Article

2003-12-19 Iraq

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Steve White 2003-12-19 12:43:05 AM|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 mmmmmmm, Army of Steve. I've got an account from yet another foot soldier in the Army of Steve on the capture of Saddam...first hand account from the 101st. I'll post tomorrow a.m PST pm on this thread. For now...bedways is rightways...righty-right.

Posted by Rex Mundi 2003-12-19 3:17:40 AM|| 2003-12-19 3:17:40 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 In all the focus on Saddam, what is lost in the shuffle is that, in previous times, he'd have been treated a lot worse than we treated him.

Posted by Ptah 2003-12-19 7:57:25 AM|| [http://www.crusaderwarcollege.org] 2003-12-19 7:57:25 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 In the old days the conquered tyrant was dragged through the streets behind the Roman generalâs chariot. Or paraded shackled before a jeering crowd. Or, when more finality was required, had his head placed on a spike on the tower wall.

Sounds good to me!

Posted by CrazyFool 2003-12-19 9:00:46 AM|| 2003-12-19 9:00:46 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 In the old days the conquered tyrant was dragged through the streets behind the Roman generalâs chariot.

Um, no. Roman triumphs (the parade that a victorious general was granted by the Senate upon his return) had a rigid order and procedure about them. The vanquished general/leader/foe, having been captured, to that point was always treated well -- clean, fed, etc. He was paraded in the triumph dressed in his best wardrobe, and either walked of his free will or was on what we today would call a float. Other portions of the triumph would depict the battles, show the loot, etc. About 2/3 of the way through the triumph, the vanquished leader would be taken out of the triumph to a special Roman prison (forget the name) where, out of sight of everyone, he would be stangled or cast into a deep, dark sewer pit.

The whole point was that if the vanquished foe was humiliated or mistreated it would cheapen the triumph and by implication lessen the Roman victory. The Romans didn't want that, they wanted to show the world just how great the victory was, so turn out the foe in his finest.

Which if you think about it is exactly what we're doing in the 21st century. Saddam is being treated properly -- no cruelty, no torture, etc. It shows even more the power of the US/coalition victory and the rightness of our cause. Very shrewd.

Posted by Steve White 2003-12-19 12:47:47 PM|| 2003-12-19 12:47:47 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 "...and standing behind the Victor would be a slave, whose job was to whisper in the ear of the Victor "Sic Transit Gloria Mundi"...

Posted by mojo 2003-12-19 1:12:43 PM|| 2003-12-19 1:12:43 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 No, the slave was telling him "Remember you are just a man". The Roman had a big fear of a general getting a swollen head and becoming dictator (in the modern sense). It ended happenning with Marius, Silla and later Cesar.

Posted by JFM 2003-12-19 3:34:03 PM|| 2003-12-19 3:34:03 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 Guys, when George C. Scott describes the Roman triumph the way you just did at the end of the movie "Patton" is my very favorite part of an all-time classic film about one of our finest generals.

Posted by Jennie Taliaferro 2003-12-19 3:55:17 PM|| [http://www.greatestjeneration.com] 2003-12-19 3:55:17 PM|| Front Page Top

06:04 Mark Hart
15:33 ed
12:56 Daniel King
23:58 PBMcL
23:54 Les Nessman
23:37 OldSpook
23:09 Gasse Katze
22:56 Gasse Katze
22:55 Super Hose
22:51 Super Hose
22:47 Alaska Paul
22:41 ed
22:40 Vic
22:39 Super Hose
22:30 JP
22:20 Super Hose
22:18 Super Hose
22:11 Super Hose
22:10 Matt
22:06 Glenn (not Reynolds)
21:56 True German Ally
21:55 Super Hose
21:52 Super Hose
21:47 Glenn (not Reynolds)