Sarzonia

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The Incorporated States of Sarzonia
sarzonia.jpg GreatSeal.jpg
Flag and Great Seal of Sarzonia
Freedom is never truly free unless you work for it.
Map

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Spoken Languages
 - Official
 - Unofficial

English
Spanish, Pacitalian, Latin
Capital Woodstock
Five largest metropolitan agglomerations

Nicksia (156 million)
Portland (78 million)
Wilmington (56 million)
Portsmouth (45 million)
Tacoma (39 million)

President Mike Sarzo
Lieutenant President Nicole Lewis
Area
 - Total
 - % water

926,375 km²
9.1% water
Population
 - Total (4 February 2006)

4 billion (AO: 13th)
Establishment 22 March 2004
Government type Bicameral-parliamentary
Nation type Presidential republic
National animal Tiger
National flower Sunflower
National tree Sarzonian Eucalyptus
GDP (2005)
  - Total (USD)
  - GDP/capita (USD)

$136,320,625,750,000
$36,933.25
Currency 1 dollar ($) = 100 cents (¢)
National Charter of Rights Sarzonian Constitution
Time Zone GMT/UTC -0300
International Abbreviations
 - sport
 - government

SRZ
SARZ
Pronunciation (IPA) /sɑɹzˈoniˌʌ/
Naval Craft Classification
  - Military
  - Civilian

ISS
ISNS
National Anthem Freedom by Stevie Nicks
CHDI (2006) 0.929 (high)
Internet TLD .srz
Calling Code +17

Introduction

The Incorporated States of Sarzonia is a country founded on the democratic system of government. Much like the former United States of America, the country has three branches of government: Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary. The legislature is comprised of a bicameral Parliament where the chamber directly elected by the people is the upper chamber. The chamber appointed by state governments is the lower chamber. The current President serves for life, but upon his departure from office, the Presidency will be subject to a limit of two six year terms, consecutive or otherwise. The Supreme Judicial Court includes a Chief Justice, six Associate Justices and four Alternate Justices. Sarzonia is made up of 25 states and one capital district which receives full voting rights as if it were a state. Each Delegate represents approximately 3 million people, and Delegates are elected every two years. Senators are elected every four years.

Founding a new nation

A small collection of American citizens irritated with the United States under President George W. Bush left the country after the controversy surrounding the 2000 election. The small group of citizens, led by Mike Sarzo, found a landmass surrounded on both sides by the Atlantic Ocean and settled there, and as more people joined them, the citizens began to see themselves as an independent nation. They announced a Declaration of Non-Affiliation with the United States, eventually securing independence by an act of Congress on 22 March 2004, annoucing the new nation's name as the Incorporated States of Sarzonia.

The new country took a while to establish itself but it quickly decided that a structure similar to that of the former United States was desirable. Toward that end, it established a bicameral Parliament as a legislative branch, a Supreme Judicial Court to serve as its judicial branch, and a President to serve as the country's chief executive. However, the government makes some noticeable departures from the U.S. Instead of one Vice President, the nation had two Senior Vice Presidents, Internal Affairs for the day-to-day operation of the country and to serve as the proverbial "one heartbeat away from the Presidency," and a Senior Vice President for External Affairs, to serve in a role equivalent to a foreign minister. In recent years, the titles were renamed, as Nicole Lewis was promoted from Senior Vice President for Internal Affairs to Lieutenant President and Mark Lorber's title was recast as Senior Vice President and External Affairs Officer.

Other differences from the U.S. include the House of Delegates, which according to the Sarzonian constitution is directly elected by the people every two years, serving as the upper House in Parliament with influence equivalent to that of the United States Senate or the British House of Lords. The Senate, appointed by state governors and confirmed by their legislatures, is the lower House, equivalent to the U.S. House of Representatives or the British House of Commons. Instead of Secretaries or Ministers, Cabinet positions in Sarzonia are run by Vice Presidents.

Establishing Naval Excellence

Among the notable citizens who joined Sarzo on the new landmass was a descendant of the man who designed the first six ships in the United States Navy. Josiah Humphreys. a shipbuilder in his own right and a descendant of Joshua Humphreys, was instrumental in the establishment of the naval traditions of Sarzonia. Along with other men such as John Newman and Sarzo himself, the Incorporated Sarzonian Navy would soon establish itself as a first-rate military organisation within the Incorporated Sarzonian Military. The new Navy established itself by making several purchases from the Royal Shipyards of Isselmere-Nieland, which immediately struck the Sarzonian braintrust as being among the best in the world. With a young Commodore Marcus Patinkin among the first naval officers to help establish the tradition, the ISN took part in a combat exercise against the experienced navy of Feazanthia. Despite overwhelming disadvantages in aircraft and capital ship firepower and despite their own inexperience, the Sarzonian Navy more than held its own. The "loss" infused the Navy with great confidence due to its ability to stand up against a larger force.

