The very fact that this thread has been hijacked from "ISIS" to "Ferguson 2.0" is clear evidence that many of you still believe that the Oceans are like big huge monstrous moats around your castle.
Not so, you guys invented the airplane... it flies across the Big Waters... get a hang of it.
As for ISIS figyhters being violent savages... let's go back 1000 years and see how Europeans fared (most of you being white skinned, methinks you're all of Europeans stock, yes?)
Utter the word "crusader" and this is what comes to mind...
Pity that, according to contemporary historians, those noble horsemen, though aristocratic, were90% of the time illiterate.
Reading and writing were a waste of time left to the clergy - they were too busy learning the Arts of War.
And if the aristocrats were illiterate, how do you believe the infantry fared ?
If you Google "medieval infantry" you will find plenty of beautiful toy soldier kits - not credible, they're toys, made to look nice...
Then you'll find paintings and mosaics of saints and famous people - most of the time these were either mythicized - hence depicted in full glorious armor, or aristocrats anyway (as St. George) so they were wealthy anyway.
But if you look at frescoes painted in the Middle Ages, you'll be surprised to see the foot soldier was a peasant who would march to war barefoot (or with wooden clogs at best)
and wielding his everyday utensils as personal weapon - knives, scythes, large hammers, axes... and a long pike to withstand the charge of the enemy horsemen.
Their "armor" would often be little more than a vest padded in layers of leather and wool, and their "uniform" would be little more than a colored scarf tied around their neck - hence the modern necktie.
And they were less than illiterate, as they only spoke the dialect from their land of origin.
"
Medieval battles evolved slowly from clashes of poorly organized war bands into battles where tactics and maneuvers were employed. Part of this evolution was in response to the development of different types of soldiers and weapons and learning how to use these. The early armies of the Dark Ages were mobs of foot soldiers. With the rise of heavy cavalry, the best armies became mobs of knights. Foot soldiers were brought along to devastate farmlands and do the heavy work in sieges. In battle, however, foot soldiers were at risk from both sides as the knights sought to engage their enemies in single combat. This was mainly true of foot soldiers early in the period who were feudal levies and untrained peasants. Archers were useful in sieges as well, but also at risk of being rundown on the battlefield."
Among the most famous infantry were the mercenary armies of Swiss Phalanx and the Dutch Lansquenet - literally, the "peasant with no land".
Fast forward to 2014, look at ISIS: those foot soldiers are not wielding axes, hammers or scythes, they are wielding anti-tank weapons, drive tanks, fire mortars, and run radio networks.
They may be religious fanatics, but they have media managers, internet websites and run find-raising campaigns.
What you are shown is THIS - light infantry on pickups. What you are NOT shoun is THIS - US tanks looted from Iraqi barracks. Not to mention heavy ordnance...
I will spare you the pictures of captured SCUDs, heavy AAA and media production centers - they have it all, and are recruiting from Pakistan and India now, as well...
Not quite my idea of "savages"...
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