Rob Taylor has written an excellent article on NewsReal Blog entitled "7 Reasons Mexico is the Biggest Threat to American Security" (1). For the purposes of the New Knighthood, reason #4 is perhaps the most startling: Hezbollah's growing involvement with the cartels. Just to remind everyone, Hezbollah is a puppet of the clerics in Iran and was actually the first Islamic group to use a truck bomb against the United States embassy in Beirut in 1983. More recently, a propaganda booklet called "In Memory of Our Martyrs" which praises suicide bombers was recently found by United States Border Patrol agents in Mexico (2). The booklet was published in Iran.
In addition, Hugo Chavez's increasingly close relationship with the Iranian regime should be a source of concern (3). Both Iran and Venezuela are members of OPEC and have significant influence over the world's energy sector. Furthermore, Venezuela has now expressed interest in starting a nuclear program and follow in Iran's footsteps.
The politicians and mainstream media need to take the Iranian threat more seriously. It is a country led by men with totalitarian designs on the world that they believe come directly from Allah. The similarities between Chavez's socialism and the Iranian theocracy go deeper than one may assume. Most specifically, both regimes are dedicated to protecting "the revolution," viewing any conflicting opinions as threats to their very existence. But these regimes are also fundamentally brittle. Opposition groups within these countries should be encouraged. After all, any opposition is going to be accused of being "orchastrated by the United States," so why not give them the benefits of communications technology and political support?
References:
1. Taylor, Rob. "7 Reasons Mexico is the Biggest Threat to American Security." NewsReal Blog; February 27, 2011. http://www.newsrealblog.com/2011/02/27/7-reasons-mexico-is-the-biggest-threat-to-american-security; accessed February 27, 2011
2. La Jeunesse, William. "Iranian Book Celebrating Suicide Bombers Found in Arizona Desert." Fox News; January 27, 2011.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/01/27/iranian-book-celebrating-suicide-bombers-arizona-desert; accessed February 27, 2011
3. Pomeroy, Robin. "Chavez and Ahmadinejad say united to change world order." Reuters; October 20, 2010. http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/10/20/us-iran-venezuela; accessed February 27, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Modern Janissaries: Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps
In the early 14th century, the Ottoman Empire was engaged in a massive jihad against Europe, especially the long-troublesome Byzantine Empire that held the key position between Asia and Europe. At the vanguard of this effort stood the Janissaries, a word which comes from the Turkish term for "new soldier", the most elite fighting unit of their day (1). Taken from their families in occupied Europe as young boys, the Janissaries had their Christian identities erased through immersion in a culture of warfare and Islamic doctrine. In the early days of the Janissary Corps, all warriors were heavily indoctrinated in Islamic theology and were expected to remain celibate, similar to the Christian military orders such as the Knights Templar or the Order of St. John of the Hospital (2). Their unswerving loyalty to the sultan alone provided him with a force that he could trust to protect him in the event of civil war or armed mutiny by the normal army, made up as it was of dozens of feuding tribes and ethnic groups.
For around three hundred years the Janissaries were the most disciplined and focused warriors in the Ottoman Empire. But, as with the Praetorian Guard of ancient Rome before them, the Janissaries began using their military might and political influence with the sultan to pick who would be appointed to positions of power. They oversaw the rise and fall of grand viziers and even sultans (2). In addition, when the jihad was temporarily stalled in the Balkans around the turn of the 17th century, the Janissaries started to seriously take advantage of bribery and corruption in Istanbul as a way to replace the income that they normally would have made plundering the lands of the infidel. They began to terrorize the populace and murdered several minor officials who had stood up to their cruelty. But the sultan of the time, Murad III, was unconcerned about any events outside of his harem. The Janissaries had free reign (2).
This corruption and decadence proved to be the downfall of the Janissaries. Because they had dominated the battlefield for so long, the Janisarries loosened training standards and permitted their members to marry (up to four wives, as is Islamic custom). They believed that their mere presence on the battlefield would scare away any who would oppose them. But the Europeans had been fighting this war for a long time and had adapted their tactics to take advantage of weaknesses in Janissary battle formations. The next few centuries saw a series of stunning reversals, including the crushing Ottoman defeat at Vienna in 1683. The Janissaries limped on until 1826 when they were totally disbanded by Sultan Mahmoud II after they had set his predecessor on fire (2). The Janissaries, once the most feared fighting force in the world, vanished from history.
