for the interim period before our Council elections.
I vote AGAINST this motion. I understand that the situation in the Syndicates has stabilised somewhat since this debate began, to the extent that it is recommencing evacuation of foreign citizens. Especially after that, I don't think there's anything we can or should discuss that should be kept away from the public.
Cllr Tupac Shakur
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Voting has ended.
With 9 votes for, 2 votes against, and 1 abstention, the motion to close this Council Session to the public has the supermajority required, as defined in Article II §III.IV of the Constitution of the European Union, and has PASSED.Of the 12 members present, 9 voted for the measure, matching the required 75% margin of a supermajority vote.
This session will now be closed to the public in accordance with § 2.6 of the Civilian Access Initiative Act 2013: "The Council may close a session to the public by super majority vote of councillors present."
Closed discussions may begin NOW.
Charles Michel
Council Speaker and Councilor for the Kingdom of Fremet -
"I would like to thank the members for bringing this motion forward and opening this discussion. Today we need intervention in Union of Syndicates. I can tell you 3,349 reasons why from the Duchies including sadly my son. Left wing terrorism is a threat and a disgrace , killing kids , women and children and those responsible for the tragedies throughout Europe deserve to see justice either at the gun or through the courts. However it is done we must bring these terrorists to justice. We are at a crossroads terror throughout Europe and for citizens of UoS. I propose a civillian intervention and support for the UoS government to fight extremists if they are on our side they should accept, if this fails then sadly we must be prepared to strike militarily jointly and build a new nation there a nation free from extremism and where all citizens are free from terror.The victims including my sons deserve justice.
James Mizrachi-Roscoe
Councillour for United Duchies -
Intervention? Intervention, now? "A nation free from extremism?" Given what you say constantly in these chambers, this is obviously a dogwhistle. You are deranged, you have absolutely no knowledge of our nation, our ways, our culture! While we mourn for the victims of the attacks, including your son, in your country, we are not responsible for them. The woman who likely orchestrated them is now dead, her supporters jailed.
None of them are left wing; they are all ultra-nationalist terrorists!
Do not use death to justify your vendetta against our nation's thousands-year old policies.
Kelarōn Juvinal
Councillor for the Union of Syndicates -
As I said, it seems to me that the government in the Syndicates is reasserting its authority without the need for foreign intervention, and the situation is calming down. I think it would be good, however, if the Syndicates authorities could work with the government of the Duchies, and other authorities where appropriate, to bring the terrorists to justice. But we're past the stage where military intervention was an idea worth discussing.
Cllr Tupac Shakur
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I, myself, am a left-winger and considered radical in my own country. Yet I recognize what happened in the Union of Syndicates was nothing less than an act of terror on the various citizens of Europe, be it due to the gross negligence of the government, its own complicity, or even its collusion with extremists. There is nothing more extreme than allowing the military shooting anyone it pleases in a democratic society, no matter how noble one claims it to be. Until all threats from the Union of Syndicates is removed, I think intervention is necessary because the Syndicate government cannot be trusted to be effective in its removal.
Tony Odhinazen
EU Councilor, Ruthund -
Colleagues, it is not too late until we act. The Government of the Kingdom of Reitzmag had informed me that they have received intelligence about what actually happened in the Union of Syndicates when our troops and civilians were shot. The Government of the Union of Syndicates also refused to cooperate with our Government and were possibly lying multiple times in the process.
According to MI6, they received intelligence that it weren't just terrorists who shot at our troops but the Union of Syndicates itself. Our troops, losing all the bullets it had after a shootout with the UoS Armed Forces, were arrested along with civilians and they were taken to a detention area. Due to the lack of cooperation that the UoS Government had with our Armed Forces, terrorists have likely infiltrated the area where our troops and civilians were detained and killed them without mercy. With this, the Government of the Kingdom of Reitzmag requested for the council's blessing to intervene and step into UoS land with or without the UoS Government's approval.
I request the Speaker to please open a vote on this matter.
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"The Empire of Inimicus, though it favours a joint approach to solving the UoS problem, will not consent to Reitzmic boots on the ground without international supervision or co-operation. What will the purpose of such a mission be? Surely, and forgive me for sounding rash, virutally all Reitzmic soldiers present in the UoS have been terminated? This has the telltale sign of being yet another Reitzmic-only show of arms, and cannot be allowed to happen.
I very much agree with Cllr Shakur's assessment of the situation in the UoS. While a number of days ago the violence there appeared to be spiralling out of control, recently we have seen a legitimate government attempting to reassert power. Supporting that administration by financial and, perhaps, advisory military means, would be far more appropriate and safer than a Reitzmag-only operation on the ground.