History

Standing up to genocide

It didn't take very long before the nascent Incorporated Sarzonian Navy fired its weapons in anger. The nation of Holy Panooly began an ethnic cleansing programme that infuriated many Sarzonians, and the government quickly began to mobilise. Sarzonia soon found itself allied with Austar Union and Axis Nova against Holy Panooly in a war that Sarzonian textbooks called the Panooly Wars. A Sarzonian bombardment of the city of Theohuanacu proved to be the wrong city, and the mistake cost Admiral Charles Taylor his job as the commander in chief of Sarzonian naval forces. The ISN also suffered the loss of several destroyers and the Region class battlecruiser ISS Truxtun to a Panooly attack. Following the attack, the Sarzonians prepared an amphibious assault with missile boats and smaller combatants beginning a riverine assault with the aim of splitting Holy Panooly into three military districts in a divide and conquer strategy. The government of Holy Panooly collapsed before the plan could be fully implemented.

First Civil War

Following Sarzonia's war against genocide, the nation ratified Article XIII of the Sarzonian Constitution, angering citizens in the state of Bausch, which bitterly opposed the measure. In particular, the state was angered over the provisions in the Article expressly prohibiting discrimination against members of the LGBT community. The state announced it would secede from Sarzonia and Isselmere-Nieland and Morathania supported the Sarzonian government against the rebels, who were supported by Nellisland and Emasculata. Eventually, however, the Sarzonian government prevailed after the Bauschians witnessed the conventional shelling of their state capital, Townshend. The citizens of Bausch who supported the insurrection would witness the denial of voting rights as part of the surrender terms.

The Camian Wars

After the Sarzonian victory over the Bauschian rebels, the nation turned its attention to Nellisland, prepared to make their government pay for its support of the rebels. However, before that could happen, the dictator Nellis was killed before he could pull the trigger on his son, Michael Nellis. The nation quickly fell into its own civil war, but Sarzonian intervention including an air strike that took out most of the Nellis loyalists' air cover soon helped bring victory to the forces led by Michael and Connie Nellis.

However, the story was just beginning. The nation of Cam III launched cruise missile strikes at Nellisland, but with a sizeable Sarzonian fleet present, the ISN shot down the cruise missiles. The move only incited Cam III, which began orbital bombardments of Sarzonia. Quick thinking by several nations brought temporary peace after the Gray House and Parliament Hall were both bombarded. That didn't resolve the situation, however, as Cam III was further angered by insistent Sarzonian objections to their joining the Restored Extra Solar Union of Systems, ESUS for short. They declared war and launched a massive ICBM strike, but the move backfired when one of the first dogpiles in International Incidents history saw over 20 nations support Sarzonia militarily while none cided with Cam III. Sarzonia eventually demanded unconditional surrener of Cam III, but settled for massive reparations and disarmament.

That still didn't end the Cam III story, however, as the nation erupted into civil war, bringing Sarzonia and two of its staunchest allies against Cam III, Praetonia and Morathania back into battle once again. The Camians launched nuclear strikes against all three nations, angering President Mike Sarzo enough to order a carpet nuclear strike and the near complete emptying of Sarzonia's strategic nuclear arsenal. The move resulted in the complete destruction of Cam III.

CorpSac War

The Camian Wars weren't the only conflicts the Sarzonian military was fighting at the time, however. The nation of CorpSac threatened Praetonia in an attempt to force that nation to turn over a military probe from United Korean Nations that violated Praetonian sovereign territory. Sarzonia issued a counter demand that CorpSac stand down from its military threats against Praetonia, but when the larger nation refused to, all three countries girded for war. When it was clear to both sides that negotiations would not work and CorpSac began to mobilise its orbital assets, Sarzonia targeted those assets with its ground-based weapons.

