Iraelia
TNPer
A Tale of Tariffs and Terrorists
Tzufit Feldshuh sat on the edge of his chair, nails dug into the table, as he waited for his ministers to arrive. The urgency of this cabinet meeting could not be of more importance. Slowly, his cabinet members began to take their seats at the table until the room was full. The cabinet members chattered, an air of nervousness filled the room. Eventually, Prime Minister Feldshuh called for silence and the room became quiet.
"I hope you all recognize the importance of this meeting," Felshuh said, addressing the room with urgency. "Much has happened in the last week, and it is of the utmost importance that we review it."
"The first item on the agenda is the National Preservation Act. Mr. Eismch, could you brief the room?" Feldshuh asked.
"Yes, sir," said the Minister of Religous Affairs Naro Eismch. "As you are all well aware, the Knesset voted to pass the National Preservation Act about a month ago. This bill implemented a religious tax on followers of Shava'ia, struck down certain anti-discrimination laws, and established the Resettlement Task Force, which will relocate radical religious fundamentalists if they are discovered. Some have claimed that this bill is designed to target the Shaivan people..."
"Which it is!" Interrupted Minister of Commerce and Labor, Tehila Horowitz.
"Settle down, Horowitz," Feldshuh commanded. "Go on, Naro."
"As I was saying, this bill has been called racist for its alleged subtle targeting of the Shaivan people and this has resulted in several dire consequences. One, radicalism in the Shaivan population is at an all-time high, with militant Shaivan Organizations gaining more and more recruits daily. Two, support for radical revolution is even higher, with 2/3 of Shaivan's in Iraelia saying they do believe in the cause of these radical groups. Three, Shaivan organizations have attained a newfound unity, with the Shaiva Liberation Army having been formed by the various Shaivan guerilla groups."
"This has caused several problems," Commander-in-Chief of the Iraelian Defense Forces, Yaremka Shalit, stated. "An increasing number of terrorist attacks have occurred, and more covertly than ever. The movement has successfully gone underground and our military has seen very limited success in fighting these groups. Thankfully, only about 1% of Shaivan people being connected to these organizations..."
"Though, that is subject to change and fast!" Chimes in Minister of Intelligence, Ezechiel Schalit. "National intelligence agents have uncovered that the SLA something much larger planned. Their numbers are growing exponentially and they are gaining international sympathy, particularly from Ninhundland. This terrorist organization could quickly become a full on revolution!!!"
"Quite!" Feldshuh screams. "We'll table this discussion until a later date. Onto the next item, James Yamesh's report on our relations with Skanda."
"Thank you," Foreign Affairs Minister Jame Yamesh said. "I've recently met with Skandan officials, and we've come to the conclusion that it is in our best interest to form a defensive pact. So, I decided to sign the Treaty of Saito, which affirms that our nations will defend each other in the event that either nation is attacked by another power."
"Thank you, Mr. Yamesh. The Knesset will convene soon, so I would like to move onto item 3; the Employment Preservation Tariffs. Ms. Horowitz, you have the floor."
"Thank you," said the Minister of Commerce and Labor. "The Employment Preservation Tariffs which we implemented last month are already having significant effects. 50,000 Iraelian jobs have already been brought back to the economy, but this has come at the cost of diplomatic relations. Particularly, with Ninhundland, whose economy has been severely damaged by these tariffs and the Ninhundland government has called for the immediate elimination of the Tariffs."
"This is very ominous," mused Schalit. "Their naval movements also seem suspect, almost as if they are mobilizing their nation for war. Although, I think we should be cautious before taking any action."
Suddenly, the Vice President burst into the room. "It's time for the Knesset vote," he exclaimed. As the Cabinet ministers shuffled out of the room, Tzufit Feldshuh felt a chill pass over his body. Something about this situation made him fearful for the future. Yet, at that moment, he couldn't help but wonder... What is Ninhundland up to?
