- Pronouns
- He/Him
Interview with the Venerable Sopo
December 10th 2020
By Olde Delaware
Editors Note: The editor wishes to thank Sopo for his quick response and eagerness to participate. Since the beginning of this project on October 18th 2018, out of 20 interview requests, only 5 were accepted and two sent back. That being from the Venerable Onderkelkia and now the Venerable Sopo. I hope you will all enjoy the interview as much as I did.
Sopo.
To the broader NS world he is known as Ambrella. In Europeia, he is a multiple time former Minister, a former President and First Minister and an honored citizen. He also is only one of two leaders in the 13 year history of Europeia to add the term "Wartime President" to his impressive resume. In this era of discord, fast communication has become key as have development of programs both legal and illegal which allow armies to quickly seize regions; making war in Nationstates move from a snails pace to controlled chaos. At the top of our region, a civilian commander in chief appoints a Grand Admiral who in turn handles the day to day operation of military forces. Never in our history has this level of cooperation between a President and a Grand Admiral been scrutinized by both domestic and foreign powers as much as it was during the short lived NPO war. Join Sopo and myself as we look back at his brief history in the FRA, his time in the ERN and what it was like to go to war in this short interview with this honorable but plucky sloth.
Military Times - First of all, thank you so much for this interview. I've sent out about a half dozen of these and of the respondents only you and the Right Honorable Onderkelkia have sat for one. Onto the questions, on the radio recently you mentioned that former Grand Admiral CSP initially denied you access to the ERN because of your former ties to the FRA. As one of the few players who have played both the defender and independent sphere, what lessons if any did you take from your time in the FRA that you may have applied to your advantage over your illustrious career here in Europeia?
Sopo - Well, really, my time in the Founderless Regions Alliance was so limited that I don't think I took away anything useful. For those unfamiliar, the FRA was made up of member regions as opposed to most r/d militaries today that are just one region. I got involved with the FRA as a regional representative from New Sorvun, not too long after we were raided. New Sorvun was one of my main regions at the time - we're talking 2008 timeframe - and so that raid really spurred my first involvement in wider gameplay and r/d. I enjoyed the politics of the FRA but was only a ranger (member of the military) briefly. I may have gone on one or two missions, if that. I quickly got bored and found raiding to be much more fun once I actually got to know raiders and a bit more about r/d politics. After I joined Equinox and helped found the Church of Equinox guild and our military, the Raiders of Absolute Righteousness, I was definitely no longer a defender. So I was a bit surprised when CSP rejected my application to join the Navy when I joined Europeia. But I was also a bit naive - I wasn't fully aware of the animosity between Euro, its allies, and the FRA. I likely would have done the same in his place, and that's why we laugh about it now.
MT - You recently stepped away from service in the ERN, while a capable soldier, I have only ever known you to be a gentleman statesman as well as a multiple time Minister of Radio so I have to ask what drew you initially to the ERN and would you say that your service in the ERN helped your career in any measurable way?
S - I've been pretty upfront that military service is not my passion in NationStates. I joined the Navy most recently to boost its numbers and to help keep it active. After sticking to it for awhile, it seemed like things were in a pretty good place, so I stepped out. I do think it's important for anyone involved in foreign affairs or who wants to be president to be familiar with the Navy, because it's a crucial piece of our foreign policy. I recognize its importance, it just never called to me in the same way things like radio, culture, and foreign affairs have.
MT - You've had the honor of serving as President and Chief of State of Europeia multiple times and you also have the unique distinction of joining a small handful of former Chief Executives who served as a 'wartime leader'. Take us back to that Declaration of War, what was going through your mind?