I feel like we as Councillors often forget how difficult and unmanageable a full-scale military operation actually is. I lived through and fought in the Inimician Civil War in 2011 as a brigade commander, and let me tell you, interventions are not swift. Interventions are not easy. If Reitzmag is allowed by this Council to enter the UoS guns blazing, thousands if not hundreds of thousands more innocents will be injured, mutilated, and killed. I implore all of you: don't allow it.
On a side note, I applaud the Cllr for Reitzmag for bringing this matter to the Council rather than his government just intervening. Nevertheless, the Empire of Inimicus will vote against any unilateral intervention motion."
Cllr Sir Augustus Barrington
Empire of Inimicus -
I'm pleased to see Cllr. van Allen has learned something since the last time Reitzmag messed up with things, and I have to applaud that. But, at the same time, I will not vote for authorising a country which shew on the past that they aren't able to do something without killing innocents. I can understand many things, like the concern for the ongoing events in the Union of Syndicates, but we are a little bit late for an intervention, and doing such would be risky and disgusting for many here, incluiding myself.
Cllr. Mizrachi-Roscoe, I understand your reasons and I feel sorry for your son, but this can't happen, the European Union can't afford to make such a mistake. And I wanted to underline the words from Councillor Juvinal: these guys aren't left-wingers, they are ultra-nationalist terrorists, and let me add something more: their ony purpose is to make damage and kill innocents, which oh surprise! That's the same purpose the Reitzmic Army got the last time they went into Eastern Haane for fun and a former Commission candidate was nearly killed. I will not allow more innocents to be killed by a country which shew the only thing when it comes to interventions they know to do well is cleaning their weapons, because nothing else was done correctly and giving Reitzmag permission to go around there without any reports or something would be dangerous.
I will also vote against any intervention, and moreover, I ask Cllr. van Allen to propose an intervention with some text which we can amend, just like former Internal Affairs Commissioner Jean-Claude Juncker did with Eastern Haane. That would help, but still, it would be a no from me.
Donald Tusk
Deputy Speaker and Councillor for Spain -
I'd like to request that we let the Reitzmic National Security Council to speak before us. They have informed me that they are ready to give a statement right now on a possible intervention.
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Intervene if you want to; but I really must tell you that we will fight for our continued sovereignty. We would rather die than live under occupation.
Kelarōn Juvinal
Councillor for the Union of Syndicates -
@Kingdom-of-Reitzmag a representative from the Reitzmic Security Council may speak before the Council to deliver a statement.
Charles Michel
Council Speaker and Councilor for the Kingdom of Fremet -
(edited to give it some amount of sense)
Councillor Bauer, legally appointed as an interim councillor by the highest legislative body in the Union, now the State Elder, ran into the room, her head held high, her mouth open as though she were about to scream.
And scream she did. Loudly.
"INTERVENTION! NO INTERVENTION! THERE WILL BE NO INTERVENTION INTO OUR GLORIOUS, GLORIOUS, MOST HIGH UNION! IT IS HIGHER THAN ALL YOUR IDIOTIC, PATHETIC, EXCUSES OF NATIONS! WE ARE GLORIOUS, WE ARE SUPERIOR, WE SHALL PREVAIL! PREVAIL, PREVAIL, PREVAIL! TO HELL WITH YOU ALL!"
She jumped onto Councillor Juvinal. Taking a clay knife, she began to stab them repeatedly as she urinated.
Juvinal's body slumped onto the floor, covered seemingly in blood; Bauer crawled on the Council floor, before again jumping up and down while laughing maniacally.
"YOU SHALL NEVER GET ME, YOU FOOLS!" she screamed. She began to cough an odd white powder onto the Councillors.
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James seeing the clear danger to life to the other councillours decided something needed doing. He was quite tall and strong and while she was a strong woman potentially he was at least a man. He leapt to the defense of the other councilours to disarm her knife. He decided to take the knife overpowering the lady . He then proceeded to try and restrain her while keeping the knife in one hand just in case, he knew it risked injury to him but it was worth it , hopefully he could handle it until security intervened
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Bauer began to laugh hysterically again before urinating on James, biting him and taking with her a large chunk of his flesh. Blood filling her mouth, she spat in his face, some of the white powder falling onto him.
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James seeing the sitation stabbed her legs and arms enough to disable her. He expected her to continue biting but he would handle that , as long as he could keep her off the other councillours he was fine with that but how long would it be until the damn security arrived. This was unacceptable.
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"Jesus Christ in IKEA!"
"SECURITY!" Michel pressed the panic button beneath his chair, an FKEM Regalia 2500
Dozens of heavily equipped members of the Europolis Police came storming into the chamber to apprehend Councilor Bauer.
"I will have order in this Chamber! Members of the Europolis Police will remove Councilor Bauer from the chambers immediately."
It took four officers firing their tasers simultaneously to bring the offending member down, and even still they managed to get off a few nips and scratches as the officers dragged them out of the chamber.