Not realising that Praetonia wasn't the country that targeted its assets, CorpSac declared war on Praetonia. That move brought immediate retaliation by Sarzonia, which declared war on CorpSac and fired its airborne lasers against the orbital platform, destroying it. The Sarzonian navy was sent to Praetonian waters to help the Imperial Praetonian Navy patrol those waters and protect it against a CorpSacian strike. Before the Sarzonians could fire a shot in anger, the Praetonians launched a massive cruise missile strike, destroying the surface assets of CorpSac. The submarines in the area surrendered and the Sarzonian navy collected the sailors, then destroyed the subs.

'Fight Crazy With Crazy'

Soon afterward, CorpSac and Praetonia agreed to a cease fire and peace negotiations, and since Sarzonia was at the centre of the conflict with Praetonia, the Sarzonians tagged along with Rear Admiral Marcus Patinkin leading the negotiations from the Sarzonian side. The CorpSacian general made several demands, including reparations from Sarzonia for destroying its orbital platform and its submarines after they'd surrendered, but Sarzonia refused. Meanwhile, the CorpSacians again demanded the return of the probe to United Korean Nations. The tragic irony of the war was that United Korean Nations asked CorpSac to stand down from its military threats before the war began and CorpSac ostensibly took on Praetonia for United Korean Nations.

The negotiations looked like they were well on the way to breaking down and having hostilities resume until Patinkin, convinced the CorpSacian general was crazy decided to, in his words, "fight crazy with crazy." He took on a crazed countenance and seethed, "we have your men," and threatened to kill all of them if CorpSac didn't stand down its military. The move was a gamble, but it paid off when the general reacted with outrage and looked desperately for an out that would make the CorpSacians look like they'd won. They got that when the Praetonians completed their inspection of the probe and returned it to United Korean Nations, then the war ended.

Inkana Civil War

After a period of tranquil relations between Sarzonia and Inkana, the two nations soon found their histories intertwined to the detriment of the Sarzonian military. Six provinces in southern Inkana seceded from the Empire to form a Confederacy under R. E. Lee in an effort to overthrow Emperor Ferdinand Joseph. Sarzonia debated which side to join, but when Generic Empire and Doomingsland sided with the Confederates, the Sarzonian government's position was decided in spite of Sarzonia's stated goals of fighting for democracy and freedom. It and longtime allies Isselmere-Nieland both supported the Royalists in the Inkana Civil War, which proved to be a disaster for the Sarzonian military. The poorly-trained army and lack of aerial support blamed mostly on outdated aircraft combined with startlingly poor efforts by the vaunted Incorporated Sarzonian Navy in a disjointed performance that resulted in Senate hearings with the intent of introducing major reforms. The largest problem facing the Sarzonian government, however, could have been antiwar protests that raged in several major cities and spurred calls for the impeachment of Sarzo.

Sarz-Panteran War

Sarzonia's fragile confidence in its military would be sorely tested just months after the nation started licking its wounds from Inkana as Pantera attacked the Sarzonian colony of Branwyn. The Panterans are believed to have expected the colony to fall after only a matter of hours with their opposition being an uncertain militia and a disgraced army, a small naval force, and the same aircraft that were humiliated in Inkana. However, the military did much to redeem its sullied reputation by fighting fiercely, a fact attributed partly to the difference in objectives.

While the Sarzonians who fought in Inkana were fighting for abstract aims of freedom and democracy or the legitimate rule of an imperial government in spite of Sarzonian dislike of empire, the Sarzonians and Branwynians facing the brunt of the Panteran assault were fighting for something much more basic: Their homes, their freedoms, and their way of life. Unlike the divided house which crumbled easily against the "Doomies," as the Sarzonians called their opponents in Inkana, the command structure in Branwyn was unified. Shore-based anti-surface missiles, a naval squadron, and land-based and naval aircraft coordinated strikes against the Panteran fleet and landing forces, incurring significant losses that made establishing a beach head difficult.

In an attempt to seize initiative and win the hearts and minds of the Branwynian colonists they were fighting alongside, the Sarzonian government quickly moved to pass a Declaration of Sovereignty, proclaiming the areas of Branwyn under Sarzonian control independent. The move was designed to galvanise Branwynian support for Sarzonia and present a united front against the Panterans. Meanwhile, the Sarzonians landed a corps at St. Christine's and rushed them up to the city of Bonham, where a small force of Sarzonian and colonial militia set up armoured units in an effort to encircle the Reavers in their expected path toward Entwhistle. Operation Hangman, as the plan was called, was designed to surround the Reavers with armoured units and close the proverbial noose with infantry. Before the plan could be implemented, Pantera called for a cease fire and peace negotiations, which resulted in the Sandstone Accords, ending Sarzonia's and Pantera's direct involvement in Operation Hellfire.