Fast forward to 1979. With the Iranian Revolution in full swing, Khomeini issues a decree to establish a force to guard the revolution itself and to enforce Islamic law and morality codes as put forth by the Iranian clerics (3). Khomeini also wanted a brand-new unit to avoid using one of the existing units that may still be loyal to the shah. The Revolutionary Guard rapidly grew, acquiring their own air, naval, and intelligence assets separate from the Iranian military. In the early 1980's the Revolutionary Guard got their first taste of combat against Saddam Hussein's forces in the Iran-Iraq war.
As with the Janissaries, the Revolutionary Guard found themselves drifting for a short time after the conclusion of the war with Iraq. Crackdowns on "immodesty" and "corrupt gangs" soared within Iran. The Revolutionary Guard also responded with brutal force to anti-government riots in various cities across Iran (4). The Revolution Guard's Qods Force poured money, training, and material support to terrorist groups in Egypt, Turkey, Chechnya, the Sudan, Jordan, and Lebanon. The terror group Hezbollah, in particular, is heavily influenced by the Revolutionary Guard in Iran (4).
But decades without a proper enemy to fight may have left the Revolutionary Guard as corrupt as the Janissaries in the latter centuries of their existence. The Revolutionary Guard was given the task of rebuilding Iran after the war with Iraq. Consequently, they have ties to dozens of construction and engineering firms and have the final say in which firms get the contracts for the reconstruction efforts worth billions of dollars (3). The Revolutionary Guard is also a major player in Iran's black market, especially alcohol, which is ironic considering the Revolutionary Guard's role as enforcer of Islamic morality.
The controversy and public outcry regarding the 2009 re-election of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has caused fractures within the once fanatically loyal Revolutionary Guard. Over a dozen senior commanders of the Revolutionary Guard were arrested in June of 2009 (5). This was the most overt sign of the dissent within the ranks of the Revolutionary Guard. Numerous high-ranking members of the Revolutionary Guard have defected to the West, bringing important information about just how much power they wield in Iran as well as the Revolutionary Guard's divided opinion on how to deal with the anti-Ahmadinejad protesters in the streets of Tehran (6). The Revolutionary Guard have also begun taking steps toward consolidating power for themselves, edging out the clerics who they are supposed to serve. Some experts believe that, if faced with a serious dispute with the ruling clerics, the Revolutionary Guard will attempt to seize power (3). This situation is eerily similar to that of the Janissaries in the waning days of the Ottoman Empire.
The West faces an interesting situation. The Revolutionary Guard could be pushed into a conflict with the ruling clerics, helping to destabilize the regime. However, without someone else to take power, from the current anti-government movement for example, Iran could easily turn into a military dictatorship. On the other hand, the Western powers may not be given another opportunity like this before Iran becomes a full-fledged nuclear power. The Revolutionary Guard play a substantial role in keeping the current regime in power, and the best way to facilitate regime change and avoid all-out war may be to play the guards against the guarded.
References1. "Janissary (Turkish military)." Britannica Online Encyclopedia.
2. Fregosi, Paul. Jihad in the West: Muslim Conquests from the 7th to the 21st Centuries (1998). Prometheus Books; Amherst, New York
3. Bruno, Greg. "Iran's Revolutionary Guards." The Council on Foreign Relations; June 22, 2009.
4. "Qods (Jerusalem) Force." Global Security; April 26, 2005.
5. Robbins, James S. "Revolutionary Guards Arrested in Iran." The Watercooler Blog, The Washington Times Online; June 15, 2009.
