How Go The Crusades?

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It’s hard to avoid the religious aspect of the current war, and its roots in thousand-year disputes over how best to suck up to the deity at the heart of it all. The deity who, for a chuckle, put vast quantities of petroleum under the Middle Eastern lands, added geographical pinch points and political instability, and seeded three fightin’ religions that are basically fairly minor variations on each other. What a guy!

When Pete Hegseth has Crusader symbology tattooed on his pecs (though I thought at first it was a German Iron Cross) and Deus Vult on his arm; when Trump hosts those (fucking weird) performative anointing sessions in the Oval Office, I wonder what non-mad Christians – and Jews – make of all this.

I always understood Christianity to be a peaceful, neighbourly religion. Thou shalt not kill, love thy neighbour, that sort of thing. “The religion of peace” is the eye-rolling sneer directed at Muslims following some atrocity. We’re the good guys. But this administration is exulting in – essentially – state-sponsored, religiously-inspired, terrorism.

Don’t get me wrong; Islam has a massive image problem. When some dickhead blows himself up on a bus or at a pop concert, I share the revulsion of my in-group. They do far more harm than good to their cause. I don’t understand the brutality. But Muslims are no more responsible for these actions than the Archbishop of Canterbury is responsible for Pete Hegseth.

These religions are, as I say, variations on a theme. Their holy books contain similar moral strictures, similarly ignored by fanatics, along with some dubiously contradictory aggression and brutality. They pick consecutive days to represent God’s Seventh Day Off, they all start with Adam and Eve. Mary appears seventy times in the Quran. They all have weird dietary restrictions (God looks favourably on people who make life unnecessarily hard for themselves). But those guys over there – they’ve got it wrong. Though entered largely by accident of birth. my religion is the right one. What a stroke of luck.

Muslim Medics at a hospital in Barrow, half an hour down the road, got together and initiated a faith centre in nearby Dalton. I can hear the howls from here. “We’re a Christian country!” from people who only see the inside of a church at weddings and funerals. Numerous protests have taken place, with more to come as right-wing figures attach themselves. People have suddenly developed an interest in the minutiae of planning regulations, and building aesthetics. Local papers looking for a bit of online engagement post ‘what do you think?” clickbait as commenters hilariously suggest they will go down and wave bacon sandwiches, or smear pig shit on the doors (forgetting that Jews, with whom we are temporarily allied, also reject pork products). Disappointingly, several friends have indicated, by ‘like’, support for the campaign. The hospital, meanwhile, is struggling to recruit and retain staff, and closing departments. A place of worship would not hurt recruitment, but the hatred being poured out might. I trust protestors will enjoy, or at least survive, the trip to Preston to sort out their bacon-clogged arteries.

73 thoughts on “How Go The Crusades?”

  2. J-Mac:
    Every war ever is religious or ideological. What’s the difference?
    One set of beliefs over another.

    Is wanting someone else’s territory religious or ideological? Or maybe just greed, or the lust for power? Trump has no ideology, and he sure isn’t religious.

  3. Allan:

    …three fightin’ religions that are basically fairly minor variations on each other.

    Minor variations to a heathen like you, but deathly important to those concerned. It made me think of this Emo Philips joke:

    Once I saw this guy on a bridge about to jump. I said, “Don’t do it!” He said, “Nobody loves me.” I said, “God loves you. Do you believe in God?”

    He said, “Yes.” I said, “Are you a Christian or a Jew?” He said, “A Christian.” I said, “Me, too! Protestant or Catholic?” He said, “Protestant.” I said, “Me, too! What franchise?” He said, “Baptist.” I said, “Me, too! Northern Baptist or Southern Baptist?” He said, “Northern Baptist.” I said, “Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern Liberal Baptist?”

    He said, “Northern Conservative Baptist.” I said, “Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region, or Northern Conservative Baptist Eastern Region?” He said, “Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region.” I said, “Me, too!”

    Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1879, or Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912?” He said, “Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912.” I said, “Die, heretic!” And I pushed him over.

  6. Flint: Is wanting someone else’s territory religious or ideological? Or maybe just greed, or the lust for power? Trump has no ideology, and he sure isn’t religious.

