the Colton Ridge Tribunal
For the Face of Federalism
Homeland justice had taken a turn for the worst in late 2010, as the Blue Union election process began twisting and turning like a cyclone. The first victim had been the economy, confidence in Zivotinje as a satisfactory partner in trade or investment was downright squandered on the war and through divisive politics. No one person in the entire greater five State Federation could genuinely declare that they knew how the election would pan out, when the economy would recover, or for many whether they could feed and provide for their children. As in the Hunger War that preceded the Great War, Zivs were beginning to form in to militias and armed movements to secure food stakes.
Winter was nearing an end in the Midland part of the world, and it could not arrive a moment sooner for so many millions. This when for the first time in many years negative propaganda, fabricated by the opposition, had completely overcome and silenced State and Ruling Movement propaganda from the Assertionists. The projected image of Zivotinje as a modern democratic state had not failed everywhere around the world, but it had collapsed within the State itself.
Three individuals charged with crimes that could account for millions in spending, several hundred lives lost, yet somehow a minimal impact on the international stage as compared to other events in Europe. The Baroturk war itself had coincided with the so called Jizhou War of Indpendence, severely detracting attention from the relatively small scale conflict between the State of Zivotinje and Milliyetci Barazi. By the time Miedzymorze had agreed to recognize and charge Officers and Soldiers for warcrimes in Operation Steadfast Liberty, Belmont and Coronado had captured the spotlight away from the exploits and misdeeds of Midland Europe.
Dragomir Chroback was perhaps the most recognizable face, in the Intermarum Federation at least, known for playing professional hockey for several years as a minor star before joining the Federal Army. He and Recruiting Personnel had made a rather large show of it at the time, making Dragomir to be the shining example of the modern athlete and service member. In Barazi however, Chroback had stirred up attention and statistics of a completely different nature, he had shaken the hornets nest. Over the course of three months, Dragomir Chroback allegedly murdered 113 Baroturk civilians and government workers in nightly adventures through the city of Guzellik. Instead of sleeping or taking to other duties, Dragomir would sneak off in the night to wreak havoc on the Baroturks as they slept or went about their business.
Oleksandr Krawchuk had not garnered fame to match his handsome face before Operation Steadfast Liberty, though he was certainly a household name now. In the opening days of conflict, Krawchuk conducted a scorched earth campaign on the far eastern front, indirectly killing hundreds and costing the now Federal State of Barazi billions in infrastructure damage. At first his strategy was celebrated by Miedzymorze and its vocal minority, in theory this was a triumph, though film and first hand accounts of napalm and point blank massacres quickly soured the rutheless sentiments of the people. Ignoring the change of heart, Oleksandr Krawchuk continued to ravage the Eastern portion of Barazi along the border with Aryana until a few days after the Baroturk Surrender in Guzellik.
Viktoriya Andrich was the only one of the three not employed directly by Federal or State Governments. In the summer of 2010, Andrich knowingly sold firearms to the Milliyetci Resistance Movement in exchange for cash, slave labor, and heroine. She furthermore exploited several cities by aiding to sabotage water and food distribution efforts supported by the Government so she might inject her own flow of food, water, and drugs at a higher price. Viktoriya evaded authorities until the first month of the new year, when she attempted to expand her operation in to Preria, Zivotinje by raiding granaries and stockpiles in areas at risk of famine.
As they left Miedzymorze, the trio were something of a spectacle to many, a star studded wild display of infamy. News Cameras crowded a small tarmac in Vyhor to watch them leave from the Northeast Mountain Detention Facility, shuffling about in their rattling shackles and red uniforms. Dragomir Chroback turned back before boarding the plane to deliver a great toothy smile to the press, calling out "115 not 113!" before Air Marshals shoved him off an in to the plane. The air of uncertainty which was sweeping across the small Midland country had pervaded the justice system as well, many thought if perhaps they could just get this right: prosecute and punish mass murderers, something so simple, that uncertainty might begin to dissipate.
On another level entirely, this was an opportunity to rekindle a foreign relationship lost and forgotten decades ago. The Confederal Republics were not so different from Miedzymorze now, and neither multi-state country could describe their political situation as stable with a straight face. Miedzymorze needed a friend in the world more then it wanted one, which might as just well be the case in the Confederal Republics, this mission was imperative to the Federal face & reputation, and could serve to venerate this Confederation as a champion of international justice in the new decade. This was the shape of things to come, and it would be done by taking roads less traveled, and reaching out to like minded powers in Europe.