6. Mauro, Ryan. "Dissent in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards." FrontPage Magazine; July 7, 2010. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/300350/Janissary-corps; accessed December 17th, 2010http://www.cfr.org/publication/14324/irans_revolutionary_guards.html#p6; accessed December 18, 2010http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/world/iran/qods.htm; accessed December 18, 2010http://www.washingtontimes.com/weblogs/watercooler/2009/jun/15/revolutionary-guards-arrested-iran/; accessed December 17th, 2010http://frontpagemag.com/2010/07/07/dissent-in-the-iranian-revolutionary-guards/; accessed December 17th, 2010
For around three hundred years the Janissaries were the most disciplined and focused warriors in the Ottoman Empire. But, as with the Praetorian Guard of ancient Rome before them, the Janissaries began using their military might and political influence with the sultan to pick who would be appointed to positions of power. They oversaw the rise and fall of grand viziers and even sultans (2). In addition, when the jihad was temporarily stalled in the Balkans around the turn of the 17th century, the Janissaries started to seriously take advantage of bribery and corruption in Istanbul as a way to replace the income that they normally would have made plundering the lands of the infidel. They began to terrorize the populace and murdered several minor officials who had stood up to their cruelty. But the sultan of the time, Murad III, was unconcerned about any events outside of his harem. The Janissaries had free reign (2).
This corruption and decadence proved to be the downfall of the Janissaries. Because they had dominated the battlefield for so long, the Janisarries loosened training standards and permitted their members to marry (up to four wives, as is Islamic custom). They believed that their mere presence on the battlefield would scare away any who would oppose them. But the Europeans had been fighting this war for a long time and had adapted their tactics to take advantage of weaknesses in Janissary battle formations. The next few centuries saw a series of stunning reversals, including the crushing Ottoman defeat at Vienna in 1683. The Janissaries limped on until 1826 when they were totally disbanded by Sultan Mahmoud II after they had set his predecessor on fire (2). The Janissaries, once the most feared fighting force in the world, vanished from history.
Fast forward to 1979. With the Iranian Revolution in full swing, Khomeini issues a decree to establish a force to guard the revolution itself and to enforce Islamic law and morality codes as put forth by the Iranian clerics (3). Khomeini also wanted a brand-new unit to avoid using one of the existing units that may still be loyal to the shah. The Revolutionary Guard rapidly grew, acquiring their own air, naval, and intelligence assets separate from the Iranian military. In the early 1980's the Revolutionary Guard got their first taste of combat against Saddam Hussein's forces in the Iran-Iraq war.
As with the Janissaries, the Revolutionary Guard found themselves drifting for a short time after the conclusion of the war with Iraq. Crackdowns on "immodesty" and "corrupt gangs" soared within Iran. The Revolutionary Guard also responded with brutal force to anti-government riots in various cities across Iran (4). The Revolution Guard's Qods Force poured money, training, and material support to terrorist groups in Egypt, Turkey, Chechnya, the Sudan, Jordan, and Lebanon. The terror group Hezbollah, in particular, is heavily influenced by the Revolutionary Guard in Iran (4).
But decades without a proper enemy to fight may have left the Revolutionary Guard as corrupt as the Janissaries in the latter centuries of their existence. The Revolutionary Guard was given the task of rebuilding Iran after the war with Iraq. Consequently, they have ties to dozens of construction and engineering firms and have the final say in which firms get the contracts for the reconstruction efforts worth billions of dollars (3). The Revolutionary Guard is also a major player in Iran's black market, especially alcohol, which is ironic considering the Revolutionary Guard's role as enforcer of Islamic morality.
The controversy and public outcry regarding the 2009 re-election of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has caused fractures within the once fanatically loyal Revolutionary Guard. Over a dozen senior commanders of the Revolutionary Guard were arrested in June of 2009 (5). This was the most overt sign of the dissent within the ranks of the Revolutionary Guard. Numerous high-ranking members of the Revolutionary Guard have defected to the West, bringing important information about just how much power they wield in Iran as well as the Revolutionary Guard's divided opinion on how to deal with the anti-Ahmadinejad protesters in the streets of Tehran (6). The Revolutionary Guard have also begun taking steps toward consolidating power for themselves, edging out the clerics who they are supposed to serve. Some experts believe that, if faced with a serious dispute with the ruling clerics, the Revolutionary Guard will attempt to seize power (3). This situation is eerily similar to that of the Janissaries in the waning days of the Ottoman Empire.
