The battle of Lepanto was fought on October 7th 1571.
Here we is now again at the anniversary of that battle and it behooves us'uns ter think on what it were all about--since we got Jihad tearin' at the West--again.
Islamic men and boats outnumbered the European (Christian) fleet.
Ya'll ever heered of "Don Juan?" This is the battle that made that dashing raconteur famous-- Don Juan of Austria.
Jonathan Last wrote up somethin' last year in the Philadelphia Inquirer:
"It's the West vs. the Islamic world, a clash that has never abated. … It predates America itself. It is a clash between Western civilization and the Islamic world."
Now, folks, Uncle done read Pirate Coast whar' he learnt that them Islamic pirates was terrorizin' folks way back in the 1800s, wif' ole Tom Jefferson...so Islamic war on the rest of the world ain't on account of GWB or the oil industry or nuthin' like that--nope, chickens, it is intrinsic to the teachin' of Islam to make war on any who will not convert to Islam.
Last quotes from Samuel Huntington of Harvard, author Clash of Civilizations, who wrote,
"Conflict along the fault line between Western and Islamic civilizations has been going on for 1,300 years."
See folks? It ain't nuthin' new.
"Islam advanced under the sword conquering North Africa, Sicily, Spain, Portugal and parts of France. Twice the forces of Islam laid siege to Vienna. For 1,000 years, Islam advanced and Christendom retreated," said Mr. Last of the Philly paper.
Here's the long and short of the Battle of Lepanto
The Ottoman Turks done whupped up on and captured European cities and strongholds throughout the Mediterranean. Them bandits figgered out they wanted ter control the sea, the trade routes, and smash European navies. In 1529 them brigands attacked Vienna. Then, by 1570 Cyprus was under siege. The Turks skinned the commander of Isle of Cyprus while the man were still alive. More than 12,000 Christians and Jews were enslaved on Muslim galleys ships an' chained to the oars .
Rumor was that the Muslims was "invincible." So, with terror as they weapon, fear spread along the coasts of Italy and Greece.
The Turkish fleet put that famous ole' Ali Pasha in command and sent him and the fleet ter Lepanto (Gulf of Corinth). They hawg tied some lawless Corsairs , too , under the command that repugnant pirate, Uluch Ali.
Don Juan got him some hep from his friendly rival, Andrea Dorian. THem boys faced 330 Islamic ships. Sea buffs say that the Battle of Lepanto was the last of the great sea battles usin' oared ships, an' it were also the largest battle since the Battle of Actium in 30 B.C.
When the smoke was cleared away, 8,000 European fellas was dead. But the Muslims done far worse, chickens. Yep the boys from the West got it together and dealt a dern good blow ter the jihadi crews-- more than 25,000 of 'em was killed. Don Juan rescued the 12,000 Christian and Jewish galley slaves.A 'course, in a few years them Moslems rebuilt and the Islamic assaults rage on against Europe. This how come historians woan say Battle of Lepanto was any too decisive. But they do think it a fine psychological victory t: Oct. 7, 1571, is the day them Europeans jes' refused to retreat any more a'fore the "invincible" green crescent. Thas' the spirit we needs today too.
http://www.cse.dmu.ac.uk/~mward/gkc/books/lepanto.htmlYa'll, this here is somethin' ter think on:
Pope Benedict XVI explains in his book 'Without Roots,' the very idea of 'Europe' emerged as a reaction to the surge of Islam. It warn't until victory against the second Turkish siege of Vienna in 1683 that the Islamic hordes left Europe alone fer a few centuries-- in those 300 years Western civilization grew stronger, politically astute and the Islamic world , well, it stagnated under oppressive regimes and sharia law.
What happened next?
Why, ya' knows--- the West grew complacent and Islam grew under its nose. Time fer complacency is over. It is time fer war--or, at least not ter be afraid of war iffin' ya' ever wanna have peace.
Iffin' we let "terror" paralyze us, then ya' might as well git on over the the mall and look fer a burkha in yore size. Put down the Bar Be Que sir, ya ain't allowed no pork, and ya' daughter can be mutilated fer ya' "honor" 's sake.
Ain't never been one time in history when Islam was contained wif' "dialog." We gonna have ter fight 'em.
Next Post: What Is Islam? Inside Islamic teachin' and history.
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