Re: NI and OU

Izenberg, Noam wrote:

> The entire NI mindset and philosophy is based on that never happening
> again. But it never hurts to have more allies covering your back.

Just don't rely on them. Useful to have, but icing on the cake. Gotcha.

> On the NI
> homepage, I have listed generic "trade agreements" with OU, but it
could
> (and maybe should) be developed further. Defense pacts? other types of
> alliance?

None that would be publically acknowledged. The OU page has a bit about
"rumoured" stealth technology for some covert ops ships, and NI secret
R&D bases buried in out-of-the-way places on OU M-types. It might be an
idea having something along the same lines for the NI.

I want to give the impression that such treaties do exist, but that if
people prefer, "they're just vicious rumours." Which would allow a
limited number of stealth designs in OU service, while allowing people
who prefer not to have them to restrict them to only a few stealth
transports that never appear on the table (even if present <g>), or
delete them altogether.

Finally, it gives a good excuse for DS II or SG games with the OU and NI
allied. But doesn't force this.

Example from the 1990s.

Israel and Oz have no formal defence co-operation at all. We export
large amounts of wheat, and live sheep to various of Israel's
neighbours, who would barf chunderously if we did have. So the night
vision gear seen in East Timor doesn't have any ELOP (an Israeli
electro-optical firm) labels on.

In the Gulf war, it was data from Australia that was sent to Tel Aviv
within 30 secs of SCUD missile launch detection that enabled them to
give the warnings. But of course, that was from a joint US-Australian
facility, blame it all on the Yanks. Even though there was a direct
line, rather than going through the US first....

And, as has already been mentioned, those of us who didn't want to be
involved in the Collins class Combat System Fiasco did stuff for the IDF
Sub Combat System instead. Just not as Australians, but employees of a
German company.

Defence co-operation agreement, what Defence co-operation agreement? Bit
of a giveaway Israel making an Oz prime minister (Bob Hawke) an
honourary Israeli citizen while he was still serving though. Hope the NI
are a bit more subtle with the OU, at least wait till he/she's out of
office.

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