Senate Hearing: Bacon King for SoEA (Confirmed)

[DemPGH]

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72 hours for questions - no more, no less. Go.

[Maxwell]

You have a long history in Atlasian law. What qualifies you to be Atlasia's leading foreign policy leader?

[tmthforu94]

First, I would like to congratulate you on your nomination!

Do you believe economic/military restrictions should be placed on Israel, and if so, to what extent?

[Bacon King]

First, I thank President Nix for the nomination- I am glad to be offered this opportunity.

You have a long history in Atlasian law. What qualifies you to be Atlasia's leading foreign policy leader?

I believe I possess the level-headed judgement required for international diplomacy and enough experience to prove this claim. The SoEA/SoS position is an interesting one, in that it sets international policy while also creating international events that happen in-universe. I will work closely with President Nix on the former to ensure Atlasia's posture on the global stage remains consistent, and I'll actively cooperate with Game Moderator SJoyce to create active and interesting foreign policy events for Atlasia to experience. I do hope you believe me to be amenable and knowledgeable enough to excel in such a role.

First, I would like to congratulate you on your nomination!

Do you believe economic/military restrictions should be placed on Israel, and if so, to what extent?

Thank you, Senator!

I believe Atlasia's current military restrictions on Israel are sufficient to dissuade them from further settlement expansion- and will hopefully encourage them to enter open talks with the Palestinians. Further conflict in this region will only make it even more difficult for a peaceful solution to be reached. On another note, though, given our current trade agreement with Israel any economic restrictions placed on Israel would be highly inappropriate and place Atlasia in blatant violation of a treaty we signed in good faith.

[Maxwell]

First, I thank President Nix for the nomination- I am glad to be offered this opportunity.

You have a long history in Atlasian law. What qualifies you to be Atlasia's leading foreign policy leader?

I believe I possess the level-headed judgement required for international diplomacy and enough experience to prove this claim. The SoEA/SoS position is an interesting one, in that it sets international policy while also creating international events that happen in-universe. I will work closely with President Nix on the former to ensure Atlasia's posture on the global stage remains consistent, and I'll actively cooperate with Game Moderator SJoyce to create active and interesting foreign policy events for Atlasia to experience. I do hope you believe me to be amenable and knowledgeable enough to excel in such a role.

Do you have a basic foreign policy vision for the role of Atlasia?

[Bacon King]

First, I thank President Nix for the nomination- I am glad to be offered this opportunity.

You have a long history in Atlasian law. What qualifies you to be Atlasia's leading foreign policy leader?

I believe I possess the level-headed judgement required for international diplomacy and enough experience to prove this claim. The SoEA/SoS position is an interesting one, in that it sets international policy while also creating international events that happen in-universe. I will work closely with President Nix on the former to ensure Atlasia's posture on the global stage remains consistent, and I'll actively cooperate with Game Moderator SJoyce to create active and interesting foreign policy events for Atlasia to experience. I do hope you believe me to be amenable and knowledgeable enough to excel in such a role.

Do you have a basic foreign policy vision for the role of Atlasia?

We must be an involved member of the international community, working actively within organizations such as the UN and the GTO to ensure multilateral consensus-driven solutions to the problems facing the world. I strongly believe in allowing opportunities for diplomacy whenever it may prevent needless bloodshed. Atlasia isn't the world's cop, no, but as a member of the United Nations Security Council it is our responsibility to the global community to do what we can to prevent abuses of human rights whenever and wherever possible, by working with our international colleagues across the globe.

[Maxwell]

You mentioned preventing needless bloodshed. That is always something I and many others look for in a foreign policy vision. I have one more, kind of rudimentary question.

When do you believe it is necessary to declare war? Are there any sort of universal requirements?

[Bacon King]

When do you believe it is necessary to declare war? Are there any sort of universal requirements?

In matters of life and death there are no absolutes; ideally every instance should be looked at individually, with full consideration of all available facts, rather than merely looking at a situation through any sort of ideological lens. Having said that, however, I do find there to be several circumstances where one could reasonably assume armed conflict to be only option reasonably available.