Although the war was technically a draw and the strategic outcome could be debated by either side, the fact the Sarzonians stood up to one of the world's megapowers and delivered as many blows as they were expected to inflict. The result fired the imagination of the Sarzonian population and town centres that previously witnessed antiwar protests during Inkana now held victory parades.

Legalities

Constitutional overview

The Sarzonian Constitution originally written in May 25, 2004 was largely based on the constitution of the United States of America, from which many native Sarzonians defected. The government was based on similar principles of representative government to that of the U.S., but unlike the U.S., the chamber directly elected by the people is the upper chamber of Parliament. The Senate, whose members are appointed by state legislatures, is the lower chamber of the bicameral legislature. Also unlike the U.S., the capital district, Woodstock, has full voting rights in Parliament as if it were a State, though it is not a state. In a process that mirrors that of the 25 states of Sarzonia, the city's mayor nominates two Senators, who must be approved by the City Council.

After the original 12 Articles of the Constitution, later Articles are proposed either by the Parliament and voted upon by the people, or are proposed by the States and ratifed by the House of Delegates. Since the ratification of the Constitution, there have been eight Articles added. The most recent Article, Article XX, formally establishes as written canon the legal precedents of using U.S. common law from 4 July 1776 to 22 March 2004 and using British common law prior to the U.S. Declaration of Independence and was based on an article in the Maryland constitution.

Legal highlights

During wartime or "declared national emergency," the President has the authority to invoke the Wartime Powers Act, which permits the President to suspend the writ of habeus corpus and suspend the Constitution for the duration of the emergency. However, the Wartime Powers Act has built in limitations that require the President to rescind restrictions upon the conclusion of emergencies.

The Sarzonian government announced that civil unions confer the benefits that marriage confers in many other countries, ensuring full separation of church and state and creating a level playing field for the LGBT community. Several months after that declaration, widely supported by the Liberal Party in Sarzonia, President Mike Sarzo announced he is gay and announced that former Sarzonian Secret Service agent Jay Tyler was his partner, and upon the announcement, Tyler was given the ceremonial title of First Partner.

Children as young as 13 may stand trial for first degree murder, and may be subject to the death penalty if found competent to stand trial and guilty of first degree murder under the most extreme circumstances. The youngest inmate to be executed was a 15-year-old boy.

Second Civil War

Late one evening, Sarzo went for a walk around Woodstock without the Secret Service and was captured by a group calling itself the Restore Sarzonia Task Force. The group then stormed Parliament Hall and seized control of the government behind former Vice President for Defence Terrence Newman, who then initiated plans to scale back many of Sarzonia's human rights advances, in particular, the parity of marriage laws for same sex and opposite sex couples. The group, declared a terror organisation by the Grand Duchy of Hamptonshire, also intended to withdraw Sarzonia from several alliances, including the Restored Extra Solar Union of Systems, ESUS for short. Shortly after the coup, Senior Vice President for Internal Affairs Nicole Lewis and Senior Vice President for External Affairs Mark Lorber fled, Lewis to Isselmere and Lorber to Praetonia. Meanwhile, Isselmere and Hamptonshire both hatched plans for rescuing Sarzo, imprisoned in Sarzonia's most notorious prison, the J. Edgar Hoover Correctional Facility. An elite unit from the Grand Duchy launched a bold raid of the prison and rescued the President, taking him to the Hamptonian embassy.

The second prong of the attack on the RSTF was a combined naval and aerial assault on forces loyal to the RSTF by over 3,000 warships of the Hamptonian and Isselmerian-Nielander navies. The naval attacks were opposed by two squadrons of Sarzonian ships totalling no more than 20 ships, with one light carrier and one battleship. However, the rebels took out nearly a dozen of the largest warships opposing them before their fleet was eventually overrun. The Hamptonian aerial assault and landings, coupled with a raid by Pacitalia's renowed SAFD and a bungled attempt at a rescue by a force from Sarzonian allies Al Sabir soon resulted in the capture of Wilson and much of the brain trust of the RSTF. Wilson was ultimately killed by a bullet from Sarzo himself.