S - Honestly, things were blowing up. Europeia internally was going through a bit of a rough patch, and externally the NPO had made a number of pretty brazen moves against fellow feeders like TNP, Lazarus, and Osiris. They were ramping up their rhetoric and Francoism - the belief that GCRs are inherently superior to UCRs - was gaining momentum as popular ideology in other GCRs as well. When two NPO spies were outed in Osiris and the NPO effectively declared war on TBH, we knew we had to act because of the existential threat posed by Francoism. Then, Angelus defected to the NPO and was found supporting them in St. Abbaddon with his Europeian citizenship nation. Things were at a boiling point both here and abroad, and we wanted to lead the charge against the NPO. So we stepped up and were the first region aside from TBH to declare war. it was exciting and frankly some of the most fun I've had in NS.
MT - Was there any time during the conflict or after you left office where you felt that the decision to go to war was wrong?
S - After the first month and after retaking St Abbaddon, it became unclear what we had left to gain. Ultimately, when Kuramia was president, we decided not to linger and withdrew from the conflict. I don't regret the war and I don't regret withdrawing, but I think we could have handled the withdraw process a bit more smoothly. Nonetheless, the war really faded out after that and the NPO instituted reforms, so I know we made the right choice.
MT - The President (At the time, Chief of State) is the civilian head of the Government and the defacto Commander in Chief of the ERN. As CoS, you were able to bring back the Venerable WritingLegend to serve as GA who served throughout the conflict under your Administration as well as your successor, Kuramia. Can you walk us through your relationship with WL, how it came to pass that he would serve another term as GA and any advice he may have passed on to you during the war that you can share with us?
S- Just as a correction, I was still president then. Kuramia was president after me and became CoS with the implementation of the split executive. I was able to bring back Gleg to serve as GA because I had no other choice. Calvin was my original nominee, and he didn't want the job (which he warned me of) and ultimately disappeared. Gleg reluctantly stepped up and performed admirably at a time when the Navy was in pretty poor shape. WL and I have always been friends, and I'd be lying if I didn't say I pressured him some, but he was a champ. The war, too, motivated him and others to step up when they otherwise wouldn't have. So that was certainly a benefit.
MT- It's been almost 2 years now since the conflict, what would you say was the biggest takeaway from it. Where did Europeia succeed and where did it fail and what has been done in the interim to learn from those mistakes and make us a better region and field a better fighting force?
S- Politics makes strange bedfellows? Momentarily, we were united with many people we otherwise wouldn't have been, including Osiris, who we'd just had a falling out with, Cormac, who, you know, is Cormac, etc. I think that's part of the reason the war was successful and also was its undoing. Once we'd achieved the main objective of retaking St A, everyone began to substitute their own personal goals and vendettas. Would it surprise you to know Europeia and Cormac are not always aligned? Some of them in particular benefitted from an ongoing war narrative and the legitimacy and power it gave them. Europeia didn't, and that's why we ended the conflict when we saw nothing left to gain. I wish we had handled that exit a bit more gently, but it was always going to cause a stir. But they didn't accomplish anything else without us, so I feel pretty vindicated in that decision. So, we need to learn to work with others as opportunities arise, but we also can't be afraid to break away when we're being used. in terms of the Navy, I think we re-learned the importance of a constant drumbeat of activity. I really admire Peeps and Istillian for accomplishing that these past few terms.
MT- Lets pretend you are the GA, you have 100 soldiers ready to go, the best of the best from the ERN to TBH, Caer Sidi, TNP, all of us, ready to go. What region do you go for and why?
S - Christmas. Then we can have holiday cheer forever.
MT - If you had the chance to sit down with 5 people, 3 from NS, 2 from history and discuss anything you want. Who would you choose and why.
S -
Lord Alphanesia - He was such an infamous early Europeian and NSer and I'd really like to know what he's up to now and what drove him then.
Mousebumples - A good friend and a great NSer that unfortunately has too little time for us now. But I'd like to catch up.
Max Barry - If he counts as an NSer, I think this one is obvious. He has ruined my life. I hope he's happy.
George HW Bush - Maybe my favorite modern president. I think he was a man of character and he lived such an interesting life. I'd love to meet him.
Caravaggio - He is one of my favorite painters and lived an erratic life shrouded in mystery. I'd like to know how he actually died.
