[Cicero]

This strikes me as a pretty simpleminded history of the Middle East by a typically undereducated reporter who has probably now read three or four books on the subject.

I suppose I shouldn't complain. At least this poor guy is trying.

[Destro]

The Turks' Prayer against the Christians

Eternal God and creator of all things, and thou O Mahomet his sacred and divine prophet. We beseech thee let us not dread the Christians, who are so mean and silly to rely on a crucified god. By the power of thy right hand, so strengthen ours that we may surround this foolish people, on every side, and utterly destroy them. At length fulfill our prayers and put these miscreants into our hands, that we may establish thy throne for ever in Mecca, and sacrifice all those enemies of our most holy religion at thy tomb. Blow us with thy mighty breath like swarms of flies into their quarters, and let the eyes of these infidels bedazelled with the lustre of our moon. Consume them with thy fiery darts, and blind them with the dust which they themselves have raised. Destroy them all in thine anger. Break all their bones in pieces, and consume the flesh and blood of those who defile thy sacrifice, and hang the sacred light of circumcision on their cross. Wash them with showers of many waters, who are so stupid to worship gods they know not: and make their Christ a son to that God who ne're begot him. Hasten therefore their destruction we humbly entreat thee, and blot out their name and religion, which they glory so much in, from off the face of the earth, that they may be no more, who condemn and mock at thy law. Amen.

[RepublicanHippy]

"This strikes me as a pretty simpleminded history of the Middle East by a typically undereducated reporter who has probably now read three or four books on the subject."

Yeh, it looks like one of the books he read is "Balkan Ghosts", hence his title. "Balkan Ghosts: A Journey Through History" is an excellent read for those trying to understand politics and history and "ancient hatreds" in the Balkans and elsewhere in Eastern Europe. Another good book to read is "The Haunted Land: Facing Europe's Ghosts after Communism" by Tina Rosenberg.

[webstersII]

"I suppose I shouldn't complain. At least this poor guy is trying."

If you have some particular expertise or insight to this I would be interested in hearing your thoughts. Specifically, I'm curious as to whether we can successfully reshape the power structure in the ME or will we just have to rely on them being afraid of us in order to keep the Terrorists at bay?