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Sat, Aug 20, 2011
The crusades were, although also rooting in socio-economic and other motivations for conquest, mainly Catholic Holy Wars to defend Christianity, especially the threatened orthodox (albeit 'heretic') Byzantine empire, and pilgrims, notably to Jerusalem. Although dealing with tolerant Muslims was usually easier and offered better prospects, religious zeal stirred by such measures as papal appeals and indulgences resulted in full-fledged wars to reconquer the Holy Land. Intolerant Catholic crusader states were established instead of restoring Byzantine rule, all soon to fall prey again to Saracens. This ans successive attempts to reconquer the Holy Land again were bound to yield a heritage of violent hatred between major religions preaching peace.
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Mon, Aug 22, 2011
While the Arab caliphate never came close to extinguishing its Christian equivalent, its Mulim successor, the Ottoman Turkish empire, would do so twice. Sultan Mehmet's conquest of Constantinopel (renamed Istanbul) in 1453, thanks to superior artillery breaching its legendary walls, reduced the Byzantine empire to a shady mess and the Orthodox countries ripe for the picking. After their gradual conquest of the Balkans, the Ottomans even laid siege to Vienna, but ultimately the Catholic Hansburg empire was saved by a great coalition. In how far these religious wars constitute true jihad is as debatable as the Christian content of the crusades, as profane 'realpolitik' generally proved the decisive factor.
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Sat, Aug 27, 2011
German Kaiser Wilhelm II considered the Ottoman sultan his natural ally against the British and French, and seemed acceptable as Germany has missed out on colonizing Muslim countries in the East. The Mahdi's revolt in the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan showed Muslim risings could tie down British troops within the vast empire. As archeology enabled them to become acquainted with the Middle East and Arab leaders, Th. E. Lawrence 'of Arabia' and Cologne Jewish bankers son Max Oppenheim each tried to recruit the Arabs fro their country's side in World war I, but they chose more money and the -worthless- promise of independence from the Ottomans over a call to jihad from the great sultan.
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Mon, Aug 29, 2011
As Islam, especially the Sunni main branch, has no regular clerical hierarchy, teachings can easily, radically evolve. Imam Zawahiri elaborated a bloodthirsty vision on jihad as unconditional Holy war on all infidels and heretics, regardless of collateral damage to innocents and Muslim martyrs. Osama Bin-Laden, a Saudi construction tycoon's son, joined it during the mujadedin struggle to chase the Soviets from Afghanistan. Later, he forged Al-Qaeda, a shady terrorist organization which would mainly target US targets and their allies throughout the world, culminating in the 9/11 triple airplane-strike on the US East Coast. Ten years later, it has taken a back-stage to its Afgna Talia allies again, but the unforgiving blood-thirst it started still recalls the unholy crusader age.