Paramedics followed to care for the affected members.
"I will be closing this session effective immediately to resume tomorrow, 12h00 GMT on the 2nd of March 2021. "
Charles Michel
Council Speaker and Councilor for the Kingdom of Fremet -
The injuries of james were serious despite his quick intervention and taking of the knife he had several stab wounds and many bite marks. He was also experiencing serious symptoms of unconsciousness. He had to be quickly rushed to A&E.Despite this he considered it worth intervening to save the other councillours many of whom he was friendly with though it unfortunately meant he couldn't see his kids in hospitalOnce able to he asked his wife not to visit and focus on supporting his kids assuring her he would be fine.
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'Aw, shit, not again,' thought Tupac as the chamber broke out into chaos. It reminded him of the time he faked his own death in 1996 to move to Pravoslaviya; and a couple of genuine assassination attempts before. He moved away from Bauer as Cllr Mizrachi-Roscoe leeroy jenkins'd his way towards her.
Tupac observed the white powder as it blew through the air and accumulated on the desks.
"Get away from that shit, guys, don't touch it," he yelled at the other councillors. "I've never seen that shit before, it could be dangerous! I mean, even more dangerous."
Tupac filed out of the chamber with the other councillors and returned to his office.
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Michel looked at himself in the mirror. The Security Services had issued him a Kevlar stab and bullet vest that made him appear a bit more stocky than his usual build. "Thank god the camera is far enough from me, I haven't had to wear a vest like this to work since the 1990s," he said to his aid as they both struggled to fit his jacket over the safety hardware provided to him.
He shuffled his way into the chamber, and saw that there were blood stains STILL in the carpet. He moved to the broom closet in the hallway and returned with a hydrogen peroxide solution. He soaked a cloth in it and wiped away the rest of the blood stains that had trickled under some of the councilor's desks and into the aisles. Between national service and his years as a public defender, he had seen his fare share of blood, but even still it irked him. This, this blood, was from an individual that he knew personally, an individual that, in some act of bravery— or stupidity— had nearly been slain in front of the sitting council.
He took a deep breath as he returned the cleaning supplies to the closet and threw the dirty towel into the wastebin— it was too far gone to use again.
"Was this Council— is the UoS— just as far gone?" Michel thought to himself.
At what point is acting not enough— at what point must we retreat and guard ourselves?
I now call this session to order. I ask that the Council excuse the added security both in the surrounds and in this chamber. In light of yesterday's events, I have asked that the Council Security and Europolis Police be placed on their highest alert level.
We are coming to terms with a country— a society— so enthralled in its own idiosyncrasies, so different from many of the members of this Union, that it is threatened by us. And in its actions, we are threatened by it. I do not see some crazed rogue state, I see a wounded animal that has been backed into a corner. I see a people, a society, a country so victimised that the very fabric of their being is being questioned. This is a country that has seen so much violence, so much suffering that the society and institutions existing within the Union of Syndicates is in a perpetual fight or flight response. Living in constant terror— constant fear— leads to a collective and societal trauma that too often leads to failed states.
Frankly, I do not know what to do about the UoS. They have my sympathy. They have my anger. They have my empathy. They have my outrage. It is often said that you reap what you sow but at what point must that cycle end? At what point does this cycle of violence in the UoS end?
It terrifies me to see the toll decades of trauma has inflicted on this society. It terrifies me even more when I consider that my own country came so very close to that— it doesn't speak to the integrity of the Fremetian spirit— Fremet survived the occupation and rebuilt successfully not because of its own merit— we lucked out. Fremet could just have easily devolved into violence and endless terror, but it didn't. It didn't because we were lucky to have a group of people who were willing to end the cycle of instability— end the cycle of hate and violence— reject that fight or flight response— and start a new chapter.
The UoS isn't going to change overnight. The UoS isn't going to change over a year. We are looking at bringing a society out of a very dark place. It took Fremet 30 years to rebuild its economy and its institutions after the occupation— and we still struggle with our collective trauma to this day. The UoS, the people of the Syndicates, are the only ones that will truly be able to bring about real change, a real shift in society.
Intervention may be necessary for containment. It is unacceptable to allow this violence to escape their borders and spill into other memberstates. However, I do not see an end-goal, an exit plan, for any long-term boots-on-the-ground intervention. Any action taken should be either to contain the violence within the UoS or to aid the legitimate government or democratic factions in the country— if any remain.
Again, I'm no military strategist. I'm some politician far removed from this crisis, as are many of us. Do not let your fear control you as it controls them. Do not let your urge to fight cloud your judgement as it has so destroyed their society. If we do anything, it should be to set an example, not resort to reactionary measures or knee-jerk reactions in the name of security or humanitarianism.
Charles Michel
Council Speaker and Councilor for the Kingdom of Fremet
The Kingdom of Spain