The West faces an interesting situation. The Revolutionary Guard could be pushed into a conflict with the ruling clerics, helping to destabilize the regime. However, without someone else to take power, from the current anti-government movement for example, Iran could easily turn into a military dictatorship. On the other hand, the Western powers may not be given another opportunity like this before Iran becomes a full-fledged nuclear power. The Revolutionary Guard play a substantial role in keeping the current regime in power, and the best way to facilitate regime change and avoid all-out war may be to play the guards against the guarded.
References1. "Janissary (Turkish military)." Britannica Online Encyclopedia.
2. Fregosi, Paul. Jihad in the West: Muslim Conquests from the 7th to the 21st Centuries (1998). Prometheus Books; Amherst, New York
3. Bruno, Greg. "Iran's Revolutionary Guards." The Council on Foreign Relations; June 22, 2009.
4. "Qods (Jerusalem) Force." Global Security; April 26, 2005.
5. Robbins, James S. "Revolutionary Guards Arrested in Iran." The Watercooler Blog, The Washington Times Online; June 15, 2009.
6. Mauro, Ryan. "Dissent in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards." FrontPage Magazine; July 7, 2010. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/300350/Janissary-corps; accessed December 17th, 2010http://www.cfr.org/publication/14324/irans_revolutionary_guards.html#p6; accessed December 18, 2010http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/world/iran/qods.htm; accessed December 18, 2010http://www.washingtontimes.com/weblogs/watercooler/2009/jun/15/revolutionary-guards-arrested-iran/; accessed December 17th, 2010http://frontpagemag.com/2010/07/07/dissent-in-the-iranian-revolutionary-guards/; accessed December 17th, 2010
Monday, February 14, 2011
Thoughts on The New Knighthood
In the year 1135, Bernard of Clairvaux penned an influential treatise entitled De Laude Novae Militiae, which translates as "In Praise of the New Knighthood." Written as a reply to a letter received by his close friend Hugh de Payens, the first Grand Master of the Templars, it was intended to promote the newly formed Knights Templar in the circles of European nobility and admonished the knights of Christendom. Bernard also produced an argument for the defense of Christian lands and lives when threatened with extinction. "What then? If it is never permissible for a Christian to strike with the sword, why did the Savior's precursor bid the soldiers to be content with their pay, and not rather forbid them to follow this calling."
"This is, I say, a new kind of knighthood and one unknown to the ages gone by," Bernard wrote. "It ceaselessly wages a twofold war both against flesh and blood and against a spiritual army of evil in the heavens." He described the new warrior-monk as "truly a fearless knight and secure on every side, for his soul is protected by the armor of faith just as his body is protected by armor of steel. He is doubly armed and need fear neither demons nor men." Bernard also cautioned against the use of violence for conquest or power, something that set the warrior-monks of Christendom apart from their secular counterparts in any other culture. "If you happen to be killed while you are seeking to kill another, you die a murderer. If you succeed, and by your will to overcome and to conquer you perchance kill a man, you live a murderer. Now it will not do to be a murderer, living or dead, victorious or vanquished. What an unhappy victory- to have conquered a man while yielding to vice, and to indulge in an empty glory at his fall when wrath and pride have gotten the better of you!"
The military orders were the natural evolution of the chivalric ideal, and indeed the source of many modern ideas regarding the moral character of knighthood. The Church had long pondered the role of the soldier in a spiritual world, developing the idea of Just War with Augustine of Hippo and Thomas Aquinas. The members of the military orders were the pinnacle of both martial dedication and spiritual obedience. Despite the modern image of Knights Templar as bloodthirsty savages intent on destroying any chance of peace between Christian and Muslim (I'm looking at you, Ridley Scott), the military orders were more realistic about their goals and more prudent in conduct than the grand Crusaders who would stream in from Western Europe. The part-time warriors for God would soon leave the Holy Land and head home with tales of battle against the Saracens while the Templars and Hospitallars had to live surrounded by their enemies at all times. When a reasonable peace was to be had, the military orders would usually advise the Christian rulers in the Holy Land to agree to the terms. Indeed, Bernard of Clairvaux anticipated this sort of thing when he wrote, "I do not mean to say that the pagans are to be slaughtered when there is any other way to prevent them from harassing and persecuting the faithful..."
