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To: epluribus_2
Other than the Ottoman Empire going bankrupt and dying by natural causes

Except that it's coming back, bigger and badder than ever.

82 posted on 10/31/2023 11:32:05 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: dfwgator
Except that it's [Ottoman Empire] coming back, bigger and badder than ever.

I'm skeptical about that. Long memories in that part of the world, and the Ottomans were not popular with most of the people they misruled.

When the Ottoman surrender came in 1918, they were fighting the British in several places, including what is now Iraq. The British Army Officers who went to accept the surrender of one Ottoman Army gave the Turkish General his instructions, and he surprised them flatly rejecting one term, saying:

"We won't be giving up our weapons."

The British Officers, shocked and offended, began a very harsh reply, only to be interrupted by the Turkish General:

"You don't understand. We have surrendered. We are your prisoners. But if we [Turks] give up our weapons now, the local Arabs will massacre us. We are keeping our weapons until you either send us somewhere safe, or bring up enough British Troops to keep us safe."

The British Officers, also servants of an empire, grasped his point immediately, and the Turkish Soldiers remained armed.

187 posted on 11/01/2023 8:05:23 PM PDT by Pilsner
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