Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: MNJohnnie
We are constantly told that we do not understand the Muslim culture. Perhaps it is more relevant that they do not understand ours.

In most Muslim cultures, the man without power is a figure of contempt. The only man held in greater contempt is the man who has power but is unwilling to use it. Thus they constantly see American restraint not as strenght but as weakness.

They will be sorely disabused. Unfortunately, I believe it will not happen until after we have lost one or more cities.

But then it won't take very long.
8 posted on 04/18/2004 7:52:28 PM PDT by Restorer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies ]


To: Restorer
Yes, instead of spending so much time bitching at Bush about his "unilateralist" foreign policy, perhaps the Internatinonalist Left, should be praising his restraint. Given the polling data, the American people, by a 57% margin, want a TOUGHER response to terrorism then Bush is giving them.
10 posted on 04/18/2004 7:56:29 PM PDT by MNJohnnie (Vote Bush 2004-We have the solutions, Kerry Democrats? Nothing but slogans)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies ]

To: Restorer
A history ref for those reading along this thread.

THE MONGOLS AND THE MAMLUKS:

In the thirteenth century still another threat to the Muslim world appeared in the land beyond the Oxus: the Mongols. Led by Genghis Khan, a confederation of nomadic tribes which had already conquered China now attacked the Muslims. In 1220 they took Samarkand and Bukhara. By mid-century they had taken Russia, Central Europe, northern Iran, and the Caucuses, and in 1258, under Hulagu Khan, they invaded Baghdad and put an end to the remnants of the once-glorious 'Abbasid Empire. The ancient systems of irrigation were destroyed and the devastation was so extensive that agricultural recovery, even in the twentieth century, is still incomplete. Because a minor scion of the dynasty took refuge with the Mamluks in Egypt, the 'Abbasid caliphate continued in name into the sixteenth century. In effect, however, it expired with the Mongols and the capture of Baghdad. From Iraq the Mongols pressed forward into Syria and then toward Egypt where, for the first time, they faced adversaries who refused to quail before their vaunted power. These were the Mamluks, soldier-slaves from the Turkish steppe area north of the Black and Caspian Seas with a later infusion of Circassians from the region of the Caucuses Mountains.

The Mamluks had been recruited by the Ayyubids and then, like the Turkish mercenaries of the 'Abbasid caliphs, had usurped power from their enfeebled masters. Unlike their predecessors, however, they were able to maintain their power, and they retained control of Egypt until the Ottoman conquest in 1517. Militarily formidable, they were also the first power to defeat the Mongols in open combat when, in 1260, the Mongols moved against Palestine and Egypt. Alerted by a chain of signal fires stretching from Iraq to Egypt, the Mamluks were able to marshal their forces in time to meet, and crush, the Mongols at 'Ayn Jalut near Nazareth in Palestine.

Islams strength lays in its oil posessions
Here they can destabilize the entire world if they so will.
Unless nukes are used..and more specifically *Neutronics which destroy living matter and do not destabilize inert ,except in event horizon,
their population numerics..logistic strength and sizable theatre missile systems could cause great losses to an approaching army and navy..even a confederacy.

Yet..they would loose.
The reality of extortion ..ie oil is their trump card.

anyones guess if this crisis with Islam collapses into a confederacy vs confederacy reality.

Nostradamus forwards this ident....time will tell if he has truly seen the future.

14 posted on 04/18/2004 8:28:25 PM PDT by Light Speed
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson