[Cannoneer No. 4]

Military annals reveal few organizations whose history is more extraordinary than that of the corps of the Janizaries, which for nearly five hundred years constituted the backbone of the armed forces of the Ottoman Empire. Not only was it the first true infantry of modern times, but the method by which its ranks were filled was unique.

[swarthyguy]

Using captured Christians then associated with a Derwish cleric raises interesting questions for today.

It is an amazingly fascinating history.

Of course, the British used Muslim, Hindu and Christians from the SubContinent to control their Empire, from Ethiopia to Khartoum to Iraq 1920 to Somme, Flanders and El Alamein.

I think we got our modernday Janissaries by bringing back Baathi Generals to run the Iraki army, as mentioned by Abizaid and Sanchez today.

News is the best out of there.