Posted on 04/11/2007 10:14:56 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
From the parapets of Le Kef, on a rocky spur in northwestern Tunisia, one can see deep into the mountains of Algeria, whose border is a short distance away. A fort of some kind has existed here since Carthaginian times, 2,500 years ago, and the ocher ruins of ancient cities are all around. Dominating the view to the southwest is Jugurtha's Table, a massive mesa atop which the Numidian King Jugurtha held out against a Roman army from 112 to 105 B.C... Since the days of ancient Carthage the area that makes up present-day Tunisia has been like this: an oasis of urbanity, relative prosperity, and stable government jutting out into the Mediterranean, close to Sicily, and yet squeezed between vast tracts of unruly tribal territory... The explanation for Tunisia's success begins with the fact that modern Tunisia corresponds roughly to the borders of ancient Carthage and of the Roman province that replaced it in 146 B.C., after a third and final war between the two powers. "Africa," originally a Roman term, meant Tunisia long before it meant anything else. Archaeologists have uncovered 200 Roman cities in the fertile farmlands of northern Tunisia, where the vast majority of the population lives. North Africa was the granary of the Roman Empire and produced more olive oil than Italy. The Romans built thousands of miles of roads there, and also bridges, dams, aqueducts, and irrigation systems; one aqueduct alone, still partially visible near the town of Zaghouan, carried 8.5 million gallons of water daily to Carthage, fifty-five miles to the north. Fifteen percent of Rome's senators came from Tunisia.
(Excerpt) Read more at theatlantic.com ...
Five Suspected Islamic Extremists Arrested in SpainFive suspected Islamic extremists were arrested Friday at the request of a judge probing a deadly Tunisia synagogue bombing linked to Al Qaeda, officials said. That April bombing outside the Ghriba synagogue on the resort island of Djerba -- in which a truck laden was gas tanks was detonated -- killed at least 19 people, including 14 German tourists. The Ghriba synagogue is believed to be the site of Africa's oldest synagogue -- built about 2,500 years ago.
Friday, March 07, 2003
Somebody came across the treaty a while back. It has not received much notice since it would, as you noted, turn ancient history on its ear. If I come across the reference again I will forward it.
A Forgotten Treaty between Rome and Carthage
M. Cary
The Journal of Roman Studies, Vol. 9, 1919 (1919), pp. 67-77
The Date of the First Treaty between Rome and Carthage
R. L. Beaumont
The Journal of Roman Studies, Vol. 29, Part 1 (1939), pp. 74-86
Maybe. The treaty was specifically for trade and may not be any of the ones mentioned in the links.
Why didn’t Sharon “destroy” the PLO terrorists when he had the chance? Arafat’s egress from Lebanon was symbolic in a way analogous to the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940. Bush 41 also turned coat on Israel — having promised (I think it was) loan guarantees in exchange for Israel’s not trying to retaliate against Baghdad’s missile and gas attacks, he reneged.
I don’t think Sharon’s boast that he had come to “destroy” them (he even paused for effect and said, “take this word down — destroy — the PLO terrorists”) was an idle one, I just think there was diplomacy behind the event. Israel should have pulled a 1967 and 1973 on everyone’s asses and wiped Arafat and company from the face of the Earth.
There was a gamble involved, I believe, that Arafat could be brought around to a client status, and that all the ethnically undifferentiated Arabs who are euphemistically referred to as Palestinians would follow along. Arafat had forced all his major rivals into exile (Habash went to Syria I think, for one example) or into early graves, and murdered all the three piece suit moderate politicians who said it was time to lay down arms and live in peace.
Turned out that Arafat was interested only in young boys’ behinds and continuing his mass murder campaign.
Yep, that move had the smell of the State Department alright. Reminiscent of State intervening last summer to prevent the Israelis from defeating Hamas.
Israel did defeat Hamas. Israel also defeated the Hizbollah. Neither of these terrorist groups was destroyed, which leads people to think they weren’t defeated. Iran’s mullahcracy will have to be wiped off the Earth because any group which loses its sponsor (the Saudis sponsor terrorism, obviously) will only dry up and die if no other sponsor appears, and Iran is a major sponsor of terrorism. The Saudis were quite mild about Israel’s defensive move against the Hizzies precisely because the Saudis are losing what control and influence they have over worldwide terrorism as Iran presses outward. The fact that Iran has three times the population and much less money should mitigate against Iran’s being able to continue in this role, but the Chinese economy is still growing along with its appetite for oil...
Never underestimate the sway of the Saudis on Bush 41, Baker, and probably Scowcroft.
Turned out that Arafat was interested only in young boys’ behinds and continuing his mass murder campaign.
Excellent summation of Arafat and his contribution.
There was a time, prior to Black September, when a Ghandi-style political movement by the Palestinians would have gotten them what they wanted.
But it isn't in their psychological profile to humble themselves and appeal to the better side of human nature, probably because they have never cultivated it in themselves.
Their Rage and Humiliation overrides everthing. Read David Pryce-Jones on the psycholgical makeup of Arab culture, The Closed Circle.
What we see in Gaza is the logical end to 40+ years of the Palestinian Cause.
Hopeless.
I agree. It’s also time to tell the “refugees” that they don’t have any valid claims, that they left willingly, that they left hoping that the neighboring armies would exterminate the Jews in continuation and solidarity with Hitler’s agenda, and that they don’t live in refugee camps, they live in towns. And if those are shanty towns, they need to pick up some nails and paint and stuff at the local hardware store. N and P items are midway down the main aisle, which starts with “AK-47”. ;’)
The problem, IMHO, isn't that the Arabs have no experience with democracy, they have no experience with self-government. After the fall of the Abbasids the region gradually fell under the control of the Turkish Empire, which governed until it's fall after WWI. This was after centuries of Muslim decline relative to the West. Then, the British double-crossed the Arabs and instead of the state they thought they were promised, most of the region was carved into British and French colonies. Fascism infiltrated the region in both secular and Islamist forms to fill the vacuum and provide a vehicle to resist the British and French, which Hitler and Mussolini were doing pretty effectively at the time. The withdrawal of the British and French gave some credibility to these movements, such as the Baath, Nasserites and the islamists in Palestine.
So, the problem is that the West has to stop its support for these islamo-fascist parties and make clear the only choice is to reform, throw out the fascists and join the global economy and community. Exactly the opposite of what the UN, State Department and EU have been doing.
If we can succeed in Iraq before the Dhimmicrats force a surrender, that would give us a success and make the task much easier.
ROTFLOL!!!
Self Help.
It's amazing how many problems persist because of socialism.
IF these "refugees" had been forced to care for themselves and progeny without UN handouts for almost 60 years, they could have rivaled the Jews or the Lebanese in that part of the world.
The late king of Morocco said in an interview (hmm, 25 years ago or so), imagine how the Israelis and the “Palestinians” could have transformed the area had they been working together. :’)
My response today is, imagine how much more the Israelis could have transformed the area by now had they kicked out all the Arabs. Every time the terrorists blow up something, bulldoze one of their “refugee camps”. Every time the terrorists kill an Israeli, kill 100 random Arabs (better yet, 1000). Every time there’s an attack from across the border, level the capital of that enemy nation. What would the world do, stop likin’ Israel?!?
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