Discussion: What would a modern crusader army look like?

[Gnarwhal]

I've heard allegations that suspect Israel's attack on the Church in Gaza was retaliatory, now Cardinal Pizzaballa has expressed doubt that it was a mistake as Israel is officially suggesting. If we enter into the realm of the hypothetical for a moment, let's say Israel doesn't take kindly to His Eminence's comments leading to a tragedy that compels a fed up Pope Leo to call for the mother of all crusades.

Now in the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries the nations were properly Catholic and Kings would commit their armies to the cause of the Church, with at least some Kings themselves (like Richard I) leading their armies to the Holy Land. Today, however, that seems entirely unlikely to happen. Even with majority Catholic countries like Italy, Poland or Hungary.

So what do you think it would look like for a Crusader Army in the 21st century to organize? Would it have a naval and/or air component? Would it entirely rely on small arms and some light artillery like the Ukrainians against Russia? Or would it find backing from at least one nation to supply it with higher level arms like jet fighters, bombers, helicopter gunships, SAMs, JDAM, troop transport ships, maybe even some frigates or destroyers?

I dunno, what do you imagine it would look like? Cause I sure don't think it'd be marching on Jerusalem with swords and mail.

 

[Bob Crowley]

I can't see a crusader army happening these days.

But I had a rather prophetic pastor who once expressed the following scenario - "Suppose an Arab statesman does a bit of fence building with his mates. Then he says to the West 'Right boys, either you get Israel out of there, or we turn off the taps(oil)!." He commented "We'd all be broke in a week!"

Now suppose an Arab statesman did something like that - I wonder how the West would respond. Would it cave in to the threat and "... get Israel out of there"...? And if so, how would it go about it? Or would it invade and seize the oil wells?

For the time being most of the attention has been on Gaza and Iran. But now with their recent attacks on Syria, the Israelis are widening the conflict to include an Arab nation.

I also find it a bit convenient that Israel has attacked the only Catholic Church in Syria, which Pope Francis used to phone daily. If Netanyahu keep this up, I think they may find the West starts to run out of patience as well as the Arabs.

When it's all said and done, the West could easily live without Israel in the economic sense, but it needs Middle Eastern oil.

All conjecture of course, but I found the pastor was prophetic.