Curious if The West will stick to the SU, for what used to be the Soviet Union when referring to the new country, but, the SU now stands for the Sovereign Union.
America's Funniest President: Mo Udall Presidency & Beyond
- Thread starter CountDVB
- Start date
Probably. Right now it's jut trying to juggle a bunch of stuff, especially with what is coming. End of the Cold War isn't the end of problems after all.
New Country Profile: International City of Jerusalem
New Country Profile: International City of Jerusalem
Internationalis Civitas Ierusalem
Internationalis Civitas Ierusalem
העיר הבינלאומית של ירושלים
مدينة القدس الدولية
Anthem: Unity of the Faithful
Official Languages: Hebrew, Arab,
Recognized Languages: Latin
Religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, other Abrahamic faiths
Demonym: Jerusalemite
Government: Unitary directorial republic
Legislature: Unified Assembly
Currencies: New shekel, Jordanian dinar, American dollar
National Facts:
- Jersualem is ruled by a directorial republic, not unlike what is present over in Switzerland. The heads of government and state are known as the Jerusalem National Council, the seven-member executive council that constitutes the executive branch of Jerusalem. The head of the council is known as Archcouncillor. The seven are chosen between 2 Christian members, 2 Jewish members, 2 Muslim members and 1 independent member. The independent member can be of any faith or even irreligious or secular. This would be expanded to nine members, with 2 additional independent members over in 2000.
- Latin as a recognized language started as a joke among the visiting Catholics there that somehow ended up becoming part of the legislature. Whether this was done as a show of goodwill, the recognition of the influence of the Catholic Church and Latin culture or because a large portion of the population and governing body found it that amusing, it is now present.
- The unofficial fourth language of the nation is English, due to the large historical influence of the British and later the Americans. Certainly has made things easier with the tourism industry.
- The national anthem "Unity of the Faithful" is a prayer in song, coming in Latin, Hebrew, and Arabic versions, all three are considered the official versions. Though the "prototype" of the anthem was transcribed in English. Attempts are made to create a unifed version of the anthem consisting of all three languages.
- Due to the international status and importance of the city, many diplomats, ambassadors and bureaucrats have made an impact on the city directly and indirectly as a hub of travel. To where some having jokingly began calling Jerusalem the Holy City of Bureaucracy.
- The various peoples living in the area are encouraged to live and interact with one another peacefully. UN forces serve to bolster the local police to ensure that no fights or chaos breaks out and to maintain a sense of equality and fairness.
- The flag was designed to incorporate the various symbols associated with Jersualem from each of the major faiths along with a corresponding color associated with them such as the Green Islamic Star, the Blue Star of David and the Gold cross of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
- It's believed a major UN office may be constructed in Jerusalem.
- Given the growing importance of the city-state, Israel and Jordan have both pledged plenty of security and support for the nation along with plenty of additional security provided from abroad.
- The International City of Jerusalem have confirmed that they will particpate in the Olympics and likely will be sending some particpants over starting in the 1992 games and beyond. Some have speculate that it may consist of surplus Israeli and Jordanian players under the Jerusalem flag.
- The Unified Assembly legislature uses the proportional voting system, specifically that of party-list proportional representation, with a mix of parties focusing on various factors. Humorously enough, even socialist parties are allowed.
- Jerusalem citizenship is a bit complex, including on organizing it between Israel and Jordan's own systems.
- Another joke among the population is that a communist can always find work as a police officer, namely off the premise that the secular nature of communism means they will be harsh on everyone equally and unbiasedly.
Last edited:
.
Are the 1992 Summer Olympics still gonna be in Barcelona like OTL? And will professional athletes finally be allowed to partake in them?
