The Defense of Louisiana and Other News

With the Colombians refusing to call off their 90,000-troop expeditionary force, the military of the United Imperium has taken up arms in order to defend its rightful territories. With the defensive contingent in Louisiana and a secondary force prepared to come to the defense of the state, the inhospitable swamps of Louisiana have been made all the more hostile, as up to 150,000 Imperium troops are ready to protect every square inch of their territory. The skies are secure as well, as hundreds of aircraft swarm the sky. Along with the help of the IADS network, these aircraft make sure that Colombia will not enter American airspace. 

The NIEA (National Intelligence and Espionage Agency) has had a major breakthrough. Thanks to their tireless efforts in gathering SIGINT and HUMINT, the armed forces of the United Imperium gained valuable intelligence on the Colombian flotilla: the NIEA found the exact size of the escort fleet . With precise information on the size of the escort for the expeditionary force, Imperium Commanders were able to effectively vector their own forces towards Colombian units with devastating effects. In the air and on the sea, the United Imperium achieved devastating effect. Seventeen aircraft were shot down by Imperium fighters, while four ships were successfully sunk. Two more Colombian ships sustained severe damage. In exchange, eight Imperium aircraft were shot down, and only one ship sustained light damage.

Pictured: Imperium fighter aircraft fires a missile at a Colombian aircraft during a sortie in the Gulf of Mexico

The initial salvo was a decisive triumph, but the United Imperium has no intention of letting up. Per Lieutenant Colonel Schwarzkopf, the commander of the defense of Louisiana:

We have reason to believe the Colombians may be ceding their claim over Louisiana to Novist, who is a member of the JGP. If this were the case, then we would halt the war, as the threat to our land will have disappeared. However, until Colombia confirms this, and recalls their expeditionary force, we will continue to levy decisive force against the enemy.

In other news, Senator Rysander Regan announced his candidacy for the President of the United Imperium. This run will mark Regan's first run at the position since 2080, when his controversial fistfight on the Senate floor cost him the election against President Lincoln. As Regan turned 68 this year, the 2095 election will likely present his last opportunity to run for the Presidency. Currently, Regan is viewed favorably by about 56% percent of the American people, but early polls indicate that only 12% of Americans are willing to vote for him. He stands as the 4th most popular candidate currently in the race: Unitarian Party Member Allan Milienkovich is in the lead, with 44% of Americans willing to vote for him, while two Liberals, Betty Shostakovich and Kasansky Albright, each are expected to commander 19% of the vote. Regan plans on running on a platform which advocates for increased defense spending as well as cutting taxes (especially income and inheritance taxes). Beyond that, it is unclear where Regan will now stand on most other issues, given his extended absence from the Senate.

Pictured: Chart Depicting Percentage of Voters Who Are Likely to Vote for Each Presidential Candidate in the 2095 Presidential Election

As it pertains to economics, the market has fared reasonably in the face of the conflict with Colombia. Most indexes climbed a few points today, and the defense sector in particular saw its value spike as a result of the triumphs against the Colombians in the Gulf of Mexico. However, fear over conflict escalation caused farming stocks and medical stocks to drop a few points. Bar any major developments, the economy should remain stable for now.

In the foreign policy side, Nebelystan reaffirmed their commitment to aiding the United Imperium's defense of its homeland. President Roosevelt went on record to thank the Nebelystanis for their support during this time.

OUT OF RP NOTE: ALL COMBAT ACTIONS IN THIS BULLETIN WERE MOD-APPROVED AND THUS VOIDING THESE ACTIONS CANNOT BE DONE