Global Anticommunist Relief and Support Act
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The Global Anticommunist Relief and Support Act, alternately referred to as GARSA or the Dacia Relief Act of 1981 (colloquially), was a high-profile and controversial geopolitical, military, and diplomatic bill that passed the Imperial Senate in June 1981 with President Julian Settas' backing that extended a litany of financial aid and relief, arms, war materiél, and military advisors to aid the newfound Dacian government in its war for survival against Communist Goredemabwa.
Background
In 1978, the Federation of Myrdesia fell into civil war as a result of a popular black communist and anti-colonialist rebellion. By mid-1980, the capital of Myrdesia, Sonmea, fell to the advancing rebels, who quickly declared the People's Socialist Republic of Goredemabwa. By November 1980, the remnants of the white Myrdesian government had fled to Alexandros in the north of former Myrdesia and reorganized themselves into a new independent country, Dacia.
In October and November, PSRG forces launched a surprise and broad offensive against the white Myrdesian/Dacian lines armed with fresh recruits and weapons from its allies in the Otterup Pact and the DSRA. As this was occurring, Belhavia was in the midst of the last stage of its 1980 presidential election. Incumbent Liberal Democratic President Berel Levine was locked into a close election with his Conservative challenger, Imperial Senator Julian Settas. Settas deftly used the news from Dacia to bolster his foreign-policy credentials and leadership traits, calling for a hawkish response to defend "the Free World against Communist aggression and oppression." At the last presidential debate on October 24th, 1980, Settas reiterated his pro-Dacian policies and contrasted with Levine's lukewarm and indecisive comments, making the incumbent president look weak and incompetent in the face of the global Communist threat. In early November, Settas beat Levine decisively with a margin of 55%-43%.
A coalition of Tories and hawkish conservative Liberal Democrats in the Senate picked up on Settas' message and victory and passed a resolution overwhelmingly recognizing Dacia's proclamation of its existence just days before. Recognizing Settas's electoral mandate and the Senate's will, Levine reluctantly extended formal recognition to Dacia in late November 1980 as the sole legal and legitimate successor to the fallen Myrdesian state.
Legislation
Lobbying and Campaign
When Settas took office in late January 1981, he wasted no time in outlining a hawkish and fierce anti-communist foreign policy in his "Settas Doctrine" speech. Included among this was a vow to "send aid, support, and troops to our anticommunist friends and brothers in Dacia in the war-torn Southwest Ashizwe region."
In May 1981, he called upon the Imperial Senate to take up a draft of his outlined relief plan to Dacia, proposed by Settas ally Senator Benjamin Goldwater in the Senate's Committee on Foreign Relations. After a couple weeks of debates and amendments on the draft bill, liberal critics of apartheid and strong anticommunism among the Liberal Democrats attempted to scuttle the bill. They loaded up the draft bill with liberal foreign policy riders that caused bill supporters among the Tories and right-wing Lib Dems to vote against it on committee votes, and the bill became stuck for several weeks as party leaders attempted to negotiate with the dissident liberal Lib Dem senators.
Bill Passage
On June 3rd, President Settas, frustrated at the lack of progress and receiving reports from Dacia that the PSRG forces had routed Dacian troops at the Battle of Whitehorse Plains, threatened to line-item veto several liberal humanitarian programs in retaliation, and after two days of meetings between party leaders, Settas, and the dissidents, on June 5th a deal had been reached. The draft bill passed the committee vote by a 11-3 margin, and the next day won on a full Senate floor vote 49-18 with three abstentions.
Overview of provisions
- The issuance of variable 1-2% interest loans in the amount of $4.5 billion to Dacia, with Belhavia granted security interests in Dacia's extensive gold, diamond, other precious metals, and foreign currency reserves as collateral.
- The lend and lease of over $250 million in Belhavian Imperial Army small, medium, and heavy arms, infantry and armored equipment and weaponry, vehicles, tanks, and artillery pieces, and auxiliary and support platforms.
- The deployment of 500 military advisors to aid in the reorganization, training, and leadership of the new Dacian Republic Army and other anti-communist military forces.
Aftermath
Between July and December 1981, the Belhavian Imperial Air Force and Imperial Navy delivered the supplies and armaments to the Dacians. By October 1981, the Dacian military had succeeded in stabilizing the frontline and repulsing further Goredemabwan forays into Dacian territory.
In December 1981, at the request of Dacia and Tarsas, President Settas authorized the direct deployment of Belhavian military forces into Dacia. These needed reinforcements emboldened the Dacian and associated anticommunist combatants, and the anticommunist forces launched a broad counteroffensive in January 1982. By the late spring, the anticommunist forces had recaptured all lost territories from the October-November 1980 PSRG offensive. By August 1982, Dacian and allied forces had pushed into the core of Goredemabwa-controlled territory.