Genghis misunderstood

Washington Times ^ | 10-3-06 | Matthew Barakat

[JZelle]

He's one of the most famous names of the last millennium, and he's the father of his country, which turns 800 years old this year. That's why the D.C. region's Mongolian community would like to see a statue erected of Genghis Khan, the George Washington of Mongolia.

[SOLTC]

There is no stature above the Khan's grave because no one know where his grave is. He was buried in the Gobi in traditional Mongol fashion.

The Mongols have a legend that, if the grave is found and the Khan's sword is drawn, he will return and reclaim his empire.

Let's have NASA and USAF start combing Mongolia by the inch and find that grave.

Good Morning, al Qaeda!
We're leaving!
Guess who has returned.

[L98Fiero]

"I been to Mongolia and found the country to be more pro-US than any other place in the world."

I don't care. I don't think it's appropriate. Multi-culturalism destroys nations.

[do the dhue]

more damage to the Muslims than the Crusaders did.

That is my understanding too. A lot of our tactics at West Point still use Khan's examples. I say put it up.

[L98Fiero]

Answer: Apples and Oranges.

If Buddhists want to erect a statue of Buddha, fine. If Catholics want to erect a statute of Pope Pious VII, fine. Khan was not Jesus Christ and personally it ticks me off a bit that you made that comparisn.

[lesser_satan]

Oh, rook! Mah very own Mongorian-trojan horse!! Maybe Mongorian aren't such crappy smerrly peoprle after awrl!!!

[lilylangtree]

Amen!

[razoroccam]

"Seems the Mongols did way more damage to the Muslims than the Crusaders did."

Maybe true, but his descendants converted to Islam. That is how it spread to Central Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and Xingiang province of China.

[Cyclopean Squid]

I often tell people that my middle initial "T" stands for Temujin.

[Michael Barnes]

Mongorians

[PeterPrinciple]

Getting it built may be difficult, though. Statues require approval from either the National Park Service, if on federal land, or the District, if on city land.
The particular spot eyed by the Mongolians, near their embassy, is on city land.


I assume they are willing to pay for it? I've been to Mongolia and they are great people. They like the USA and probably would approve a statue of George Washington back home. There were still statues of Stalin when I was there. I guess the city has the final call on this decision.

[griswold3]

The twelveth imam meet Genghis Khan!
Sounds like a great "B" japanese film!

[muawiyah]

Some of Ghengis Khan's descendants became Moslems. Some became Christians. Some became Buddhists. Some became Hindus. Some became animists of various kinds.

A full 10% of all the men in the world with Type B blood have Ghenghis Khan's y-chromosome!

This guy was not only the "father of his country", he became very nearly the "father of his world".

[Ghengis]

Yes, I'm just a soul whose intentions are good
Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood

[chesley]

Wasn't old GK a war-monger and a war criminal engaged in committing genocide? Yes, yes he was.

Where do the Dems stand on this idea?

[muawiyah]

No, Ghenghis Khan started out fighting purely defensive battles and was only forced into seizing entire continents due to the perfidy and treachery of his enemies.

[PzLdr]

That statue should include Chingghis, and his grandsons, Mongke and, especially, Mongke's brother Hulegu.

[orionblamblam]

> If Buddhists want to erect a statue of Buddha, fine. If Catholics want to erect a statute of Pope Pious VII, fine.

And so if Mongolians living in the US want to build a statue of Ghengis Khan, what's your problem?

> Khan was not Jesus Christ ...

True enough. Khan was real.

[verum ago]

Christ is a religious figure; Khan is a national one, specifically Mongolia, not the US.

[PzLdr]

The Empire he and his descendants built gave Europeans [for the first time] almost unimpeded access to the goods of China and the East, since the Mongols controlled the entire Silk road.

European desire for those goods led to the Age of Discovery when alternate routes to those markets became necessary after the Mongol Ulus fell into fratricidal [and in some cases, religious] wars, and the Silk Road became unsafe. So you might say Chingghis had an indirect impact on the discovery of America.

[PzLdr]

The Mongols repeatedly tried to ally with the Crusaders against the Muslims. The Muslims played the "We're all People of the Book, and they're pagans" card. Crusader states gave Baibars and his Mamelukes free passage and supplies during his early campaigns against the Mongols. When the threat from them diminished, Baibars turned on the Crusaders.