**** SENDER: [color=#FFCC99]Samuel Degenhardt, IMG| Director of Trade ****
**** TO: [color=#FFCC99]Representative of the Rheinland Bundestag ****
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Guten Tag, Sir.
The IMG has come across some recent developments in the ongoing crisis that should be discussed by the diplomatic envoys.
I have been made aware that there have been some changes inside Rheinland and I need to make sure that our agreements (e.g. rules of conflict, limited nature of the conflict) still are honoured by Rheinland.
Furthermore, I want to express my concerns about the ongoing radicalisation of the general population that certain parts of the Rheinland government, namely a Ministry of Enlightenment, have been commencing recently. Here is a recording of the broadcast: << LINK>>
Needless to say, I understand the need of propaganda in a conflict, even though I see no need to do it against the IMG in this small-scale conflict that doesn't touch inhabited planets and in which IMG combat patrols make sure not to endanger civilians unnecessarily, e.g. by not even shooting at Rheinland miners but by giving them time to move back to their bases.
Infuriating the masses against the IMG (by describing us as terrorists, enemies of the state, allies of Corsairs and Red Hessians) will prove to be a very dangerous strategy in case you cannot win this conflict militarily and a diplomatic solution needs to be found. If you make a demon out of the IMG, your population might have a hard time understanding why - in a few weeks or months - you sit down with this demon at a table to discuss Omega 7 treaties.
Likely you will have already noticed, that the IMG might be able to keep up the skirmishes and economically disruptive missions, even though our military losses are doubtlessly higher than yours in open clashes. But it takes no army of elite pilots to reach our operative goals, while it takes elite pilots to stop us from doing it.
I have stated from the very beginning of this conflict, that it is limited in duration and place and it is important to make sure that the way back to a non-agression diplomacy remains open. I am concerned that at least parts of the Rheinland government seem to be more than willing to drop this chance.
I also want to explain another danger to you that you might not have realized: Your propaganda portrays us as terrorists for various reasons quoted in the broadcasts. But what it fails to see is that the more Rheinland pushes the IMG into the criminal and terrorist twilight in the public opinion, the further you force IMG personel towards the Red Hessian ideology.
It's no secret that formerly peaceful IMG miners that would have exchanged some bad words with Rheinland corporate miners before, left our ranks after the Daumann bomber attack against Freistadt and joined the radicalized Hessian cause.
You have read the news, too, and you will have noticed that Red Hessian actions have become bolder, their strikes harder, their incursions reach deeper into Rheinland. Now, it is of course easy to blame the IMG for that by stating that we support them, pay them, etc., etc. , but as a diplomat you will also see the political danger: the longer this conflict lasts, the weaker the mainstream, lawful IMG mentality will become, while the extreme fractions inside the IMG, but also outside of it - like Hessians, Rotfront, etc - gain strength and numbers. Not by IMG doing anything actively, but by your actions against the IMG.
To sum it up: What I want to warn you of is: Do not tear up a road that you might need to walk back on a few steps on the way to reconciliation. And: be careful not to build up a formidable new enemy by your actions against IMG in Omega 7.
I say that, because I am convinced that a purely military approach will not silence the IMG's attempts to hurt the Omega 7 flow of resources (and in effect reduce it to lower levels of ore extraction than before) and that an long-lasting economic conflict is neither wanted by you nor us.
The only consequence is, that you need to keep the option of a diplomatic solution open. This is what I want to ask for.
In exchange we will continue to try and keep civilian losses low, adhere to the rules of engagement that were signed and not make this conflict bigger than it already is.
Thank you for reading these lines.
Yours sincerely,
Samuel Degenhardt
IMG Director
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![[Image: samuel.jpg]](http://www.augedergasse.de/bilder/chars/samuel.jpg)