Posted on 11/14/2006 8:32:32 AM PST by xzins
Yes, there was that little divorce thingy.
I'm not sure how apt this comparison is.
Wasn't that really a struggle about who would control the line of Kings ? Having Parliament decide the King, if compared to a modern day context, would be similar to having the US Congress choose the US President. Granted the US Electoral College system is somewhat similar, but it rarely votes against the wishes of the people. Without a democratic voting system, basing the line of Kings on heredity may really be the only check and balance the serfs had to potentially prevent them from being ruled by a cabal of corrupt rich Lords. And of course without democracy the serfs back then could only hope the line of Kings would stay righteous and fair. Thus, they relied on divine right. 'In God We Trust'.
Strongly held religious convictions to the point of war is a similarity. They are part of the mix in Iraq and in Ireland. I agree that the US does not see this as a religious conquest.
And Cromwell did.
I don't mean to discount your comparison; religion is the subtext in everything that happens in the Middle East. I just don't think the West has the religious critical mass (pardon the pun) to mount a crusade again. And I don't think Islam has the cohesion. So it's a matter of apathy versus chaos.
At least at the religious level ...
Whatever the West is fighting for, it isn't Christianity.
Thanks for the ping. Cromwell did what had to be done to pull England out of the dark ages of divine right of kings and the self-perpetuating parliament. For doing all this, of course, he has been slandered for 350 years.
However, there are many parallels.
One I find intriguing is the eventual requirement to separate the warring forces, as much as possible, into 2 separate nations.
Cromwell did bring a religious element in with his, but we could say that the US is bringing a political element in that is at odds with the religious history of Iraq. The democratization of Iraq is a contrary doctrine to Islam. This democratization is a matter of faith.....that all the world would be better were it democratic.
What's taking so long....they should redeploy...../s
Thanks for posting this History....
Funny that nobody is calling for the Brits to pull out of Ireland, quagmire though it is.
And go against the wishes of the majority of people in Northern Ireland??? This isn't DU, you should instead be calling for the destruction of Sinn Fein/IRA as well as their Loyalist counterparts!!
Eradicating the IRA, the UVF and UFF will solved that problem!
Easy big fella,
I'm Irish, but I was just using that situation to show the outsized expectations people have for resolving the situation in Iraq.
I might add that the UN would love for us to invade the Sudan and deal with the situation in Darfur, which is a bit of idiotic irony.
I'm not apologizing for the IRA at all.
the Guiness is fresher there.
Ah.. I see what you're point is, but we have people here on FR who do defend them, I jumped the gun, my apologies!
I'll re-ping my list, just to set the record straight.
No need my FRiend. Honest mistake.
You can add me to your ping list. I love being Irish.
Ok, done! :)
How disgraceful!
Two Irishmen declining to fight!
;-)
I know... I could go trolling again on terrorist Danny Morrison's website! ;)
In the Gaelteacht areas, the signs are usually exclusively as Gaeilge!
From the muslim point of view, your Cromwell allusion is probably apt.
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