    If you don’t know what that cause of the problem is, always follow the ….???

  7. colewd,

    You mean that Trump has earned the Nobel Peace Prize yet again? Why do you think this is any sort of discussion starter?

    The situation is that before the war the strait of Hormuz was open. Now it is held by Iran. Can you figure out from this who won? I know: You can’t. You can’t even figure out who started the war. And you do not remember that Trump already had a war with Iran last year where he claimed he obliterated everything.

  8. colewd,

    I too fail to see what is worthy of discussion in that post, unless you sincerely believe a ceasefire with record high oil prices was the hidden goal of this illegal war.

  9. I have no idea what will happen in the long run, but in the short run, the US is starting to fill in as an oil supplier.

    Just something to watch.

    For most of my life it was assumed that the Middle East had a stranglehold on energy.

    What if they don’t?

    China seems hell bent on going solar. What happens if they reach saturation and have excess manufacturing capacity for solar panels? Cheap.

    What happens if the world can survive without middle eastern oil?

  10. petrushka: I have no idea what will happen in the long run, but in the short run, the US is starting to fill in as an oil supplier.

    One word: Tariffs. It happens to be Trump’s favorite word, remember?

    What happens if USA becomes as unstable as Middle East? This leadership has managed to take a giant leap in that direction…

  11. Erik: One word: Tariffs. It happens to be Trump’s favorite word, remember?

    What happens if USA becomes as unstable as Middle East? This leadership has managed to take a giant leap in that direction…

    What happens if the earth is swallowed by a giant space dog?

    The long term stability of the world is threatened by demographic shifts. Everything else is noise.

    China knows this. They have been preparing for it.

  12. petrushka: What happens if the earth is swallowed by a giant space dog?

    The long term stability of the world is threatened by demographic shifts. Everything else is noise.

    I think Erik’s claim deserves a little more serious contemplation. The Trump administration has turned out to be a hostile, arguably fascist, regime and is rapidly becoming a political, economical and military threat, even to nations that considered themselves allies. For this reason, many countries are now trying to reduce their dependency on US American resources, products and services. I wouldn’t be surprised if the energy transition will soon receive an extra impulse to prevent countries from becoming dependent on US gas and oil.

  13. Corneel: The Trump administration has turned out to be a hostile, arguably fascist, regime and is rapidly becoming a political, economical and military threat, even to nations that considered themselves allies. For this reason, many countries are now trying to reduce their dependency on US American resources, products and services.

    Exactly. Why should Europeans buy more oil from fascist USA* as compared to dynastic Middle East or dictatorial Russia? Between these options, Europe will simply pick the closest and most reliable supply, which USA is not. And suppose European countries fall into worse disarray than USA – well, such countries are not in condition to buy from USA even if they wanted to.

    * Let’s be clear: USA under Trump is fascist. The regime came to power literally Sieg Heiling, switched its alliance in the Ukraine war to Putin, began an immediate battle to rewrite the American Constitution, and has de facto dispersed NATO. Enough evidence.

  14. I fail to see how Russia is benefiting from Trump.

    Cuba has been a Russian client state since I was in high school. And Venezuela was a de facto puppet of Cuba.

    Iran was a major supplier of arms to Russia for the Ukraine war. Not to mention an advocate for Russian interests in the Middle East.

    Ukraine lost four provinces under Obama and Biden. They have lost nothing since January, 2025.

  15. petrushka: I fail to see how Russia is benefiting from Trump.

    You mean you failed to see the Alaska summit. Trump offered to Putin everything – all of Ukraine, mineral deals and whatever. Putin for his own reasons did not accept any of it – because, face to face, Trump is Putin’s slave and dog, whereas for Russian domestic propagandistic purposes, the “collective West” (including USA) is the arch-enemy. Putin has chosen to keep this dynamic as it is. Trump showed total servility, Putin showed total dominance.

    Iran war has shown USA as a weak dummy – a very much welcome event for Putin after Trump’s swift kidnapping of Maduro (which was the kind of operation that Putin wanted to do to Zelenskyy but failed). This Maduro kidnapping left Putin jealous at Trump for a while, but now Trump fixed this problem with the Iran war. Also, the Iran war has doubled oil prices, very much welcome for both Iran and Russia, especially since Trump dropped sanctions on Russian oil.

