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These readings are basically about political history from all sorts of points of view. The 600s
"Why were the Arab conquests so swift and far reaching - and permanent? ( Kennedy. 366.)"
- Declining population - "demographic decline" -as a result of Bubonic plague in the region. That the booty of war included many human captives supports this, along with the speed of success in Iran and on the Iberian peninsula.
- Earlier battles and wars between the Romans and the Iranian empires were far reaching and destructive. The decline of the Babylonian Empire was a symptom of this, along with the weakening control of local religions it precipitated. The strength of these older Empires was also a weakness in that the defense of the Empire relied not on local peoples but on armies raised elsewhere. Government was more "sophisticated" (Kennedy, 369).
- The strength of the older empires the Arabs supplanted was a weakness in that the local populations were will to support the Arab conquests as they were, perhaps, the lesser of two evils from the locals point of view.
- While it might not be said that the Arabs were benevolent rulers, local opposition did not instantly spring up in defiance.
- Martyrdom and paradise were incentives for the Arabs in battle in ways never seen before.
- This wasn't migration. It was war by an invading army. Households joined the armies only after military success.
- Mobility played a role. The Arab armies moved literally astonishing distances. The Muslim world stretched 7,000 kilometers; the Roman world stretched 5,000 kilometers.
- Leadership played a crucial role. Hereditary posts and the ability of designated leaders contributed.
- Strong direction from afar, namely Medina and, later, Damascus, were important.
- Finally, one key point. While armies were conquered, absolutely, terms for governing the newly conquered were comparatively easy.
The 1940s
Jackie Robinson led the way toward integration of major league baseball. That's an old story. In other places, we've made the point that success isn't about experience or training, although both are important. Success is about talent. Robinson had the talent to keep his mouth shut while competing fiercely at the same time. His talents helped a whole lot of other players succeed, as well.
The 2000s
Since we're telling sports stories, how about this one: Jimmy Carter raised $175,000 for The Carter Center by selling a baseball signed by Fidel Castro and himself. The ball was the first pitch in a Cuban baseball game attended by Castro and Carter during discussions addressing freedom of expression and association, amnesty for political prisoners, right of private enterprise, direct election of public officials, and general elections.
On his return to the US, Carter presented his findings to congressional leaders, George W. Bush and Condoleezza Rice. Almost immediately of Carter's meetings with senior leaders restraints against Cuba were increased (Carter, 88).
2006
Golf is always about individual stories. Take all the stories together and you have a book like no other. The Scorecard Never Lies reads almost like a diary with the weakness of lack of focus, and the strength of focus on individual performance, constant training - and luck.
Tiger stories are what we all look forward to today so here's one: Tiger cried for the first time in public after winning the 2006 British Open, the first Open his father hadn't attended with him. A sad time (Lewis, 258).
References
Carter, Jimmy. Beyond the White House. Waging Peace, Fighting Disease, Building Hope. Simon & Schuster. 2007
Eig, Jonathan. Opening Day. The Story of Jackie Robinson's First Season. Simon & Schuster. 2007.
Kennedy, Hugh. The Great Arab Conquests. How the Spread of Islam Changed the World We Live In. Da Capo Press. 2007.
Lewis, Chris. The Scorecard Always Lies. A Year Behind the Scenes on the PGA Tour. Free Press. 2007.