OOC Stuff and Inaccuracies

[Huojin]

Threw up the new map and fixed a handful of formatting errors and spelling mistakes in the turn, just because it was driving me nuts. Anyway:

• If the US put a carrier group off the coast of Nigeria, it should show up as a deployed unit in their stats.

• Mozambican coal should be listed as "too unstable to export" instead of going to Portugal.

• I'd argue that the Yemen Arab Republic should probably still be listed as the primary Yemen, since the Kingdom stopped existing in 1962 and I think more countries recognise the YAR. They should have units too, and be at least a level 4, probably a level 5 group if you want to downgrade them.

• Getting an established nuclear power to help Iraq with its nuclear programme only buys it one year's advance on Iran's wholly domestic programme?

• Iraq should have +5 oil going to France.

• There should be more (or any, for that matter) global outrage about the Israeli annexation of the West Bank.

• There should be more (or any, for that matter) Arab world outrage about the Saudi violation of the Khartoum Resolution. And their open cooperation with the Iranians to do so, for that matter.

• Summary of reforms in Iran: Shah takes legislative power solely into his hands, Parliament has become essentially a rubber stamp body, more representation is given to non-Islam religions, and the Shi'a clerics have their powers stripped away from them. And the only word on the matter is that people are upset at secularising? There should be some serious discontent brewing.

EDIT - Oh, thought up some more:

• US domestic popularity should probably be Moderate, post-Tet.

• Arguable that France's domestic popularity should be Somewhat Low, perhaps merely to reflect De Gaulle's unpopularity at this stage. He's on his way out, after all.

• Iraq should probably have higher than Somewhat Low domestic popularity, given it's a new government and the peace with the Kurds. Probably Moderate.

• Iran should either say "Moderate" not "Medium", or perhaps more accurately if you ask me, still be at "Somewhat Low". Making minorities in Kurdistan and Baluchistan happier doesn't negate the other crap.

• Israel should have a much worse Foreign Popularity.

• Saudi Arabia should also have a worse Foreign Popularity.

• Tanzania should also have a better Foreign Popularity, what with the leader of Pan-Africanism thing.

[lbj181]

Just curious, why cant I see a single detail of Pakistan on the recent turn report? Do GM miss our my turn action ?

[Coin]

A question rather than an inaccuracy - is there a reason some of the UN resolutions passed and got a mention, but others didn't? Before I start counting votes and declaring player quorums

[Huojin]

Given that we've got 3 active OPEC members (possible 4 if Tanzania is admitted and Iran stays outside, or vice versa), can we get an OPEC forum?

[Master of Oblivion]

A question rather than an inaccuracy - is there a reason some of the UN resolutions passed and got a mention, but others didn't? Before I start counting votes and declaring player quorums

Honestly, the current way I was tabulating votes was taking forever. I picked the most pressing ones and did that. Huojin sent me something I need to expatiate the process so for now on there will be reporting on all.

[Master of Oblivion]

Ok, fixed the inaccuracies I felt were warranted

[Huojin]

Ok, fixed the inaccuracies I felt were warranted

Can we get a breakdown on that please? Would be nice, if only for transparency.

[Master of Oblivion]

Threw up the new map and fixed a handful of formatting errors and spelling mistakes in the turn, just because it was driving me nuts. Anyway:

• If the US put a carrier group off the coast of Nigeria, it should show up as a deployed unit in their stats.

Fixed

• Mozambican coal should be listed as "too unstable to export" instead of going to Portugal.

Fixed

• I'd argue that the Yemen Arab Republic should probably still be listed as the primary Yemen, since the Kingdom stopped existing in 1962 and I think more countries recognise the YAR. They should have units too, and be at least a level 4, probably a level 5 group if you want to downgrade them.

I didn't think this was worth changing, if the YAR gains the decisive hand again they will go back.

• Getting an established nuclear power to help Iraq with its nuclear programme only buys it one year's advance on Iran's wholly domestic programme?

Yes. Gameplay and story separation. Considering most BOPS last 5 turns this is a pretty decisive lead.

• Iraq should have +5 oil going to France.

Fixed

• There should be more (or any, for that matter) global outrage about the Israeli annexation of the West Bank.

Lowered their popularity

• There should be more (or any, for that matter) Arab world outrage about the Saudi violation of the Khartoum Resolution. And their open cooperation with the Iranians to do so, for that matter.