The world once again stands in a very dangerous place. All free people around the world find themselves facing a myriad of hazards at home and abroad. Is it time for a New Knighthood to rise up to push back against the spiritual and physical forces of darkness? Not to say an army of troops seeking to slay non-believers, but rather a union of like-minded people who can look into the darkness and say with boldness, "Thus far, and no farther." People who are willing to defend themselves and their loved ones from mortal danger, but who are not militarized or violent. People who are willing to see people of other faiths and cultures as allies and friends without losing the bedrock principles of their own belief. People who see the problems of the world through the lens of faith and have the courage to speak out against injustice and oppression. With just a handful of such individuals, and the blessing of God, true victories can be won and the light in the darkness will spread.
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephesians 6:12 (KJV)
All quotations from "In Praise of the New Knighthood" come from The ORB: Online Reference Book for Medieval Studies. http://www.the-orb.net/encyclop/religion/monastic/bernard.html
"This is, I say, a new kind of knighthood and one unknown to the ages gone by," Bernard wrote. "It ceaselessly wages a twofold war both against flesh and blood and against a spiritual army of evil in the heavens." He described the new warrior-monk as "truly a fearless knight and secure on every side, for his soul is protected by the armor of faith just as his body is protected by armor of steel. He is doubly armed and need fear neither demons nor men." Bernard also cautioned against the use of violence for conquest or power, something that set the warrior-monks of Christendom apart from their secular counterparts in any other culture. "If you happen to be killed while you are seeking to kill another, you die a murderer. If you succeed, and by your will to overcome and to conquer you perchance kill a man, you live a murderer. Now it will not do to be a murderer, living or dead, victorious or vanquished. What an unhappy victory- to have conquered a man while yielding to vice, and to indulge in an empty glory at his fall when wrath and pride have gotten the better of you!"
The military orders were the natural evolution of the chivalric ideal, and indeed the source of many modern ideas regarding the moral character of knighthood. The Church had long pondered the role of the soldier in a spiritual world, developing the idea of Just War with Augustine of Hippo and Thomas Aquinas. The members of the military orders were the pinnacle of both martial dedication and spiritual obedience. Despite the modern image of Knights Templar as bloodthirsty savages intent on destroying any chance of peace between Christian and Muslim (I'm looking at you, Ridley Scott), the military orders were more realistic about their goals and more prudent in conduct than the grand Crusaders who would stream in from Western Europe. The part-time warriors for God would soon leave the Holy Land and head home with tales of battle against the Saracens while the Templars and Hospitallars had to live surrounded by their enemies at all times. When a reasonable peace was to be had, the military orders would usually advise the Christian rulers in the Holy Land to agree to the terms. Indeed, Bernard of Clairvaux anticipated this sort of thing when he wrote, "I do not mean to say that the pagans are to be slaughtered when there is any other way to prevent them from harassing and persecuting the faithful..."
The world once again stands in a very dangerous place. All free people around the world find themselves facing a myriad of hazards at home and abroad. Is it time for a New Knighthood to rise up to push back against the spiritual and physical forces of darkness? Not to say an army of troops seeking to slay non-believers, but rather a union of like-minded people who can look into the darkness and say with boldness, "Thus far, and no farther." People who are willing to defend themselves and their loved ones from mortal danger, but who are not militarized or violent. People who are willing to see people of other faiths and cultures as allies and friends without losing the bedrock principles of their own belief. People who see the problems of the world through the lens of faith and have the courage to speak out against injustice and oppression. With just a handful of such individuals, and the blessing of God, true victories can be won and the light in the darkness will spread.
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephesians 6:12 (KJV)
All quotations from "In Praise of the New Knighthood" come from The ORB: Online Reference Book for Medieval Studies. http://www.the-orb.net/encyclop/religion/monastic/bernard.html
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