Pope Francis has the personal clout and celebrity status to create a successful 21st century Crusade for the conquest and settlement of Syria and Iraq. He only lacks the will.
He can call directly upon the French Foreign Legion to lead the Crusade as it is an existing well-known international paramilitary organization. Crusaders can be paid with a lifelong share of oil revenue from the conquered lands.
How would this affect the balance of power in the region? Russia would not be happy about losing its ally Assad on the far side of Turkey in favor of another Western-aligned state. This major drawback may resolve itself. Such a Crusade would probably radicalize Turkey into leaving NATO, thus diminishing Russia's concern. If the Turks join the conflict against the Crusaders, Putin can even be invited to conquer Turkey and reclaim Constantinople for the Orthodox. This would certainly appease him. And NATO would be pacified because they could simply move their bases from Turkey to the new Crusader State in Syria and Iraq.
This idea represents a radical end to the Pax Americana, but it seems that those days are numbered as it stands already.
What do you think? Would this be successful? How many men would volunteer? Would you?
More things to consider: the SMOM (the new name of the Knights Hospitaller) still exists and has observer status in the UN. Another possible candidate.
What do you say, /pol/?
"Do not cowardly stay in your homes with profane affections and sentiments." -Pope Urban II calling for the First Crusade
Kappa
>>55937618
There is absolutely no fucking way Pope Francis is going to do that shit.
>>55937618
would be really cool. the existing knightly orders could start recruiting again
Teutonic Order still exists too
of course it wont happen though. its just neat to think about
>>55937618
The same Pope that said open your homes to kebab? A HEARTY KEK!
>>55939311
He may be persuaded that it is in his interest. He has the most power a Pope has had in centuries, though he may not realize that yet. And if a simultaneous Orthodox Crusade reclaims Constantinople that could be the biggest step towards reconciliation of the East-West Schism nearly a thousand years ago.
If successful, it would guarantee the survival and popularity of Christianity and the Pope in particular for generations to come. Quite the reversal of the present trend.
Not to mention it would make the world a better place in general.
>>55940436
I agree with your premise, but he's all peace-and-love Pope. It's just not in his nature. There's no way he's going to call a Christian army to eradicate the mudpeople. It'd only be pandering to the devout base, which is what is shrinking.
>>55937618
inb4 Germany loads more historical guilt onto itself and wipes out 60 gorillion muslims, only this time the world turns a blind eye.
>>55940735
lets be really honest here. if there was an organized effort against mudslimes, Germany would literally go to war to protect them. you would be the enemy like always and you would lose...like always
>>55940670
I think it would appeal to millions of nationalist young men who have become detached from religion. Most of my peers don't go to church for example, some were raised in entirely atheist households, but I think they would support and even participate in an invasion like this.
>>55937618
YES YES YES YES YES YES
BRING ON THE MODERN DAY CRUSADE
>>55940880
You know that it'd be the exact opposite. If a western power goes absolutely apeshit, it's Germany. After all the kek memes and white guilt talk, deep down, the vast majority of Germans is pissed off, by so many things. Literally generations of bottled up rage. The Bundeswehr might seem like a joke as it is, but don't underestimate our Engineers. If push comes to shove and our defense industry gets funding like the American does, within months, we'd start producing the most advanced conventional weapons the world would see for half a century.
What do you think is the reason our government is so scared shitless of our brown right wing movements? They know what kind of potential the German people might still have.
I really wonder what German people would have to say if they weren't afraid of being stigmatized as nazis and literally sent to jail for negative comments about immigrants on facebook.
So yes, we probably wouldn't stop after ISIS and the combined powers of the world would protect the moderate muslims from Germany. 70 years ago all over again.
Keep in mind that nobody thought something like this could happen back in the early 30's either.
