Doesn’t it all remind you of the 4th Crusade?
November 10th 2006 23:02
That Crazy 4th Crusade
In 1204 the crusading armies of Europe succeeded in doing to the Christian Eastern Empire what the infidel Moslem had failed at for 500 years. They sacked Constantinople. It was a totally pointless exercise, a total disaster for the future of Christianity and it was in large part driven by an old ideologue a ruthless old fiend in his 90s by the name of Enrico Dandolo. He was the Donald Rumsfeld of the middle ages and like Rumsfeld it was a tragic example of how in some age does not beget wisdom, it gentrifies and perpetuates ambition and vanity in a bizarre and very destructive way. Throughout the whole conflict beginning with the misleading information about the weapons of mass destruction and later the fiasco that was the conquest of Baghdad, where the only government buildings to be protected were the Oil Ministry, and even later when the Iraqi army was disposed of, the driving force was Rumsfeld. His influence over an intellectually inferior Bush and his success in completely neutralizing the cooler head of Colin Powell as well has his blind conviction that democracy could be shoved down the throats of the Iraqis has brought America to the sorry pass it is in now.
Did I say blind? Enrico Dandolo had been totally blind since 1170 and yet he led and was the driving force behind the expedition which was solely designed to increase his power and the wealth of Venice.
In 1202 the Crusaders of the 4th Crusade were stuck in Venice having run out of money and with no boats to transport them to Egypt where they planned to begin their conquest. Dandolo offered them money and boats if they would conquer Zara, another Christian city on which Dandolo set his eyes (even though he could not actually see it). Zara was not only ruled by Christians, its King was a Crusader himself. The pope Innocent was so furious that he excommunicated those who participated but this did not stop Dandolo. Having convinced the Crusaders to do this he then convinced them to sack Constantinople on the pretext of assisting Alexus Angelus, the son of the deposed Byzantine Emperor Isaac the 11.
While it is true that Baghdad was not a Christian state, undoubtedly the long term effects on the credibility of America and peace in the Middle East will be as severe. In the end as the quagmire deepens into which Rumsfeld and his ilk have thrust them, Americans will regret their involvement and curse his name as they have come to curse those of Nixon and Kissinger.
Rumbles
Dandolo was buried in a crypt in Hagia Sofia in Constantinople where the lid of his tomb can still be seen. But long ago when the Turks finally took Constantinople they dug out his bones and threw them to the dogs in the street. It is a pity that Rumsfeld’s remnants do not suffer a similar fate.
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Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
I don't know much about 4th Crusade but your depiction and comparison to Rummy seems pretty fair.
Comment by Justin
Cinematrix
It was a remarkably botched attempt at thinking and seriously deteriated the motivations of the Crusades in general.
The miscalculation of ships required to be built and the lack of money to afford the logistics to be sent over to failing the Christian states, was the real premise for a number of gross mistakes by the 4th Crusade, not the ruin of Constantinople. That was a byproduct of ill-forged diplomacy for a short-lived gain.
Well written though.
Btw, what do you think of Rumsfelds recent resign - forced, consensual or his own decision?
Comment by spain01
Juan Carlos
spain again
While your'e about it
Viva l'difference
Fire News Blog
Cities dying of thirst.
I knew you would appreciate the comparison.
Comment by spain01
Juan Carlos
spain again
While your'e about it
Viva l'difference
Fire News Blog
Cities dying of thirst.
Read this extract from Mediamatters
During his November 8 press conference, President Bush announced Donald H. Rumsfeld's resignation as defense secretary and nominated former CIA director Robert Gates to take his place, even though days before the November 7 elections, Bush had said he wanted Rumsfeld to stay on through the end of his presidency. Bush explained that the reason for announcing Rumsfeld's resignation after the elections was due to the fact that he "didn't want to inject a major decision about this war in the final days of a campaign"; however, media outlets, with few exceptions, have avoided characterizing what Bush did as a "lie" or intentional misrepresentation -- this, despite Bush's own admission of a deliberate deception. Some outlets even failed to acknowledge Bush's November 1 statement that Rumsfeld would stay.
Bush had no intention of letting Rumsfeld go. The Republican managers who have their hand up his backside told him in no uncertain terms that the American public had had enough of Rumbles, they wrote out his resignation and handed to him just like with Powell. This nonsense about Bush and Rumbles having frank discussions in the last few days is rubbish.
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by spain01
Juan Carlos
spain again
While your'e about it
Viva l'difference
Fire News Blog
Cities dying of thirst.
Comment by Adrian
Philosophy Blog
Comment by spain01
Juan Carlos
spain again
While your'e about it
Viva l'difference
Fire News Blog
Cities dying of thirst.
Comment by Adrian
Philosophy Blog
Comment by Ahmed
techy.Bytes
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Qwerk
Cinema Three
Oh on a more related note I totally agree, rummsfield was resignisged, he didn't resigne.
...
To anyone and everyone out there, the total war series is like the best game series eveer, its so good it makes me wanna cry tears of joy :'-( My toppest recommendations.
Comment by Ahmed
techy.Bytes
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Qwerk
Cinema Three
Comment by spain01
Juan Carlos
spain again
While your'e about it
Viva l'difference
Fire News Blog
Cities dying of thirst.
Comment by Ahmed
techy.Bytes
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Qwerk
Cinema Three
He probably plays delta force... now thats a crap series...
Comment by spain01
Juan Carlos
spain again
While your'e about it
Viva l'difference
Fire News Blog
Cities dying of thirst.
Comment by Justin
Cinematrix
Thanks for your reply! Being an Australian and missing most of the news on Rummy's resignation, (and not entirely understanding the rest) are you saying that the Republican party issued Rummy's resignation to Rummy based on peoples perception of Rummy?
Lastly, do you think it was Rummy doing a bad job, or more of an intentional move to dis-associate Rumsfeld with the current or developing phase of the war now? To clarify, I mean, are they trying to adopt a new phase of the war or outlook on it by 'deposing' Rummy?
Comment by spain01
Juan Carlos
spain again
While your'e about it
Viva l'difference
Fire News Blog
Cities dying of thirst.
Rumsfeld was the only major figure surrounding Bush who could be sacrificed. Cheney is the Vice-President so cannot be sacked. Powell was already gone. Armitage was gone. Connie Rice did not carry the can for the war and the mud for 9/11 did not stick hard enough to her. Rumsfeld it had to be before the democrats went gunning for him. The clearest sign of a change in policy for Iraq is to sack the Secretary for Defence. The President doesn’t admit his wrong he just has to blame someone else. That is what ministers are for.
Comment by Ahmed
techy.Bytes
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Qwerk
Cinema Three
Politics is so dirty isn't it?
Comment by spain01
Juan Carlos
spain again
While your'e about it
Viva l'difference
Fire News Blog
Cities dying of thirst.
Comment by Ahmed
techy.Bytes
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Qwerk
Cinema Three
Comment by spain01
Juan Carlos
spain again
While your'e about it
Viva l'difference
Fire News Blog
Cities dying of thirst.
Comment by Ahmed
techy.Bytes
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Qwerk
Cinema Three