Winter 1992- Death of a President
Winter 1992- Death of a President
Former US President Mo Udall (June 15, 1922 – Febuary 28, 1992)
Former US President Mo Udall (June 15, 1922 – Febuary 28, 1992)
The Cold War was over, formally proclaimed ove by President Askew and Gorbachev over at visit in Camp David, as further arrangements regarding nuclear weapons and the like were signed and carried out. What fate awaited the world, many wondered? While the SUSR was still in its transitional phase, this left the US as the predominant superpower and now in an awkward position of trying to act as a force of order and maintain some form of peace while balancing domestic issues. However, while much of the world would come to embrace peace and transition into the oncoming new global system, some parts of the world were not so lucky. With the proclamation of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is proclaimed by the Armenians of the region, the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan is escalating into full-blown war. A war that is quickly seeing outside involvement with Turkey sending aid and supplies over to Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, the US has informed their allies, including Iran, to do what is needed to maintain the peace. In fact, Iran's Prime Framadār has arranged a meeting with President Askew over the potential measures that Iran has been seriously considering and informing their ally over to it. The US would look over these plans and send to their key allies in the region along with discussing upcoming peacekeeping plans in addition to other issues. Such as the continuing break up of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. In fact, Slovenia and Croatia would gain independence and begin getting international recognition in some Western countries. This only accelerated concerns over the likelihood of greater bloodshed and thus the United Nations Security Council would approve of Resolution 743 to send a UNPROFOR peacekeeping force to Yugoslavia along with potential further preparations. [1]
At the same time, positive movements were still going on in the world. Khalistan has become open to the world while the new Indian government would be arranging for growing cooperation with the rest of the world with investment along with restructuring in the hope of financial growth and prosperity. Algeria would finally have proper elections outside of its one-party state and despite the concerns of a reactionary party over with the Islamic Salvation Front, the past several years regarding the failues of combining Islam with politics have soured their prospects. Additionally, the party would not last long soon after their loss, they would dissolve into in-fighting caused by the various leaders. As such, Algeria would manage to maintain some level of peace as it would try and balance out the liberal reforms with what was it that the people are wanting and figuring out the way forward. Other notable events included how more than 100,000 attend protests in Nairobi, Kenya demanding an end to one-party rule by the Kenya African National Union and Japan apologizeing for forcing Korean women into sexual slavery during World War II. While the Winter Olympics would be going on this year over in France, more progress was being on some grand project over in Europe, albeit one that has run into some last-minute trouble. The Treaty on European Union had hit some delays caused by a few issues, namely on the economic angle and on how to handle the various approach, especially with the success of more progressive angles and how the actual economic structure should be set up. The Maastricht criteria remained in being in discussion and trying to handle the modern way of handing the Keynesian economic model along with other macroeconomic structures, but the hope was that such an answer would be reached soon. [1] Another reason for the delay was on talks on the future of NATO, namely on how it was supposed to exist in a post-Soviet world and moreover on the involvement of the former Soviet countries. Some were concerned that them joining could be seen as antagonistic to the SUSR while others pointed out that there was always the policy that someone more authoritarian than Gorbachev could come in along with taking into consideration into what the eastern European nations actually want. Interestingly enough, it was the Americans who came up with a novel solution: Have the former Eastern European powers come up with their own defensive bloc/alliance with said bloc having the option to call upon for NATO assistance if need be and vice versa through a contract. It would provide reassurance of western support for eastern Europe, but in an indirect manner. Suggestions for the plan were being sent to prominent eastern European nations for it, like Poland, on the idea.
However, the last bit of news would be the saddest. The passing of former American president Mo Udall at the age of 69. Over the past decade or so, he has been wrestling with Parkinson's and many believed that the intense amount of stress that came with being the President had notably worsened the problems and strains on him though it was often difficult to notice due to the sheer grit and determination that President Udall had displayed in his time in office. Matters were a bit to difficult when he left office as the age and stress seemed to have caught up with him. A nasty fall over in 1991 that led to some serious injuries really highlighted and ultimately, Mo Udall would quietly pass away in his sleep over in 1992 after the long fight with Parkinson's. The news was a massive gut punch to the nation; President Mo Udall enjoyed high favorable ratings as his time in the presidency, known for having implemented plenty of reforms, especially the creation of the NBH and guiding the nation out of the economic recession back from the late 1970s. With the news coming out, President Askew would declare a national day of mourning, ordering all flags within the nation and associated territories lowered to half staff for 30 days after his death. Udall's state funeral would be the official funerary rites conducted by the Government of the United States, occuring over in first few days of March with various world leaders and prominent figures attending it, including Gorbachev and Deng Xiaoping. Additionally, preparations were announced over for the Morris King Udall Library and Museum to be established and built over in his hometown of St. Johns, Arizona. It would give a bit more prominence to the town along with a bit of conflict given how former President Udall cut ties with the Church of Latter-Day Saints, with one reason due to the church's comments on people of African descent. Despite that, the popularity of the former president, especially among the young, would override the concerns there. As the nation mourned, many recalled how the 1980s was defined over by the efforts of President Udall and even how now in the 1990s that is being felt with his successor in President Askew. He is survived by his wife Ella Royston (who has become a spokesperson regarding suicide as she noted to have wrestled with suicidal thoughts for a period of time) and their 5 children.
----------------------------------------------
[1]- Information and phrasing from here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1992
Last edited:
WanderingProfessor
Banned
Concerning post-Cold War Eastern Europe, the eastern half of Ukraine was pro-Soviet and the western half was pro-independence. Eastern Ukraine would be angling to join the SUSR though the west might not accept it and Gorbachev would wish to avoid conflict.
