Background to “G1: The Guardians” #4

AFAS: Alliance of Free Arab States

A politico-military union of Arab states with little or no (known) oil reserves.  The first reasonably harmonious alliance of such nations, established originally by Egypt, Jordan and the North African Arab states.  While supporting CANE (q.v.), they are wary of them, due to frequent eruptions of fundamentalist extremists.  An Egyptian initiative, supported by Jordan, saw the embracing of Israel as an Hamito-Semitic state.  A liberal Israeli Government made certain minor concessions with regard to the ‘Palestinian Question’, and in return received a non-aggression guarantee.  It was a master stroke, effectively removing Israel from the influence of the USNA (q.v.).  Part of the agreement has seen Israeli specialists helping to turn desert into arable land.  The largest such project is the Great Qattara Initiative (GQI), where bores have been drilled from the Mediterranean and Red Seas to the vast Qattara Depression, which is actually the remnant of a prehistoric inland sea.  Desalination facilities surround the Qattara Sea, which have significantly reduced the salt levels of the water, while providing valuable products.  Many thousands of displaced persons of the Middle East have settled in the region, thanks to the offer of free homes and land.  These provide a workforce for the ongoing battle against the desert.  AFAS is governed by a Great Council based in Alexandria, Egypt, but the location of it’s Military Executive’s headquarters is not, at this time, known.

CANE: Coalition of Arab Nations in Exile

An organisation, with their headquarters in Tunis, Tunisia, representing those Arab nations ousted by the USNA (q.v.), and dedicated to regaining their homelands and ejecting the Americans from all the Middle East, by any means necessary.  Despite the loss of oil revenues, CANE has vast economic resources and has amassed significant nuclear weaponry.  They are hampered by small numbers of well trained military and by constant internal bickering.  CANE is strongly supported by AFAS (q.v.), though warily, and by CAEP (q.v.).

CAEP: Central Asian Economic Pact

A vast area is covered by the nations of this ostensibly economic alliance.  Following attempts by the USNA (q.v.) to seize Asian oilfields near the Black Sea, a loose alliance of small Asian nations succeeded in preventing the small American task force from acquiring the territory and CAEP was swiftly established, aided by the old Russian Federation, who supplied the Pact with a significant, if very old, nuclear arsenal.  Since its establishment, CAEP has built a potent, very well trained military wing, with strong emphasis on air and ground forces capable of close co-operation.  They are rumoured to have succeeded in gaining a more modern nuclear establishment, employing nuclear specialists from various nations.  CAEP is headquartered at one of the most ancient, historic locations in Asia: Samarkhand, Uzbekistan.  It’s military high command is located at a modern complex some seventy kilometres north-east of the city, thus allowing Samarkhand to be named a Free City, and therefore protected against military action under International Law.

CIN: Commonwealth of Islamic Nations

An international organisation promoting co-operation and mutual aid and support, though not in a military sense.  In fact, it is governed by a council of Muslim clerics and senior, retired, business experts.  Vast quantities of aid are provided to needy areas annually.  There is also funding, expertise and material provided for major projects to improve public safety and environmental schemes, such as preventing the frequent flood disasters in Bangladesh.  Despite the clerical involvement in CIN, it only ever acts as mediator is religious disputes between Sects.

Copyright © Steve K Smy, 2013.  All rights reserved.