Couzens wrote:70tril was the price asked for them to pay to get outta the war, so they would stop being sat on, so they could build a defence again. So they could rebuild they're ranks, grow and continue playing. They were given the option to pay the tribute/surrender or not to pay, and continue the war. We also saw tribute's as a way to make sure alliances thought twice before going to war us and by offering them a 70tril tribute it is less likely for them to come back and war us again any time soon.
Man thats my longest post ever. Sorry about that got carried away
Best Regards
Couz
Nice attempt at being innocent Couzens but your facts are in error and your memory faulty. Don't read further if you don't like being corrected... though perhaps you should to educate yourself about the facts.
70trillion tribute was massively more than was asked of the other alliances. ALL the other allainces were asked for 2-3trillion maximum. 70trillion was the figure that was argued DOWN by AEU. The public reason given was that it would 'encourage us not to fight TLE' and the mistaken belief that AEU founded Zion. Even so why was AEU's required pay be so much more?
AEU did not found Zion. We were one of the last members to join. EPA founded Zion and then promptly ran away, and got a NAP out of TLE. So EPA, if you are wondering now why various members of DDE and OE don't like you, think about that - because you betrayed them when they were in AEU. The 'let's organisea war against TLE' was a good thing with Zion but the 'opps no let's run away' didn't go over well with your allies.
The private reason was the TLE leaders of the time, which you were one Couzens but as TL leader you were subservient to the TDL leadership of Blahh and Zesh, was that those two hated ME personally, so decided to punish AEU. Don't try to deny it other little TLE'lings, it's been confirmed by other members of your Senate of the time. The person who I brokered the naq to was most apologetic and informative about that.
But I do encourage any TLE member to attempt to answer why AEU was required to pay so much more, if you think you can.
As for the war, AEU did not start it. TLE hit us first and declared the war. Convenient for you to forget that Couzens. AEU was in the process of requesting a NAP with TL. Something else TLE conveniently forget. TL was voting when they massed us because, we all know at the time they were not an independent alliance as their rules were meant to state, they were mostly subservient to the above mentioned leadership.
Now, let's look at the outcome?
Did AEU go away and think - oh we won't go to war with TLE again?
No.
AEU came away knowing that TLE were liars and extorters, especially when they went back practically immediately and attacked our training alliance Mortal Ascension. We also were just jumping at the chance to crush TLE, which we have by merging with OE and DDE.
That outcome was one you were warned about. Tribute does not inspire respect, it inspires resentment especially as TLE started the war but would not allow an honourable surrender. No they had to drag it on, they had to get 'respect' which only lead to resentment and then they sat around and wondered why they were not respected.
The same can be pointed out of the actions between ETL and The Oneil. I don't know all the details there, but I think it's obvious that TAF still hold some resentment over that. Did TLE think it would be different for them? I laugh because they certainly did not learn from any mistakes of the past.
Let's also look at a few other things. At that time TLE was composed of members of CF, or The Foundation or whatever they were called. They claimed that they would never take a tribute or that they would see it done to others. Funny how that conveniently got forgotten at the time. Only 2 people in TLE voted against the tribute levied at AEU, and those two have my thanks but I do question why they remained for so long in TLE. I know they have questioned the same thing.
TAF, who was allied to AEU at the time, was also asked for moral support against TLE at the time. Somehow, that request went missing and we heard nothing from our so called allies. I've spoken with some of them since, some of their HC, and TAF decided they'd support TLE over their other allies. Well so be it but that action didn't gain them any friends either.
The only person to argue against tribute in public, in AEU's favour during that time was not the community, was only one individual who was not AEU and that was Teal'auc.
I don't exactly know why ETL started this thread, but the fact remains, various alliances like to say 'we never extorted' yet they did or directly supported extortion.
The surrender of Blahh and the current ... well joke that is Zesh and the rest of TLE is possibly one of the finest things I can say came from this and the server war. Especially as the 'great' TLE is down to two alliances, with the one that left, attempting to distance themselves from the actions of their former brethern.
I do not believe that OE is perfect, or has never done anything wrong or morally questionable in the past. I do know though that OE and DDE have both learned from their past mistakes and don't as obviously repeat them as current alliances do. TLE's actions have forever smeared them in my mind both as an alliance and as individuals because the individuals who make up TLE who suffered under COP oppression weren't able to curb their desire for revenge and took that revenge on anyone they could.
So in summary:
1. AEU did not start the war, TLE did.
2. Other Zion alliances were required to pay 2-3trillion tribute.
3. AEU was required to pay 70 trillion, a figure which was argued down.
4. The belief that AEU was the founder of Zion is mistaken, EPA founded Zion.
Still, I would say ESKER was more evil as a System Lord. Would you agree? 
but lets not say that in public now are we 
