Shadow of the giant

RadaghasteBellini%privado@presidência.br.gov
    To: PeterWiggin%[email protected]
    Re: Please consider carefully
     
    If your goal is to establish world peace, my friend, why
would you begin our Constitution with a deliberate act of provocation against
two widely separated nations, one of which might call upon the whole weight of
Islam against you?
     
    Is peace to be founded on war after all? And if you did not
have Julian Delphiki commanding 100,000 friendly African troops, would you
attempt it?
     
    From: PeterWiggin%[email protected]
    To: RadaghasteBellini%privado@presidência.br.gov
    Re: We must make it real
     
    History is strewn with the corpses of attempted world
governments. We must demonstrate immediately that we are serious, that we are
capable, and that we are transformative.
     
    And without Delphiki, I would follow your more prudent
counsel, because I would not count on our African troops.
     
     
    The ceremony was simple enough. Peter Wiggin, Felix Starman,
Klaus Boom, and Radaghaste Bellini stood on a platform in Kiyagi, Rwanda. There
was no attempt to bring in crowds of citizens to cheer; neither was there any
kind of military presence. The audience consisted entirely of reporters.
    Copies of the Constitution were provided on the spot. Felix
Starman explained the new government very briefly; Radaghaste Bellini informed
them of the unified military command; Klaus Boom explained the principles under
which new nations could be admitted to the Free People of the Earth.
    "No nation will be admitted that does not already
provide human rights, including a free and universal adult franchise."
Then he dropped the bombshell. "Nor do we require that a nation already be
recognized by any existing nation or body of nations, provided it meets our
other requirements."
    The reporters murmured to each other as Peter Wiggin walked
to the dais and the map appeared on the screen behind him. As he named each
country that had already secretly ratified the Constitution, it was lighted in
pale blue on the map.
    South America provided the largest swathes of blue, with
Brazil lighting up half the continent, along with Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador,
Suriname, and Guyana. In Africa, the blue was not so dominant, but it
represented most of the African nations that had maintained stability and
democracy for at least a hundred years: Rwanda, Botswana, Cameroon, Mozambique,
Angola, Ghana, Liberia. No two ratifying nations bordered on each other. No one
missed the fact that South Africa and Nigeria were not participating, despite
their long record of stability and freedom; nor did anyone fail to notice that
no Muslim nation was included.
    In Europe, the map was even sparser: The Netherlands,
Slovenia, Czechland, Estonia, and Finland.
    Elsewhere, blue was rare. Peter had hoped the Philippines
would be ready for the announcement, but at the last minute the government
chose to wait and see. Tonga had ratified; so had Haiti, the first nation where
Peter's abilities had been tested. Several other small Caribbean nations were
also blue.
    "At the earliest opportunity," said Peter,
"plebiscites will be held in all the ratifying nations. In the future,
however, plebiscites will precede a nation's entry into the Free People of
Earth. We will maintain capitals in three places: Ribeirão Preto, Brazil;
Kiyagi, Rwanda; and Rotterdam in the Netherlands. However, because the official
language of the FPE is Common, and few people find the pronunciation of
Ribeirão Preto ... comfortable..."
    The reporters laughed, since they were the ones who had to
bear the brunt of learning to pronounce the Portuguese nasals.
    "...therefore," Peter continued, "the
Brazilian government has kindly allowed us to translate the name of the city
for world government purposes. From now on, you may refer to the South American
capital of the FPE as 'Blackstream,' one word."
    "Will you do the same with Kiyagi!" shouted a
reporter.
    "Since you are able to pronounce it," said Peter,
"we will not."
    More laughter.
    Peter's acceptance of the question, however, opened the
floodgates, and they began calling out to him. He raised his hands. "In a
minute, be patient."
    They quieted down.
    "There is a reason why we have chosen the name 'Free
People of Earth' for our Constitution, instead of, say, 'United Nations.'
"
    Another laugh. They all knew why that name wouldn't be used.
    "This Constitution is a contract among free citizens,
not between nations. The old borders will be respected