Re: The United States in Full Thrust

G'day,

I was trying to resist this thread... ;)

First up I think Steve's take on things is a sound one, there's enough 
leeway in the GZG-FH that you can see the US being more than some uppity

province in the greater AC.... maybe the bias we see in the records
we've 
got is down to the historian writing it...not the first time I'd bet.

What if it read this way instead (this probably still won't satisfy the 
USAians amongst us, but I'm fighting my own Aussie biases here):

2014 The USA supports Britain's withdrawal from the EC (European power 
block) and entry in the Atlantic trading block (as the Americas trade
group 
had become known). The Atlantic trading block immediate instituted some 
trade and military sanctions against Spain in response to their invasion
of 
Gibraltar.

2049 Late in the year, in a state of national emergency General Parham
is 
thrust into power in the US when unknown terrorist forces (probably of 
foreign origin) set off a chain of biochemical explosions in Washington
DC 
and state capitals, killing the President, Vice President, the Speakers
of 
both houses, the entire Cabinet, the majority of the State Governors and

almost the entire membership of both houses of Parliament. The state 
governments can not agree on a speedy power sharing position and as the 
most senior surviving member of the White House staff and the armed
forces 
General Parham has no choice but to temporarily fill the void and quell
the 
wide spread panic which threatens the fabric of America as well as the 
world economy. Further there is evidence that the remaining members of
the 
State legislatures are under threat from renewed attacks from the
foreign 
foe. With no other means of protecting the country he loves above all
else 
Parham chooses to ignore parts of the constitution, as Lincoln* had
before 
him, and he forms a military government. The three states (California, 
Texas and Florida) which had been the most unable to settle their
position 
in the original power sharing propositions oppose this move and announce

that they will put their own state forces against any federal ones that 
enter their lands. Spurred on by rhetoric by these states others ignore 
Parham's calls for short-term cohesion while the crisis is ended.
Looting, 
distrust and ethnic violence are stronger now than ever before.
Shootings 
are widespread as individual take to defending their homes personally
from 
any perceived threat.

2050 With the beginning of the new year the world and the US teeters in
the 
balance and with no other options left General Parham requests UN
military 
involvement to restore order in the US. The request is refused, vettoed
by 
the Beijing-Moscow alliance on the security council (which has been slow
to 
keep pace with change and so the Eurasion Union holds two seats during
this 
time). Parham is desperate for help, his intelligence officers indicate 
that the foreign foe really does plan more strife, but the actions of 
individual States are hindering efforts to stop them and other home
grown 
violence (claiming that the "supposed future attacks "are in Parham's
power 
hungry imagination"). Parham puts out requests directly to the heads of 
long time allies, such as Australia, Canada and the UK. Australia has
its 
own problems, but the Canadians and the British send in forces to help
end 
the threat from foreign terrorists and to act as monitors in the 
reintroduction of civilian rule. Terrorist cells are apprehended in the
US 
and due to a chain of lucky events and grand detective work similar
bodies 
are found in the Canada and the UK before they can repeat the chaos
there. 
Foiled by these combined actions the foreign power stirs up the
"imperalist 
overlord fears" of the LLAR and ethnic groups within Canada trying to
wreck 
the US progress via directing the attentions of Canada and the UK 
elsewhere. But intelligent use of the arts of diplomacy and politics
short 
circuits the problems.

2057 Due to a number of further attacks on the governments of the US, 
Canada and the UK, mutual protection and cooperation have become an 
accepted part of daily life in these nations. The terrorist acts have
been 
traced back to within the Eurasian Union (EU). The nations try to form a

NATO based power block, but the EC is not making integration of the
North 
Americas, the UK and Europe smooth or likely and early agreements to
that 
end crumble. Then in August the obvious is inacted and the three nations

make their own power block, the AC. Dewsbury, MacIntosh (Canadian PM)
and 
Tilsbury (UK PM) are sworn in as the founding Lord Governors of the 
Triumvirate Council. And they begin the long road to a common
constitution 
for the AC, a mix of the US and UK systems of government. Concessions
flow 
both ways, including the retention of a titular head of state who would 
represent the entire AC, but each "territory" (Canada, UK and US) each
have 
a directly elected Lord Governor who sits on the Triumvirate Council,
which 
has veto rights over bills put forward in the two houses of AC
parliament. 
These are the real heads of state, with all the associated power.
	 The EU is very threatened by these events and steps up its
funding 
and encouragement of the LLAR which declares that the AC has no mandate
to 
rule over California, New Mexico and Texas. The LLAR proclaims these
areas 
its own and under foreign occupation and launches an invasion. This
begins 
the fifteen year War of the Americas.

And so on, but that's just a start off the top of my head. Like I said a

lot of leeway for any slant you like.

 > All of us military types swear to support
 >and defend the constitution against all
 >enemies foreign and domestic,
 >this to me at least precludes the
 >taking of fidelity to a sovereign,
 >or even the asking for the assistance of
 >any foreign power with in the confines of the USA.

You know I'm pretty sure members of the Israeli army (for example) felt
the 
same way when the Aussie and other peace keeping forces were sent in to
try 
and calm the Middle east down back when I was in high school.

 >It isn't matter that we slip from the
 >top so much as the fact that we are
 >not nor could ever be a part of the British

Of all the choices which one are you more likely to "be part of"??? The 
ESU? Based on the image of the USA culture that we are fed here its
still 
very Anglified, the US and UK are the major powers of NATO, two of the 
strongest members of the G7 (or G8 or whatever it is these days),
according 
to the tabloids the US is "apparently" obcessed with the British Royal 
family, the two countries still share a lot of history, interests, an 
official language and many ways of doing things.

 >> I'm sure that a Roman would have said similar things if you'd
 >> predicted a collapse of his empire.
 >
 >Rome had no constitution....

Sometimes not even the strongest ideas can stop the roll of history. I'm

not saying the GZGverse is likely, its a bit of fun, but there are many 
falls from power that were unimagineable in anything but hindsight ;)

 > To we in the USA it is hard	to see that,
 >although true. The idea of a King
 >or Queen goes against the grain............
 >haven't had one in over 200 years.

Well like I said according to those dastardly tabloids you've never
really 
let go..... and then there's the Kennedy's ;P
<Beth heads for the bunker before she really gets shelled>

Have fun

Beth - who wonders how many NZ gamers rile at the thought of an OU "run
by 
the Aussies" ;)