For the Face of Federalism
Homeland justice had taken a turn for the worst in late 2010, as the Blue Union election process began twisting and turning like a cyclone. The first victim had been the economy, confidence in Zivotinje as a satisfactory partner in trade or investment was downright squandered on the war and through divisive politics. No one person in the entire greater five State Federation could genuinely declare that they knew how the election would pan out, when the economy would recover, or for many whether they could feed and provide for their children. As in the Hunger War that preceded the Great War, Zivs were beginning to form in to militias and armed movements to secure food stakes.
Winter was nearing an end in the Midland part of the world, and it could not arrive a moment sooner for so many millions. This when for the first time in many years negative propaganda, fabricated by the opposition, had completely overcome and silenced State and Ruling Movement propaganda from the Assertionists. The projected image of Zivotinje as a modern democratic state had not failed everywhere around the world, but it had collapsed within the State itself.
Three individuals charged with crimes that could account for millions in spending, several hundred lives lost, yet somehow a minimal impact on the international stage as compared to other events in Europe. The Baroturk war itself had coincided with the so called Jizhou War of Indpendence, severely detracting attention from the relatively small scale conflict between the State of Zivotinje and Milliyetci Barazi. By the time Miedzymorze had agreed to recognize and charge Officers and Soldiers for warcrimes in Operation Steadfast Liberty, Belmont and Coronado had captured the spotlight away from the exploits and misdeeds of Midland Europe.
Dragomir Chroback was perhaps the most recognizable face, in the Intermarum Federation at least, known for playing professional hockey for several years as a minor star before joining the Federal Army. He and Recruiting Personnel had made a rather large show of it at the time, making Dragomir to be the shining example of the modern athlete and service member. In Barazi however, Chroback had stirred up attention and statistics of a completely different nature, he had shaken the hornets nest. Over the course of three months, Dragomir Chroback allegedly murdered 113 Baroturk civilians and government workers in nightly adventures through the city of Guzellik. Instead of sleeping or taking to other duties, Dragomir would sneak off in the night to wreak havoc on the Baroturks as they slept or went about their business.
Oleksandr Krawchuk had not garnered fame to match his handsome face before Operation Steadfast Liberty, though he was certainly a household name now. In the opening days of conflict, Krawchuk conducted a scorched earth campaign on the far eastern front, indirectly killing hundreds and costing the now Federal State of Barazi billions in infrastructure damage. At first his strategy was celebrated by Miedzymorze and its vocal minority, in theory this was a triumph, though film and first hand accounts of napalm and point blank massacres quickly soured the rutheless sentiments of the people. Ignoring the change of heart, Oleksandr Krawchuk continued to ravage the Eastern portion of Barazi along the border with Aryana until a few days after the Baroturk Surrender in Guzellik.
Viktoriya Andrich was the only one of the three not employed directly by Federal or State Governments. In the summer of 2010, Andrich knowingly sold firearms to the Milliyetci Resistance Movement in exchange for cash, slave labor, and heroine. She furthermore exploited several cities by aiding to sabotage water and food distribution efforts supported by the Government so she might inject her own flow of food, water, and drugs at a higher price. Viktoriya evaded authorities until the first month of the new year, when she attempted to expand her operation in to Preria, Zivotinje by raiding granaries and stockpiles in areas at risk of famine.
As they left Miedzymorze, the trio were something of a spectacle to many, a star studded wild display of infamy. News Cameras crowded a small tarmac in Vyhor to watch them leave from the Northeast Mountain Detention Facility, shuffling about in their rattling shackles and red uniforms. Dragomir Chroback turned back before boarding the plane to deliver a great toothy smile to the press, calling out "115 not 113!" before Air Marshals shoved him off an in to the plane. The air of uncertainty which was sweeping across the small Midland country had pervaded the justice system as well, many thought if perhaps they could just get this right: prosecute and punish mass murderers, something so simple, that uncertainty might begin to dissipate.
On another level entirely, this was an opportunity to rekindle a foreign relationship lost and forgotten decades ago. The Confederal Republics were not so different from Miedzymorze now, and neither multi-state country could describe their political situation as stable with a straight face. Miedzymorze needed a friend in the world more then it wanted one, which might as just well be the case in the Confederal Republics, this mission was imperative to the Federal face & reputation, and could serve to venerate this Confederation as a champion of international justice in the new decade. This was the shape of things to come, and it would be done by taking roads less traveled, and reaching out to like minded powers in Europe.