RE: NAC units, was Odd FT Idea

>Hmm.. Depends on your capability to /apply/ that much larger economic
muscle. We've 
>had this arguement before, but just to make a supposition - Australia
was
possibly much 
>more 'independant' as a colony when you had to spend 4 months (or
whatever) on 
>schooner to get there and so did any form of communication. Same goes
for
planet 
>colonies to a degree. Doesn't matter that you have a much more powerful
economy if 
>trade is next to nil. Doesn't matter if you have a bigger Navy if the
nearest ship is 3 
>weeks	travel away. Unless you start thinking about permanent garrison
forces (with all 
>the possible problems that entails) then I would suspect the planet
colonies to be pretty 
>much left to their own devices a lot of the time.
>Of course, given the vast majority of humanity seems to have been at
war
for the recent 
>past, I suppose garrison forces (either by an occupier or the 'correct'
faction for 
>defensive purposes) are a very real possiblility.

Australia also had a tendency towards independence I suspect, as it was
used as a prison colony.  Perhaps some of the colonies in the FT
universe
are also used to put political miscreants and any one else who disagrees
with state policy out of the way?  

Distance is a real problem with regard to the control of a colony
whatever
the size of the empire or state.  Despite a somewhat rebellious
population
(on occasion) Ireland remained under British control for approximately
700
years.	While America being only a fledgling country managed to obtain
its
own independence relatively quickly.  

Also surely one of the best ways of controlling a colony is to point out
that independence will not be tolerated, and use various oppressive
measures. The troops may not be on planet but if you stamp on one of
them
hard the rest may well get the message. 

The simplest way too ensure a safe return on your investment might be to
"privatise" the colony to corporate interests who would provide a
percentage of profits to the founding power.  The corporation "buys"
protection from the powers fleet and can call in regular army units if
required.  

With regard to to garrison forces :
A garrison couldn't be drawn from locals as they may turn against the
power(taking all their equipment with them), so you have to use garrison
troops from offworld, rotating different garrison troops in and out. 
This
could become expensive.  Of course in a universe as full of hurt as the
FT
one it seems sensible to have some sort of garrison of regular army
troops
in war situations.  Perhaps large reaction forces would be based at a
sector capital for redeployment where they are needed?	 

Colonial independence seems inevitable according to the lessons of
history.
 It just depends on how long you delay it.
--------------------
Niall Gilsenan,
DIT Cathal Brugha St,
Dublin 1,
Ireland.
--------------------
http://members.tripod.com/~Cwintel/Scifi.html