Neil

The Great meeting of The Willing Mk 11 about 3 weeks ago brought up uncanny reminicences of

the Crusader Kings' meeting of1148, at The Council of Acre -on the north-western cnr OF the Mediterranean Sea: well within most Middle-Eastern flash-points.

Baldwin and the leaders of the Templar Knights strongly urged an immediate attack ON Damascus;

King Loius V11 and Conrad 111 were eventually persuaded.

A large army was easily raised (all were within the area, already). Within little more than 3 weeks it was assembled at Tiberias. Five-square miles of dense, dark orange orchard virtually protected the victim city.

The Imeer OF Damascus, Unur poisoned all water sources and sent outappeals to RIVAL Muslim Lords to come: pitch in.

Thecitie's defenders poured out across the Barada River..

King Conrad led the attack, slicing Turk soldiers from head to anus; they were soon drivven back

behind their walls.

But the Crusader Generals made the error of not ENCIRCLING the entire city..

An (unknown) Arab army arrived, and galloped straight in the North Gate.

The Crusaders movedto the UN-walled [eastern] side to defend themselves.. .

-Then, to their horror they viewed a scene rather troubling.. Nur ed-Dijn, uncle of the yet-to-be

illustrious.. 'Saladin', and his huge, huge army arrived on the scene taking up even more land than the entire, great orange orchard! It was the 27th of July: the weather -of course- extremely hot for the Europeans.. who began to run completely out OF water.

At dawn, the Crusaders began to retreat, 'pell-mell': in rel disaray.. Hundreds fell victim to razor=-tipped arrows

launched from the Syrians & Turks who were already- thick amoung the dense trees...

It was The End -almost!

But as the winter came, and passed into year 1149, Nur ed-Din, with good help fromImeer Unur [of]

Damascus moved against ANTIOCH: where many Crusaders were hiding out: billeted, even.

H.R.H. Prince Raymond: Prince OF Antioch came riding out of Inab Castle.. and straight into the jaws of a terrible defeat. Nur ed-Din had his General, Shirkuh be-head the overly-daring Prince.

They called for a silver casket, sent the trophy to The Caliph in a northern city for his perusal.

I ask you, WHO'S head will grace the silver casket: in about a month, at most?

-or will it all see World War 3 kick off?

Do you all, mostly think these Damascenes should be LEFT:

to persue THEIR Civil War -any damned way they see fit? Why involve U.S. soldiers

-which will -plainly- soon enough BE The Case!

(Seems t' me all younger Pinoys& Pinays

are only thinking of 'modernity' -in place OF

their almost lost Sundanese customs.. .).