Quote:
Originally Posted by soopaman2
I was not trying to say the allies had no business there, just that the colonial map in Africa had alot of Euro (allied and Axis) colors on it.
And that the fight there had nothing to do with the actual citizens of the countries, but of politics elsewheres.
I do not expect allegiance from them honestly.
Unlike say the Normandy invasion, or Market Garden (failed), that served to liberate a country, and not preserve imperialistic ties.
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Egypt was granted Independence from the UK in 1922.
Libya was a pair of Italian colony captured by the allies, unified and given independence by the allied powers.
Syria was left a republic when allied troops pulled out.
By the end of the 1950s early 1960s all those countries would have their democracies usurped by dictators (one of whom only died last year).
Seems that where ever else Allied troops bled in the war democratic nations sprung up (the Philippines, France, Netherlands, Germany, India), except for the ME.
Quote:
Originally Posted by _dgn_
Haj Mohammed Effendi Amin el-Husseini ? The Palestinian Arab nationalist, who was Grand Mufti of Jerusalem ?
He is sometimes given as Yasser Arafat's grand-uncle, but it isn't certain.
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Indeed that el-Husseini.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Skybird
When I was there, I got repeatedly celebrated (as a German) for my ancestors having killed so wonderfully many Jews. I should be very proud of our history, they said.
No joke, they really did. Not always, but far too often. Same in Iran, of course, and Turkey. From the metropoles to the urban areas.
Lovely.
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You know I've heard of atheist/agnostic troops adding a christian denomination on to their dogtags in case they are captured; a "Masihi" is likely to get better treatment than a "Kafir". Never heard of adding a 'von'.