Added

• Summary of reforms in Iran: Shah takes legislative power solely into his hands, Parliament has become essentially a rubber stamp body, more representation is given to non-Islam religions, and the Shi'a clerics have their powers stripped away from them. And the only word on the matter is that people are upset at secularising? There should be some serious discontent brewing.

DG needs to post about this. The gist of his reforms was actually giving more power to the parliament, not less.


EDIT - Oh, thought up some more:

• US domestic popularity should probably be Moderate, post-Tet.

fixed

• Arguable that France's domestic popularity should be Somewhat Low, perhaps merely to reflect De Gaulle's unpopularity at this stage. He's on his way out, after all.

fixed

• Iraq should probably have higher than Somewhat Low domestic popularity, given it's a new government and the peace with the Kurds. Probably Moderate.

fixed

• Iran should either say "Moderate" not "Medium", or perhaps more accurately if you ask me, still be at "Somewhat Low". Making minorities in Kurdistan and Baluchistan happier doesn't negate the other crap.

fixed

• Israel should have a much worse Foreign Popularity.

fixed

• Saudi Arabia should also have a worse Foreign Popularity.

fixed

• Tanzania should also have a better Foreign Popularity, what with the leader of Pan-Africanism thing. fixed

[Gesar]

Thanks for the feedback. Always good to know the GM's thinking on stuff.

Gotta agree with Huo on Iran, though: regardless of the nature of Iran's reforms, moves towards secularism by themselves or coupled with minor liberalization should do little to mollify anybody who isn't part of the intelligentsia (and they're already fairly annoyed) or already a liberal/left wing dissenter of sorts. Bear in mind that this is five years after the White Revolution (my favorite quote on that time period, as a relevant aside: "The White Revolution had been designed to preempt a Red Revolution. Instead, it paved the way for an Islamic Revolution."), which is probably the most relevant analogy to why reform in Iran was next to impossible.

Because in the interim from the White Revolution from DG's reforms, the classes most affected by the White Revolution -peasantry and urban poor, as well as the bazaari- have fallen even more under the influence of the ulama, particalurly the last two. These are people who have seen their way of lives practically get destroyed by the Shah (intentionally on the workers and bazaari, through basic idiocy when it comes to the peasantry), and basically couldn't really give a fuck about parliamentariasm. Iran is not an Arab country, with a strong clamoring for secularization among urban populations (the intelligentsia is perhaps the most concerned, and that's offset by the fact that SAVAK still persecutes them and has a history of violently repressing students), although representation for religious minorities is indeed a reality in modern Iran, but a country whose identity is so tied to Shiism (even moreso than the rest of the Islamic world is impacted by their clergy, which says a whole fucking lot) that if something affects the ulama, it's going to affect much of the country.

So, while this isn't quite the White Revolution (it's not as inherently suicidal or misguided), we've got a basis for more discontent than has been mentioned or implied by the turn. The few people who might support this reform, meanwhile, are ones that have already been wronged by the Shah - again, the intelligentsia, but also curiously, the landed elite.

Tl;dr: Many people might be curious about what's going to happen, but the fact of the matter is that Iran's class relations are already fucked up and nothing was done to fix that, the clergy is already hella antagonized, and Iran isn't a Western or even Arab country (look at the most secular Cold War movements: even Aflaq, a Christian, had to acknowledge how important Islam is to the identity of the people of the Middle East) where you can sprinkle a bit of parliamentarism, add a dash of secularism, and call it good enough. I'll end on a Khomeini quote (which I had to plagiarize from wiki since all my books on Islam and the Middle East are packed still ), because there's absolutely no way he wouldn't be up in arms about all this.

I have repeatedly pointed out that the government has evil intentions and is opposed to the ordinances of Islam. ... The Ministry of Justice has made clear its opposition to the ordinances of Islam by various measures like the abolition of the requirement that judges be Muslim and male; henceforth, Jews, Christians, and the enemies of Islam and the Muslims are to decide on affairs concerning the honor and person of the Muslims.

Edit: have a Wikipedia link to explain the issues of Iran: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gharbzadegi

[Serenissima]

I don't mind the lowering of popularity for de Gaulle, but I'll be calling shenanigans if it doesn't shoot up significantly domestically and overseas as soon as he's gone.

[Huojin]

I don't mind the lowering of popularity for de Gaulle, but I'll be calling shenanigans if it doesn't shoot up significantly domestically and overseas as soon as he's gone.

Pretty much precisely what I had in mind when suggesting it be lowered :V

[Flamelord]

Still have that extra conflict line in my stats for the most recent turn