A hard-earned foothold!
Earlier today, Glatixland launched a massive invasion of the previously-held territory of Sardinia, in order to rescue its denizens from the oppressive grip of self-determination. The state spent many hours deliberating how best to go about the liberation, and it was finally determined that acts of extreme violence were the only reasonable answer.
Following a series of airstrikes on Olbia, Sassari, and Porto Torres, Glatixian special forces landed at several points along the northern Sardinian coast. Initial damage to Porto Torres had been overestimated, however and heavy resistance resulted in a failure to secure the vital port. Instead, forces were refocused on the port of Santa Teresa, overrunning the largely undefended dockyards. With a foothold secured, plans are being drafted to integrate the remainder of the island.
GlatixlandWehr chief Klaus Von Murderdorf has stated that, while conflict was necessary to secure a foothold, a diplomatic solution will be pursued for the remainder of the island:
"We fully intend to negotiate with the people of Sardinia, as is the Glatixian way. We've already deployed skilled diplomats, alongside at least 3 million metric tons of munitions, to discuss the future of our Sardinian citizens. Some might imply that flooding Sardinia with a massive military presence and then demanding their unconditional surrender is 'gunboat diplomacy'. We find this accusation to be patently ridiculous, as the Glatixian Navy remains moored in Katesville. Yes, it's true that every single gun, missile platform, and torpedo tube in the navy is aimed squarely in the direction of Sardinia, but like we said the anchors are down so it doesn't count. It may -also- be true that any rejection of our demands, or even any attempts to otherwise negotiate, will be met with a nigh-apocalyptic level of ground and air bombardment, but we don't feel that such things imply any measure of real coercion. The Sardinian people are perfectly free to reject our demands without consequence... save for an overwhelming and entirely disproportionate military response on our part. Like I said, fair diplomacy."