>>55941113
full disclosure - cultural christian but atheist here
Just let nationalism be nationalism. You can bring whatever religious motivations you want with you into what already is a decades-long conflict with a loose affiliation of Islamic terrorist organizations, but there's no need to fly under the banner of Christianity. It's divisive, and there's no place for identity politics. Focus on the problem, not who gets the megaphone next and has more historical grievance cred.
Would it appeal to the masses more to do so? I dunno, I personally doubt it but maybe you're right.
Point is - if you don't think atheists are pissed, too - you're wrong. Plenty of atheists and/or nonpracticing/nonbelieving Christians would be willing to put whatever differences we have aside to defeat a common enemy of the US. That's just plain ol American. And that's what's important.
>not your Judaism 2: Electric Boogaloo sandpeople death cult
Couldn't help myself.
>>55937618
>Pope Francis
Probably touches little kids
>>55942509
germany has a knack for choosing the wrong side in any conflict. if the rest of europe wants sandpoeople dead you can bet your ass germany will find a way to do the opposite
merkel has you sausage lovers keked so hard you would never speak up and we all know the only thing germany needs is a headstrong leader and the rest will follow
>>55942555
The issue is the force that could be mustered under another crusade is greater than that of, "Lets all of us unaffiliated people go fuck up the middle east" You need to give someone the megaphone or no one marches.
>>55943034
>merkel has you sausage lovers keked so hard
She might not end the year in office, you do realize that? The entire population, including her entire party are unhappy, to say the least.
God knows what kind of leader we would vote for if someone bombs the match tomorrow or attacks Germany in any way.
>>55943034
It's Your country that has a knack for choosing the wrong side of things. Not Germany.
Conveniently forgetting that the Catholic Church is in charge of housing and hosting the refugees/
You thought it was the Red Cross or the UN? Nope, it is Catholic Charities that is doing the work. Not only that, but they are coercing countries into accepting more refugees.
Sorry to burst you bubble with the truth
>>55943788
>Catholic Church is already preparing the deathcamps
>>55943150
Well, you're implying an international movement (re: Crusade) that is irrespective of borders. To me, that's not nationalism at all. Unless you want to extrapolate that to a brotherhood-of-man-Christian-Nation standpoint. If that's the case, you've lost me.
It'll alienate more patriots that'd do it for Murica but not necessarily Jesus.
The people that would do it for Jesus would do it for Murica anyway.
I may be seeing this too much through an American lens though. I don't know how God and Country intersect (or don't) in other places.
>>55942509
100% truth.
>>55942509
I want to believe.
Also, I always wondered this but is there a noticeable difference between East and West Germans? Are East Germans more based/red pilled or is that just a rumor?
>>55942509
>>55944399
just a reminder that you will literally be arrested if these posts are brought to the attention of your government
you have no hope and no rights franz. better toe the line unless you want to be assraped by muhammad in prison every day for the rest of your life
>>55944763
>just a reminder that you will literally be arrested if these posts are brought to the attention of your government
Only more fuel for the fire under a pressure cooker that's just barely holding.
Germans being abused and suppressed for decades is how the Reich happened in the first place.
>>55944763
It's funny because when we reopen our KZs the majority of you fucks will scream bloody murder. :^)
>>55944072
There are layers of nationalism, and nations can cooperate between each other to act in unity on a higher level. There are the individual nations that make up the West, but then there is the West itself, as opposed to the Orthodox East. This is much more than a religious division, it is historical and deeply cultural, not to mention the West is divided religiously between Catholic and Protestant.
I think /pol/ agrees that in addition to our loyalty to our nations we have loyalty to each other in a brotherhood-of-man Western Nation sense. That's the spirit of the Crusades right there.
And we have a further sense of brotherhood with the Russians and other Orthodox; reuniting with them was a major objective of the First Crusade and it should be again.
Religion is often divisive, but it can also be a powerful force for unity. It is undeniable that religion is one of the greatest forces of unity yet witness in world history, rivaled only by nationalism.
>>55943150
This, exactly.
"I bid you stand, Men of the West!"
