COUNTRY # 7

Geography

Mostly arid or semiarid

Rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small discontinuous plains

Natural Resources

Petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc,

Sulfur

People

22,000,000

Median Age 26 years

Birth Rate 17/1000

Death Rate 6/1000

Life expectancy 70 years

77% literacy rate

Economic indicators

GDP = 375 billion / year

GDP / capita = 17,500

GDP growth rate = -1%

Composition by sector

Agriculture = 10%

Industrial = 43%

Service = 47%

Unemployment rate = 12%

% living below the poverty level = 18%

Tax rate

45% overall

Budget

64 billion in revenues

64 billion in expenditures

National Debt = 26%

Agricultural products

wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, sugar cane, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy products, wool; caviar

Industrial products

petroleum, petrochemicals, fertilizers, caustic soda, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), ferrous and non-ferrous metal fabrication, armaments

Energy

Oil

Usage – 800,000 bpd

Production – 2.5 million bpd

Reserves – 138 billion bpd

Military Expenditures as a % of GDP = 2.5%

Overview

The country is one which is at the center of the global system for a number of reasons. First and foremost it is one of the primary oil producers in the world. It has more than 25% of the world’s known oil reserves. Second it is a theocracy based around the Islamic faith. The entire country is structured around the Quran and ensuring the survival and expansion of the Islamic faith.

Its government structure contains both conservatives and moderates and engages in policy making as well as theological debate. The Koran provides the civil law for the country and defines how the people within society are expected to act.

Since the discovery of significant oil reserves 40 years ago the state has become more and more prominent in its dealings with the world system. Depending on which sect holds sway determines how moderate or radical the country will be. During some periods the country was highly fundamentalist while at times it has been moderate. Currently there is a power struggle going on within the country over which group of clerics will come to dominate. The policies of the government represent that mixed and competitive element with some fundamentalist policies, some moderate ones and some which change on an almost daily basis.

Government structure:

As the country is a theocracy it is controlled by Islamic religious leaders. There is a Council of Guardians who are led by a Rabar who acts as the leader of the government but who is in fact a first among equals on the Council. The Council makes the final decisions about all government actions and sets the policy directions that the bureaucracy will follow. The Council is made up of representatives from every sect in the country and an unspecified number of clerics. How the clerics are chosen and how many there are at one time is something that is not public knowledge and is decided internally. The Council of Guardians is also the highest theological council in the country and provides direction to faithful in the country.

The Rabar is chosen from among the Council of Guardians. He retains his position so long as he has the support of the Council. He serves as the chairman of the meetings, defines the agenda, and is the primary representative between the country and the rest of the world. His policy statements are representations of the will of the Council, therefore anything that is said is treated as standing policy by the people within the country and actors.

The central government is made up of secular bureaucrats who implement policy and control the oil fields which are the primary source of income for the state. The bureaucratic structure is one of the most inefficient in the world. Resources are poured into projects and just don’t get where they are sent or are used inefficiently. Thus the “balance” of the budget may in fact not be quite realistic in that oil profits are not fully taken into account within revenue or spending declarations.

Regional government is done through roughly the same structure. For each province there is a local Council of Elders who makes policy. Becoming a member of a local Council of Elders is a stepping stone to the Council of Guardians. Therefore the regional governments are more politically dynamic then the national one due to the fact that only those that excel at the lower level will have a chance to become a member of the Council of Guardians. At times the politics becomes so intense that the Council of Guardians is forced to step in and settle disputes.

The religious nature of the country is supported through the educational system which is based around religious education. The religious nature of the education ensures the new generations are trained in the ways that the country values and that there will be a continuation of a religious state into the future.

The last element of the state which supports its continuation is the religious police. This group is responsible for ensuring that Islamic Law is followed and that violations are punished. Members of this organization are carefully screened and selected to make sure they are “pure” of faith. This organization has the ability to remove threats to society. Trials for those arrested are done according to Islamic Law and all sentences are enforced by the religious police. The only group that cannot be touched by the religious police are clerics, however with an order from the Council of Guardians the religious police can take action against heretical clerics.

Military Capabilities

The military capacity of the nation is significant when taking into account the fanaticism that its troops exhibit on the battlefield. It does not have much of a navy besides a few patrol boats while its air force is made up of aging airframes with technology which is 15-20 years behind the most current generation. In contrast the army is fairly well equipped and supplied with more modern weapons. The training level does not meet the quality of equipment that has been procured, but it is improving. The country does not produce many armaments internally, rather it is a major buyer of armaments from other countries or it at times will take military equipment in exchange for oil. They have stockpiled significant amounts of spare parts and extra equipment in case they are ever cut off from their suppliers.

In putting down recent internal conflicts they have shown some capacity to use chemical weapons but how extensive their stockpile of material is can only be speculated at. They have created a nuclear weapons program and are in active development of weapons grade material. There is speculation that they are within 7 years of having full nuclear capacity, however given the tight internal control within the country that time period may be much shorter.

