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THE INTERSTELLAR ALLIANCE
Conceived up by Minbari leader Delenn Mirr and Earth Alliance hero John J. Sheridan, who together had both lead the younger races successfully in their war to stop the destruction caused by the Vorlons and Shadows, the creation of the "Interstellar Alliance" was the natural outgrowth of the Babylon Project. The "Interstellar Alliance" is the first known intergalactic government in the recorded history of the younger races. Consisting of over 150 sentient beings including the Minbari Federation, Earth Alliance, Narn Regime and what had been the League of Non-Aligned worlds, and between 300 and 400 respective solar systems, the "Interstellar Alliance" is committed to the goal of maintaining free and open trade, the unrestricted exchange of ideas, culture, science, technology and to maintain peace and harmony among all the member worlds. The governing structure of the Interstellar Alliance is that of a "Parliament", but in truth is more of a capitalist-based economic consortium than an all-powerful governing body. The Interstellar Alliance has no authority to infringe on the laws, government or internal affairs of any member race. The Alliance does however have the power to regulate some free trade policy between member worlds, patrol the borders for aggressors both within and outside the Alliance, as well as assure the distribution of new technologies to all member worlds. While the "Interstellar Alliance" keeps the peace, they do not enforce the peace. What had once been the Anlashok, or "Rangers" became the primary peace keeping force of the new Alliance. Armed with the powerful Whitestar fleet the Rangers patrol the borders of all member worlds of the "Interstellar Alliance." If a member race attempts to go to war with their neighbors, the Rangers will warn the opposing forces and inform every member world in the Alliance of the impending attack. Beyond this, the Whitestar fleet will do nothing until the first shot is fired. The Whitestar fleet also is charged with being the Alliance's first line of defense against attack or invasion from any alien power. The Interstellar Alliance government is broken into two branches - Executive, and Legislative. There is no judicial branch, as the ISA can not impose laws on another race. The Executive branch is headed by the "President", who is elected by majority vote among the Ambassadors of each member race of the Interstellar Alliance Assembly. The President serves terms of no more than ten years and at present there is no limit to how many terms any one individual can hold (legislation pending). The President primary responsibility is to oversee Council meetings. The President has no vote in council meetings, save in the case of a tie, at which point the President may cast a ballot to break the deadlock; President has no veto power. In times of war the President also holds the post of Supreme Commander of the Interstellar Alliance's united military forces. The President can only invoke this authority in times of war however, and at this time the Council must approve such authority. In peacetime conditions, the President shares command of the Whitestar Fleet with the Presidential Advisory board. The ISA Assembly makes appointment to the board in committee. The Legislative branch of the Alliance is held in the power of the Interstellar Alliance Assembly, also known as the "Council." The Assembly consists of elected/appointed representatives from each member world, who hold the title of ambassador. Assembly members make policy in regards to trade, treaty, and defense. They can not distribute technology, this power residing with the President and the Advisory Council. Each ambassador has one vote in the Interstellar Alliance Assembly and one vote only. All decisions made by the council are done so via majority vote. Once the Council approves a bill, it is then sent to the President. Should the president deem the policy to be unjust or improper, he can "call the bill", halting the policy from becoming law until it can be reviewed by a specially appointed committee and the Advisory Council, who then have the power to veto the bill. Membership in the Interstellar Alliance is open to any and all races. The President and the Advisory Board, who determines if the petitioning race is prepared to join the Alliance, must first approve a petition for membership. Upon his approval, membership requests are then sent to the Council to be voted upon. A petition for membership will either be approved or struck down by majority vote in the Interstellar Alliance Assembly. If approved, a ten-year process is implemented to slowly bring any new member world into the Alliance. If a petition is rejected, the petitioning world must wait ten years to resubmit for membership, or must receive a special sanction by the President, who can immediately approve another vote. The Interstellar Alliance has no true military, the Whitestar fleet and its supporting vessels only consisting of some 5,000 starships - not large enough to be considered a true Military force. Debate concerning whether or not the ISA has the right to arm its self as a true military is still under debate, following the debut of the Victory class Destroyers produced in cooperation between the ISA, Minbari and the Earth Alliance.
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