I don't think eastern Ukraine would be willing to split the nation to join the SUSR. While the results were alot close to one another, I don't think they'd actually go and split the nation,
WanderingProfessor
Banned
But there would be conflict over remaining in the SUSR and some would prefer going back to their neighbors.
Probably not enough to warrant splitting the nation. It’d certainly be something that would need to be addressed down the line, but for different reasons.
The main reason why they voted to support Ukraine is because the people there wanted more autonomy:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donbas#In_independent_Ukraine_(1991–2014)
So while the votes would certainly be closer to be sure, the past hauntings would remain. There would still be a large sense of apprehension toward Moscow, especially since a coup attempt did occur, even if a crappy unsuccessful one, would tip the scales.
That said,t he closer situation plus outside forces would lead to Kiev being force to accept the federalization results around the mid-1990s that was voted in OTL.
Would alleviate some of the problems. Economic issues would still be there because it’s a coal mining area and given how most of the nuclear forces were on the western half, this means that they’d wanna remain with Ukraine’s western half to transition to nuclear, since well, everyone knows it’s the twilight of coal and other fossil fuels. Plus, while the Chernobyl incident didn’t happen, it was still in pretty bad shape.
Last edited:
For a later Soviet update, have Georgy Arbatov be seen as a likely successor as Soviet President, or whatever title Gorbachev has now in the new version of the USSR. Also, how this new version of the Soviet Union effects North Korea.
He does earlier than OTL since I reckoned the presidency would’ve stress-aged alot and with the Parkinson’s… yeah. But yeah, definitely would be seen as this big day of mourning ITTL.
Gorbachev stil I charge during transitional period, especially figuring out te system will work.
Yeah will touch on North Korea sooner
1992- A Coup in Qatar
1992- A Coup in Qatar
Middle East Tensions
While the ideaology that has been called "Islamism" or "Neo-Munafiqism" had become discredited in the past decade, especially with the fall of Pakistan, reactionary elements associatated with the faith in Muslim countries continued to prove to be volatile breeding grounds for dissent and rebellion. This would be best seen over in Saudi Arabia. Ever since former President Ronald Reagan recommended the King to suppress the growing reactionary elements within his nation, seeing it as a threat to American interests, the results have been mixed. On the one hand, the heavier repressive tactics on there while maintaining the process of liberalization would lead to a growing radical group within the nation. On the other hand, the downfall of the quasi-theocratic Pakistan and the end of the Palestine goal delivered brutal blows to the numbers of these groups such as the Salafists and like-minded groups. This was reinforced by the success of the secular Iran government. For many of the young people and disaffected, the end of the reactionary movements caused by their internal struggles, unfeasability of their goals and other flaws inherent in them would disillusion them to those ideas. In fact, after a few years of unpopularity toward the Sauds' affinity to the west, they would bounce back up with the realization that in repressing these reactionary elements, they prevented the nation from succumbing to what has become an outdated form of thinking.
That being said, the pendulum swung the other way and the anger would be replaced with a secular one. After all, several Arab states were still ruled by absolute monarchies that are not held accountable to the people and without much of a voice. Additionally, the troubles and issues from said royal families has led to further isolation and tensions. What made it more tense was the success of other Muslim countries. The constitutional monarchy of Jordan has continued to thrive while reforming at their own pace while secular Iran has become a regional power matching Saudi Arabia and Turkey in influence and likely begin surpassing them in importance on the global stage. While Saudi Arabia was the main focus of these newly-shifted tensions, the other Arab nations wold be targeted. After all, they shared many a similarity in function, being monarchies that gained their power through being petrolstates. However, with the growing need to shift the economy away from the usage of fossil fuels for various reasons, there was now a ticking clock over the value of this resource. Coal was being shifted out, gradually accelerating over time while natural gas would become more tightly moderated and modified. Oil would see its decline in the gradual shrinking usage of automobiles as personal transportation, the plans of urban infrastructure shifting toward public transportation primarily and even its indirect usage such for the creation of plastics was becoming more and more regulated, especially in combating what was seen as wasteful usage of a finite resource and plastic pollution on various levels. While this did affect things much on the short term, the people were growing more anxious about the future. Specifically, regarding what happens when the petrol-based economy no longer becomes relevant. These anxieties brought some fresh fuels to the preexisting frustration people were feeling toward their governments for one reason or another.
All it needed was a spark to ignite it.
The Baathists' Man In
The Baathists have slowly crawled out of the pit of near-irrelevancy that they fell into as a result of the rise of Islamism and the splintering of their movement by people like Saddam Hussein or Hafez al-Assad who spun it into their own directions. It was a new world now. One that saw the end of the Cold War and the changes coming from it. They too had to chance or be swept into irrelevancy for good. However, beyond trying to making the changes needed to fit in with the changing world and prove that they possess the superior ideaology, they realized they would need to find a way to prove it while establishing a headquarters for themselves. As such, they would finally strike after a year or so of preparation.
