Post

Region: AEH

Office of the President,
Carthage City

President Demeter Malaphorus looked over the reports from Tartessus (Spain) with satisfaction. While guerrilla attacks continued to be a nuisance, the internal work of incorporating their new lands into the Republic went on as scheduled.

TYhe President was surprised that the Spanish people living in Tartessus were adapting so easily to Carthaginian rule. Except for the guerrillas, of course, she mused drily. But the ordinary Spanish citizens, once they realized that life under their new masters wouldn't be changing too much seem to have gone along without much demur. In fact, they seem to like the fact that where they live is now safe and peaceful, free from the constant and brutal warfare raging in the north.

Businesses, schools and churches were reopening, with freedom of religion guaranteed. The schools were having to adapt to a new curriculum, and the businesses a new set of labor rules, but that too seemed to be going along reasonably well.

The military side of things was getting ready to begin again as well. With a winter to rest, refit and bring in more troops and equipment, as well as to adapt to the Spanish conditions of operations, the military was getting ready to begin expanding their foothold to the west. This had all taken time, and she knew that time could be the Achilles heel of the entire plan. The plan was drawn up in terms of years, not months, and if it were not continually successful, it could become an albatross around the neck of not only her government, but that of the entire Republic.

But there was no turning back now, she thought to herself. No, they were committed, and would have to stay the course. She turned her attention to developments in the Caribbean and in Europe, neither of which were of great importance to her nor her government, but of which she needed to have an understanding. She saw a folder under the ones on top, an intelligence report on Roman activities in the western Mediterranean. Roman expansion nearer her country interested her greatly, and with them in control of Gibraltar, was concerning vis a vis Tartessus. They had so far shown no interest in expanding their own foothold in Spain, but with the Romans, you never knew.

She pressed the buzzer on the floor and her secretary came in. "Could you make me a fresh pot of coffee?" she asked. She still had a lot of work to do and needed the caffeine.

His Holiness Pope Celestine VI spoke of the Church in Spain today.

"It is painful for me to see the state of the Church in Spain. While the Nationalists allow many churches to be open and to practice freely, both they and the Fascists have closed down churches. Both have imprisoned priests, nuns and monks for doing their Christain duty, with the Fascists executing many. And while the Nationalist actions are mild compared to the Fascists, neither of them is acting in a very Christian manner."

"In contrast to this, foreigners from Africa are acting much more like true children of God. The Carthaginians have not only let the churches remain open, but many of them have also actively participated in the rebuilding of churches damaged during the fighting. We applaud these efforts and thank them for them. We do this without, however, condoning the actions or reasons that have brought the Carthaginians to Spain."

"Although the Carthaginian Church is not in communion with Holy Mother Church, we share many values and beliefs. It well may be that given the state of affairs in Spain, that both the Church and the Spanish people are better off being governed by the Carthaginians than by their own rulers."

Kommeria, Punic-Carthage, and Chinese repubblic

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