Ethnicity and Religious Issues:

In terms of ethnicity the society is fairly homogenous without significant cleavages. The major element holding the country together is the Islamic faith. This is a country full of true believers who look to make the country a paradise for the Islamic faith. Dissent against the religion is dissent against the state and dissent against the state is dissent against Islam. Given the linkage between governance and religion the country acts quickly against dissenters or heretics. The country tries to keep out external social or religious views which do not match with Islam. They have tried to limit internet access and popular culture from external sources from entering into the country. Attempts to bring in outside beliefs is dealt with in a swift and harsh manner by the religious police. Numerous missionaries have been executed just for entering the country.

Economic Overview

The country has a very strong economic outlook due to its oil reserves. The economic structure and continued economic growth of the country is completely predicated on the continued need for oil by other countries. Without the oil industry providing the basis for the rest of the economy it would collapse. Oil is the solid foundation on which the economic house of cards is built, so long as the oil industry continues to produce the country will be able to survive and prosper.

One element which the country has focused on is infrastructure building and fresh water creation. Given the arid nature of the region the country has built and maintains some of the largest water desalinization plants in the world. With this investment it is able to ensure that its entire population for the next 40 years will have fresh water for drinking and agriculture.

The agricultural sector is fairly small and cannot feed the entire country. As more fresh water for irrigation becomes available more land is being converted to farmland, this increases the ability to feed the population but still the country is dependent on supplies of food from external sources.

There does not exist a strong manufacturing sector on a large scale. There are small manufacturers but these are for local products only. The sector has not been designed to create significant output but rather to supply the local population.

To completely supply future electrical needs the country is in the process of having several nuclear reactors installed. This has created tension within the international system as it is claimed that these reactors will in fact be used to create fuel for nuclear weapons, whereas the country argues that these reactors will be used exclusively for the production of energy. Currently without the plants the country has 170% capacity in its current electrical system.

Diplomacy

Diplomacy is a difficult issue for the country in that the religious focus that permeates the country also exists in the diplomatic corps. This religious focus makes it difficult to negotiate effectively with nations that are made up of non-believers. Also the diplomatic structure is under orders to protect Islam from the advances of external heathens. At times there have been successful diplomatic negotiations but these have taken significantly longer then normal.

The intelligence apparatus is unique in that information is channeled back to the country through those of Islamic faith who live in foreign countries. This at times is not the most accurate information in that everything is viewed through the lens of religion. Internally there is a very strong intelligence gathering element as the clerics and religious police are continually kept apprised of anything which may in fact be a threat to Islam and the state.

Power level

The power level of country is fairly high in that it possesses many elements which have made it a very strong actor within the system. The primary power of the state rests on its oil production. If it were to stop shipments to certain countries it would be able to cause, in some cases, catastrophic economic damage to the state and the system in general. While this power element means that it can hold other nations hostage it is not all powerful. The lack of ability to feed itself is one element which limits the states power. Some of the nations which is it often at odds with are also the states which have the largest food surplus. This is a significant weakness that has potentially been threatened.

In terms of military options the country is limited in the air and the sea. Its army is of sufficient capability that it would not be an easy element to overcome even for the larger powers. What makes it different is the willingness of its soldiers and irregulars to die for their cause. The religious motivation in which members of the army die to defend the faith is taken as a given. Therefore any opponent must realize that they would not be dealing with a traditional opponent who would be willing to give in when losing. Instead this fanatical element could potentially make the soldiers more dangerous as they would strive to protect the faith and the faithful at all costs.

Current Domestic Situation

On the surface the country appears to be very stable, but underneath this calm appearance there is significant upheaval. First and most importantly the tension between the different religious leaders has grown. Outright warfare has not broken out but large scale demonstrations are occurring while other clerics are using their faithful to resist these demonstrations. The tension within the government is high.

While the concerns over religion are of foremost concern a more practical one is the lack of food. With the poor harvests of Country 5 and the unwillingness of Country # 1 to sell crops your population is having problems feeding itself. While mass starvation has not occurred yet there are many hungry people. If the situation is not corrected shortly the potential for significant upheaval exists.

PLAYER POSITION OVERVIEW:

Rabar: As the first among equals in the Council of Guardians it is your responsibility to lead the council and the state forward. You have spent your life preparing for when you would eventually take control of the Council. Your father was a member of the Council who was purged by previous members. You sit between the Conservative and Moderate members as a bridge and also a swing vote. You at times have selected a more moderate course both in theology and politically but at other times you have been the most hard core of the hard core. There are numerous examples of your choices which have convinced other states in the international system that your country is a pariah state. Your goal is to ensure continued purity among the faithful, growth and welfare for the citizens, and increased size and strength of the country. You have the largest number of followers throughout the country and have been effectively using them to resist mass protests at times and allow others to go through. You have to balance between the competing forces within the council. Your followers are the best fed and in the best physical shape.