Sports

Owing to their combined heritage of several countries, Sarzonians are rabid sports fans. Among the favoured sports is football, known among some countries as soccer. Right behind it is gridball, a sport known in other parts of the world as "American football." This uniquely Sarzonian name for the sport was originally a nickname given to the sport known legally as "Gridiron football, formerly known as American football." However, that moniker proved so cumbersome that hardly anyone, even the people who coined the "official" name, ever referred to it thusly. An act of Parliament approved by Lieutenant President Nicole Lewis at the explicit consent of President Sarzo officially changed the name to gridball. When Sarzonia hosted the inaugural AO Bowl, the name quickly spread throughout the Atlantian Oceania region. Other popular sports include basketball, lacrosse, and hockey.

Accomplishments

While it is debatable that Sarzonia may be considered either a naval or military superpower, some observers describe the country as a sporting superpower. National teams have won three championship trophies, including World Cup 22, AOCAF XII, Cup of Harmony X (post-World Cup 18), and Baptism of Fire IV (pre-World Cup 16). Sarzonians have also competed in the finals in basketball, gridball, hockey, and the Under-21 World Cup. The Woodstock Wild of the Sarzonian Football Confederation won the inaugural AO Champions League.

Foreign relations

From the outset, starting with many purchases as the United Kingdom of Isselmere-Nieland's Royal Shipyards, Sarzonia and Isselmere-Nieland began to open relations, eventually culminating into an alliance that became Sarzonia's longest-standing. At the very beginning, Isselmere-Nieland aided Sarzonia in its First Civil War, defended Sarzonia against aggression by Nellisland and Muktar, then joined a coalition of countries that opposed Cam III's attacks on Sarzonia. Sarzonians got their chance to return the favour when Haukka threatened Isselmere-Nieland following the RSIN's refusal to sell them warships. Sarzonia's President Mike Sarzo sent a direct threat to Haukka. Shortly after that, Haukka backed off its threats against Isselmere-Nieland.

Over a lengthy period, Sarzonia has developed a reputation throughout the world as a country that holds human rights dear and has stridently opposed nations who have actively strived to suppress such rights. Early in Sarzonia's history, the nation of Challenger 2 began a programme aimed toward the eradication of homosexuals, but a coalition including Sarzonia amassed ships and assembled an invasion force. Sarzonia imposed a deadline whereby the nation would begin its invasion if Challenger 2 didn't stand down. Eventually, they did and the invasion was called off. Following the incident, Sarzonia began its first overtures to Praetonia, which resulted in a longstanding alliance and friendship between the nations that has lasted to this day.

Much later, the nation of Moronyicka began a plan to execute homosexuals, then when international pressure began to mount, they agreed to send homosexuals to a nation that openly announced its plans to eradicate them. However, the aircraft carrying them was intercepted by Sarzonian warships in the area and forced to land. The Moronyicka incident was remarkable for the fact that even though Sarzonia's naval assets near Moronyicka were relatively insignificant (one squadron versus two Moronyicka fleets), the Sarzonian commander threatened to send both Moronyickian fleets to the bottom and their national leadership seemed concerned that Sarzonia could make good on its threat. Among the nations standing up against Moronyicka was Skinny87, another nation the Sarzonians hold in high regard.

See also

Atlantian Oceania on NSwiki
Main articles: Atlantian Oceania, AO QuickInfo
Nation pages: 95X, Acarionne, Amarenthe, Atheistic Right, Az-cz, Bazalonia, Bettia, Bostopia, Chacor, Crystilakere, Delesa, Demot, Falcania, Fmjphoenix, Geisenfried, Hypocria, Iizaarland, Khazaron, Kura-Pelland, Lamoni, Lontorika, Manhattan Prime, Maraque, Milchama, Morgrugyn, Nedalia, New Montreal States, Nojika, Northern Bettia, Nova Britannicus, NSWC Signups, Oliverry, Pacitalia, Quakmybush, Sarzonia, Schiavonia, Spruitland, Starblaydia, Tempalhiyon, The Islands of Qutar, The Lowland Clans, Turori, Ubundi, Unified Capitalizt States, Vephrall, Vilita, Walsallia, Western Afghanistan, Wulaishen
Regional info: Atlantian Oceania Regional Defence Organisation, Atlantian Oceania Regional Free Trade Organisation, Atlantian Oceania UN Voting, Lake Bekk, Major airports in Atlantian Oceania
Sports-related: AO Bowl, AO Champions League, Atlantian Oceania Cup of Association Football (AOCAF)
For more information or to see non-listed pages, please see Category:Atlantian Oceania.