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Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2006 8:45 pm
by JOHN THURSTON
I think I would like to see some of us start to put down some of the comments we hear that are relevent to the War on Terror such as

1. "I am Muslim and don't have to turn the other Cheek" Bushy headed Islamic student in London.

2. "No Pope, no Pope" an Islamic Youth in Istanbul today (11.26.06)

The latter opposing the visit of the Pope to Istanbul, which, as Constantinople, reamins an Important Christian holy place.

Please put up any quotations you feel you wish to discuss.

Please number them. The next quote should be #3. Then in any post we will all know what we are commenting on.

Sword of the Shia

Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2006 9:03 pm
by JOHN THURSTON
Image

3. "he can deal out death through his black clad followers anytime he chooses"


Al Sadr in the drivers seat in Iraq. Newsweek on MSN 11/25/06

Salah ed din

Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 8:12 pm
by JOHN THURSTON
Where is the man that can fill Saladin's shoes in the Middle East?

Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 2:36 am
by wes tasker
Salah ed din
Where is the man that can fill Saladin's shoes in the Middle East?
Do you mean where is the man that can unite through force rather than diplomacy? As I recall, not everyone willfully joined up under Salah ad-Din's banner.

-wes tasker

Good Point

Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 5:08 pm
by JOHN THURSTON
Good Point.

Perhaps our view of him (or my view) is distorted.

He appears to have been more realistic about accepting the Latin presence in the Holy Land.

Perhaps a study of his rise to leadership is in order.

His treaty with Richard II of England apparently guaranteed the rights of all pilgrims.

I'll do some digging.

JT

Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 6:44 pm
by wes tasker
Perhaps our view of him (or my view) is distorted.
Please don't take my post as being overly critical of Salah ad-Din. I admire alot about him - but historicaly speaking he did unite through force at times. An interesting source is Baha' ad-Din Ibn Shaddad's biography on Salah ad-Din. And there are some good histories written by Ibn al-Athir and the book "al-Kitab Ithnaan Bustaan" by Abu Shama which has many of Salah ad-Din's letters and missives. There's a third that's not very trustworthy by 'Imad ad-Din al-Asfahani.

-wes tasker

Thanks

Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 8:09 pm
by JOHN THURSTON
Wes:

Thank you for your input on an important historical personality.

Salah ed din, if I recall correctly, was Kurdish ethnically. I am trying to find a good overview of his life in my own library before resorting to the Web. Please note that I have nothing against web research.

I would also like to know more of the physical makeup of the Arab Armies of the time and at the time of the period of the Arab expansions.

Light cavalry appears to have been their 'arm of decision'.

The books i have on the Crusades (I have lost harold lamb's Trilogy on the Crusades) yield little tactical information about these armies.

More in a bit.

Iran

Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 1:20 am
by JOHN THURSTON
Iran apparently has hosted a conference of 'holocaust deniers; and vows that Israel will be destroyed one day.

How sad is that.

jt