Qatar had been on their radar for the past several months. The increasing tensions between father and son have become more noticeable and in the past years, some representatives from the Baathists have begun meeting with Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the crown prince. Ever since the early 1980s, he set Qatar's basic economic and social policies by leading the Supreme Planning Council. As such, he would begin showing more Baathist sympathies by them getting close to him and supporting future attempts at power. Additionally, the concerns of the monarchy could be passed over by following the example set over in Afghanistan; Sardar Mohammed Daoud Khan, the cousin of the King of the time and thus member of the Royal family, would stage a coup and establish a form of republic though with him in charge. As such, Hamad could do the same, additionally purging any family members loyal to his father and cement his rule through ideology. While other parties could exist, they could still maintain control through the idea of a "loyal opposition", creating the appearance of democracy while holding dominant power and influence through the shadows.
Afghanistan had in particula become a backer for these Baathists and even channeled supplementary support to them through ties with the former Soviet. A form of soft power and influence to set the foundation for future arrangements should this endeavor succeed. The Baathists were now pretty capable and having spent the last several months giving support and backing Hamad, the time was now. The arguments and tensions were getting worse now between father and son and eventually, the father, Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, would not only refuse to give his son control regarding the day-to-day operations, but talks were had over whether or not he wold even lose his seat over in the Supreme Planning Council.
That was the straw that broke the camel's back.
The Change in Leadership
While Khalifa was out of the nation, his son would go and launch his coup behind his back, relying on the support of the Neo-Baathists along with the army and various members of his family, becoming the new Emir. However, the bloodless coup would becoming shocking when Hamad announced that it would be the end of the monarchy, bringing in a republic, much to the shock of many. While his closest family members and those he trusted would be informed, others were quite surprised. Despite this, Hamad would nonetheless still offer a chance for those to come in and embrace the new implemented system.
Unsurprisingly, it did not fare well though Hamad would maintain support of the army and reinforced with the Baathists, was able to curtail most resistance from the beginning. However, to appear maganimous and maintain support, exile would be chosen to all but the harshest, opting for imprisonment instead. The Baathists along with Hamad knew full well a counter-coup was possible, but the appearances of legitimacy were important. Additionally, they also knew that should a counter-coup occur, they could crush it easily in the name of self-defense and further cement their hold. Additionally, if their neighbors would support any counter-coup, they could use it as a potential casus belli for war and spread their influence.
Right now though, it was stabilizing their power. Qatar would officially no longer be a monarchy. It was now a unitary presidential republic.
Additionally, the Baathists would now call themselves the Jadid (Arabic for new) Baathists. These new Jadid-Baathists would assmble under the Qatari New Arab Rebirth Party or the Qatari NAR Party for short. While other parties would be permitted, the Jadid-Baathists worked to ensure that any party would not be too much of a threat against them. They would enforce civil law as the law of the land and Qatar becoming a secular state, noting the success of seperating religion from the state. They would also do away with various punishments, banning flagellation and stoning as punishments along with the process of legalizing some of the various matters and instituting reforms down the line, including the plans for women to vote. All of this was being done to quickly acceptance of the transition of power from foreign powers and jumpstart investment, especially away from petrol. This would include discussing potential US bases in the area along with go to establish closer ties with Afghanistan and even make efforts of peace with Iran, who are quite wary of them due to a good portion of them being veterans of the Iran-Iraq War though them being quite disillusioned with Saddam's leadership and ideology helped a bit there.
Despite many of these reforms, the newly sworn in President Hamad would still have a powerful and authoritarian hand. Political resistance was still disorganized while he and his allies were all too prepared to crush any that would try rising now. Additionally, there would be various prohibitions and restrictions done regarding the new regime, all done in the shadows and presented in the name of national security. Military reforms would also be added in the name of security and in the preparation for a potential counter-coup. Reactionary resistance against the massive changes was dealt with a strong-armed form of ruthlessness with Preident Hamad using the collapse of Pakistan as an example of what he wished to avoid. He also worked with the Jadid-Baathists to appeal with the youth and representing the better future and contrasting against the dogma and antiquated notions of the Islamists and those who thought similarly.
As Qatar would undergo their large change, various watching nations suspected that this would not be the last time such an event would occur...
Last edited:
Yup, still in Barcelone and I'm guessing it will stll be like OTL regarding the rules.
Meanwhile, anyone know anyone that could help with Yugoslavic Wars? @historybuff, @Mynock, ya'll know something or someone who may know?