Blue Turtle Alliance reformation controversy

The Blue Turtle Alliance reformation controversy occurred during the week of June 27, 2009 when Master-Debator announced he was reforming the Blue Turtle Alliance. The Aquatic Brotherhood disputed this reformation and claimed, as they are it's successor, they maintain the rights to the BTA name. The dispute was eventually resolved in that the new BTA and TAB would attempt to ignore each other and live in peace.

TAB response to BTA reformation
The following day TAB released a statement regarding the new BTA whereas they announced they would not recognize it's sovereignty as the BTA name belongs to TAB:

"At approximately 1830 hours 28.06.09 a former member of the Blue Turtle Alliance announced the reformation of the BTA. The Following Resolution is offered

Whereas TAB is the original successor to the Blue Turtle Alliance and Whereas the Blue Turtle Alliance as part of the surrender terms with Confederacy of Independent States was disbanded and Whereas Master Debater was banned from the Blue Turtle Alliance and her successor alliance The Aquatic Brotherhood and Whereas The Aquatic Brotherhood is a sovereign alliance and by virtue of being the original is hereby entitled to the rights of the name Blue Turtle Alliance and Whereas The Aquatic Brotherhood cherishes her heritage and wishes to protect her namesake

The Aquatic Brotherhood does not recognize the sovereignty of The Blue Turtle Alliance and hereby issues a request to discontinue the use of the name Blue Turtle Alliance, BTA, and any images or references to the Blue Turtle Alliance. The Aquatic Brotherhood also requests that our allies place sanctions on the nations who choose to infringe on the rights of The Aquatic Brotherhood by not accepting or offering trades and financial aid to those nations."

- Commander John - External Triumvir

FIRE protectorate and coup
Later that day Carter, Fire Lord of the Federation of Imperial Red Empires announced that FIRE would protect the BTA:

"FIRE believes the claims by TAB to be complete !@#$%^&*. MD is a very good friend of mine, and so I'd like to help him out in ensuring his alliance has the opportunity to grow and succeed in peace.

The Blue Turtle Alliance is now a protectorate of FIRE. An attack on them is an attack on us, and will be treated as such."

- Carter, Fire Lord

This announced caused some controversy and it was later discovered that Carter did not inform the rest of his government about this decision causing many of them to leave the alliance and gather in a newly created alliance known as "Vengeance". They contacted the Random Insanity Alliance for a protectorate agreement but it turned out to be unnecessary after Carter was couped the following day. Nintenderek released a large statement on June 30 detailing their issues with Carter and how that he is no longer part of the alliance.

MHA involvement
Throughout TAB's initial announcement regarding the BTA, MHA said it would support it's allies in TAB on the matter. Sometime after TAB's announcement Sorum of MHA released a statement.

Sorum's initial statement
"Part I Going into GWIII, I was Consul of the Blue Turtle Alliance. I was MD's right hand man, and I worked hard with him to grow BTA. We were friends, and I went to war under the impression we had an ODP with GATO. Hah, turns out we got screwed by MD and his invisible treaty.

Left sitting in ZI as CIS pulled out a beatdown on us, MD walked out on negotations. In my mind, that abandonment of his alliance when it needed him most, leaves him no right to claim the AA now.

As I stepped in to negotiate for BTA (with the help of my co-reformers Count Rupert and +Zeke+, and general CN badass CptGodzilla), CIS demanded that MD be permanently banned from BTA. As BTA govt at the time, I signed off on this without hesitation. He deserved it. Since BTA simply changed their name to TAB, and was never disbanded, it makes sense that TAB would keep to the agreement made: that MD would not be allowed into BTA.

E-lawyering aside, MD simply does not deserve to remake BTA. He walked out on the alliance, leaving us to pick up the pieces. If Count Rupert, or even the current TAB govt wanted to remake BTA, I would back it in an instant. Because they put the work in to ensure that BTA/TAB stayed alive. They earned the right to choose to revert to the old alliance name.

BTA is more than just a name. It's an alliance of like-minded people who shares similar opinions on CN politics and how they want to play the game. That now resides in TAB. BTA is TAB.

At the end of the day, history has spoken. MD will run BTA into the ground just like he did the first time. But the matter at hand - should MD be allowed to reform BTA? Sure, he can reform it. But if TAB chooses to attack for it, he shouldn't have anyone but himself to blame.

Part II MHA have long been close allies of TAB, and stand strong in support of them. We hope that a peaceful resolution can be reached, even if Francesca can't help but hope for a war.

[23:10:45]  I've had enough of boredom in CN. [23:10:55]  BTA needs to be attacked already. [23:11:01]  Then we'll put these new Karma values to the test.

This can be done without a FIREfight."

- Sorum

Retraction and apology
The following day, however, he made a second statement saying that while the MHA still supports TAB some of his statements were wrong.

"I called your honour into question by citing an inaccurate recollection of events. For this, I am sorry, and hope that the truth presented here clears your name of any accusations that you betrayed the original BTA.

I apologise to BTA and TAB for making this mess worse, and as such I promise to not interfere in BTA-TAB relations anymore."

- Sorum