Council of Guardians Member # 2: You are the longest serving member of the council having held a seat for over 10 years. Others have come and gone but you still remain a steady and calming voice in the vortex that the Council can become. While considered a moderate, you are also the most gifted scholar and a voice of authority on matters of the Quran. You continue to advocate greater integration between Islam and the state to create an Islamic paradise. Your ultimate goal is to completely remove the secular bureaucracy of the state and see it replaced with clerics. This goal you have slowly pushed over the last decade. This element gives you credibility at times with the conservative group whom you have voted with on issues of theology. You are less concerned with external options then internal actions. You have kept your supporters off the streets, neither supporting nor hindering demonstrations. However you have been able to place more of your followers into positions of the bureaucracy.

Council of Guardians Member # 3: You are the newest member of the Council and also the most outspoken and the most fundamental. You have been on the council less then one year and already you have threatened three other members. You have aligned yourself with elements of the religious police to seek out heretical thoughts within the leadership of the country and have made that a public campaign. You believe that the infidels of the world must be purged or converted. Purging is easier and then the world may be repopulated by the faithful. The use of jihad is something that you advocate to cleanse the world and allow the Islamic paradise to prosper and grow. You have actively used your followers to break up any and all demonstrations within the country. You have formed a paramilitary element within your followers which has become very effective at breaking heads when necessary. However these actions are making you appear even more fundamentalist then before but you have made the decision to push forth with your desire to be the Rabar.

Council of Guardians Member # 4: Another member of the conservative leadership group, you are very concerned with the issues happening in country # 8. You believe that the followers of Islam within that country have lost their way and need to be brought back to the path of righteousness. The willingness to work with Hindu’s shows how corrupted the country has become and the need for the pure to come forth and direct them in how those of Islam should act. The direct use of conventional forces is not your preferred choice but rather preaching, reconversion, and the use of targeted acts of violence to achieve the necessary ends. You are allowing member # 3 to deal with internal issues within the country while you continue to spin your influence into Country # 8.

Council of Guardians Member # 5: You are the most moderate of the members of the Council. Reading the Quran has taught you that people of faith can work together and become one. You are willing to work with those of faith to bridge gaps and make the world more habitable for all. The one thing that you cannot abide by are those who do not accept Allah or God. You are concerned with the power and lack of religion from state # 6. You have continually sent the faithful into that country to spread the word. They have been martyred for their cause; this further pushes you to succeed. You have continually pushed the Council to take greater action to prepare to act against the heathen state through one of the means that is open to them. You are allowing your supporters to take part in the demonstrations if they so choose. You believe that the actions of member # 3 to be over the top but are waiting for them to overextend themselves.

Council of Guardians Member # 6: The last member of the conservative group your focus is not only on the purity of the faithful but also on the power that the state can achieve using faith plus the gifts that have been granted to it. By combining faith and power you understand that the country can become one of if not THE dominant state in the system. The manipulation of oil prices and the destabilization of the unbelievers through acts of sacrifice will allow the power of the country to grow. When the time is right, using all of the power that the country has developed, you shall lead the cleansing in fire that is predicted. You have deployed your followers into the street to break up any protests but also to limit the violence caused by member # 3’s followers which has led to conflict between the two of you.

Council of Guardians Member # 7: As a member of the moderate grouping you are the one most focused on increasing the blessings that are granted to the people. The resources given to this land are a gift from above and therefore must be used to make the lives of the holy better. In addition to making life better, the holy must be protected from those who would attack this area of Islamic paradise. The resources granted must be used to make lives better but also to provide the capability to fully and completely defend the country. Any who attack must be laid low forever especially godless believers or those who incorrectly believe. You have actually led your people into the streets to force the Council to address the lack of food within the country. Your followers have been beaten down by others but you continue to lead them forward, increasing the pressure on the Council. Due to your actions you have drawn many more people to your banner, how many is known only to you.

Leader of the Religious Police: Your job is to ensure purity within the country both at the top and below. While officially you are not allowed to investigate the Council there are concerns about the influence of corruption from outside. This threat is even more pronounced among the people. Your resources are strained by the level of threat that is emerging with new technology. Outsider styles and technology are beginning to infect the paradise and must be rooted out completely and totally. The number of executions which you have asked for and gotten approved has doubled in the last 6 months. Working along with followers of some of the Council members your forces are trying to stem the tide of discontent within the country. Your forces are stretched to the breaking point and there appears to be no end in sight. Without help you will soon overwhelmed especially combined with recent food riots.

Military Commander: You are the supreme commander of all military forces in the country until any of the Council members gives you a suggestion or the Rabar gives you a direct order. You find yourself a commander whose command can be threatened by amateurs in the field of military operations. You have been well trained and are loyal to the country and its religion but you are also a professional who views the world through a military lens. Your army is in good shape but your air force and navy need significantly more resources to reach the level of capability you consider essential. You find yourself in a difficult position as you are bordered by Country # 4 and #8, each of which is a threat for different reasons. You are also unable to protect the country from the power projection capabilities of Country # 1. You need significantly more resources or you will not be able to effectively carry out your goal of making the country secure and stable.