    You just fail to see, period. Ask yourself: Which AMERICAN goal or interest did the Iran war serve? ETA: To help you out, the correct answer is none. Therefore the war is entirely serving somebody else’s goals, most obviously Israel’s.

  16. What I see is that Ukraine lost four provenances under Obama and Biden, and none while Trump has been President.

  17. petrushka:
    What I see is that Ukraine lost four provenances under Obama and Biden, and none while Trump has been President.

    So you are as dumb as Trump, for whom the Ukraine war is strictly a real estate dispute – and an American domestic partisan bone. And hence he deserves Nobel Peace Prize, right?

    Have you seen at least that, since 1990s, Trump has wanted to set up a Trump Tower in Moscow?

    ETA: Why bother with you. You definitely did not see Putin’s interference in American elections in Trump’s favor either. Because Putin told to Trump in Helsinki very strongly that he did not interfere, therefore he did not, USA’s own intelligence reports be damned.

  18. Erik: Between these options, Europe will simply pick the closest and most reliable supply, which USA is not.

    My guess is that European countries will try to become autonomous and will diversify their suppliers whenever this is not possible. Isolationism is back.

    petrushka: I fail to see how Russia is benefiting from Trump.

    Then you have not been paying a lot of attention. NATO has been severely weakened by your presidents open disdain for his allies.

  19. Corneel: NATO has been severely weakened by your presidents open disdain for his allies.

    According to the Trump cult, NATO has only been ripping USA off, not paying its fair share, not giving Greenland to USA etc. Right now, NATO is not obeying Trump’s orders to secure the strait, therefore NATO must die. Weak NATO is a good thing. Trump is infallible like Easter Bunny and savior of the world like Jesus and he should be on the throne of the pope.

  21. Erik:

    Looks like Vance’s visit and Trump’s endorsement sealed Orbán’s fate. He lost. Europe is not Trumpite.

    Fantastic! Let’s hope his team isn’t hard at work on a Hungarian Jan 6.

  22. Corneel, to colewd:

    I too fail to see what is worthy of discussion in that post, unless you sincerely believe a ceasefire with record high oil prices was the hidden goal of this illegal war.

    Bill is so desperate at this point that he’s thrilled to see someone arguing that his orange hero isn’t insane.

    More on the Smerconish piece later.

  23. petrushka:

    I fail to see how Russia is benefiting from Trump.

    Are you kidding? Trump has been a godsend to Russia. They’ve benefitted enormously from Trump’s presidency (in his first term, too). Not only did he fail to impose new sanctions on Russia during the first nine months of his presidency, despite his hollow threats, but the only sanctions he did impose were recently lifted so that Russian oil could help ease price pressures. Trump actually lifted Iran’s sanctions too, for the same reason, giving them a huge source of income for fighting the US. Make that make sense.

    Iran was a major supplier of arms to Russia for the Ukraine war.

    But had already ceased to be, before the Iran war. Russia relies very little on Iranian arms because they produce Shaheds and other drones domestically now.

    Not to mention an advocate for Russian interests in the Middle East.

    Which they will continue to be.

    Ukraine lost four provinces under Obama and Biden. They have lost nothing since January, 2025.

    Do you actually credit Trump for that? He’s been nothing but bad news for Ukraine. The US has granted zero military aid to Ukraine during Trump’s term. At this point the US is merely selling to European countries who are buying on Ukraine’s behalf. Trump has pressured Ukraine to accept shitty terms for peace, and the Trump administration actually consulted Russia to ask what terms they should try to impose in a peace deal. I read that the terms in the US proposal appeared to have been translated directly from the original Russian.

    Then, as Corneel mentioned, there’s the impact Trump has made on weakening NATO. Trump is such an idiot that he actually relies on Putin’s opinions regarding NATO:

    NATO is a paper tiger. Putin is not afraid of NATO. Putin’s afraid of us. Very afraid of us. And he’s explained it to me a lot of times.

    Russia loves Trump, and that’s why you see Russian state media praising him all the time.

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