In defense of an ally. As you are no doubt aware, I am a strong believer in the rule of law and its fair, consistent application. Atlasia is currently a party to several international agreements wherein we and other nations mutually pledge to defend each other in the event of a hostile attack or invasion. It would be utterly dishonorable for us to fail to heed a a friend's call for help.

To stop atrocities when they can not be otherwise prevented. I believe that in certain severe circumstances, the use of force can be a moral obligation. The Rwandan genocide is a prime example of how terrible the consequences of a failure to act can be. Our embassy staff saw exactly what was happening as they were ordered to leave the country. UN Peacekeepers witnessed the Prime Minister's own family being butchered with machetes, before they too were told to leave. The United Nations Security Council received constant pleas to intervene from the UN's General Romeo Dallaire, who remained in the country witnessing the bloodshed day after day, all in the vain hope of possibly saving more than a small handful of lives. Nearly one million people died, and we could have stopped it. We knew we could have stopped it- but did nothing. If our nation has any moral compass at all we can never allow blood to be on our own hands like that ever again.

To protect and defend ourselves. While a conventional assault like Pearl Harbor is not likely to occur again, the specter of a terrorist attack unfortunately remains. While we must obviously obverse all international laws and customs and respond in a cautious, even-handed manner, if another event like 9/11 happens we must obviously bring the perpetrators to justice. And if we have solid, actionable evidence that such a plot is immanent, we must stop it before it happens. This is not to imply that I favor "War on Terror" policies or that I believe the strategy surrounding our Middle East invasions was particularly sound, but something must be done lest we leave the perpetrators free to try again.

[Maxwell]

Fair enough. I will vote in favor of the nominee.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Mr. Kingman,

I have all the respect in the world for your expertise but such is only an asset if it is available. In the past we have been dismayed to be deprived of your knowledge and expertise and therefore I am obligated to inquiry first if this will not be the case this time and if so, why won't it be?

[Gass3268]

What do you think Atlasia's relationship with Israel should look like? 

[TNF]

What do you think Atlasia's relationship with Israel should look like? 

I second this question, while also questioning as to what your position in general is on military aid.

[Bacon King]

Mr. Kingman,

I have all the respect in the world for your expertise but such is only an asset if it is available. In the past we have been dismayed to be deprived of your knowledge and expertise and therefore I am obligated to inquiry first if this will not be the case this time and if so, why won't it be?

Do not fear I'm actually seeing a councilor for time management issues and it's been helping a lot. My flakiness has been a routine problem IRL as well.

What do you think Atlasia's relationship with Israel should look like? 

While their interests and our own can sometimes be far from synchronous, they are an important Atlasian ally in the region. Regarding their conflict with Palestine, I strongly support a two-state solution and I believe the unique strategic relationship we share with Israel can be used to encourage and/or pressure Israel into entering good-faith negotiations with the State of Palestine. We should use both the stick and the carrot, so to speak, to push Israel to establish a moratorium on settlement construction.

I second this question, while also questioning as to what your position in general is on military aid.

While I understand it can be useful in certain situations, in general I would say that I oppose military aid in most circumstances.

[President Tyrion]

Serious questions: In your kingdom, Mr. Kingman, did Hansel and Gretel lay down bacon crumbs to lead the way to a house made of bacon? Would you extradite any bacon witches living in Sweden? What is your position on basically no one in the Middle East eating bacon?

Non-serious questions: Do you support the unilateral annexation of territory? What is your position on the annexation of Canada?

[DemPGH]

While Tyrion's question may certainly be answered, let's go ahead and move this to a final vote. Go.

[TNF]

Aye

[TJ in Oregon]

Aye

[tmthforu94]

Aye!!

[bore]

Aye

[Maxwell]

Aye

[Sbane]

Aye

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

A very reluctant nay. I hope to be proven wrong, Mr. Kingman.


Mr. Veep?

[DemPGH]

Confirmed! Currently 6-1.

[Gass3268]

Aye

[Bacon King]

I kindly thank the Senate for my confirmation