Iran Still Being Iran

As Iran continues to play Iran games with peace efforts, I’m reminded of the phrase “Kill them all, let God sort them out.”

A variation of this phrase, “Kill ’em all let God sort ’em out” is available on patches for sale on various online shopping outlets, including Amazon.com, even as I type this Saturday morning.

I first became aware of this sentiment during the Vietnam War years of my youth. It was used by American soldiers who were frustrated with fighting an enemy that tended to melt into the population, then re-emerge to kill their buddies. William Calley of My Lai massacre infamy was convicted by court-martial of acting out the thought.

While researching this post, I found out that history tells us the phrase originated, curiously, with the Pope, in this case the ironically named Innocent III.

Please don’t tell Pope Leo about this. Then again, since our current Pope seems willing to overlook Muslims killing Christians for religious reasons, but can’t stomach President Trump reining in Iran, maybe it wouldn’t bother him.

Old Pope Innocent got his vestments in a bunch in the early 1200s when a breakaway order, the Cathars, rejected many traditional Catholic teachings and set themselves up as independents, mostly in Southern France.

In 1209, Innocent declared a crusade against the Cathars. Cynics say it was more about wealth and power than religion. Regardless, the traditional Catholics soon prevailed, beginning with the successful siege of a town known as Beziers.

Virtually the entire population of the town (at least those not already killed by Catholics ransacking the place) took sanctuary in churches, leaving the invading forces with the task of deciding which were Cathars and which were faithful Catholics.

It is said that Papal Legate Arnauld Amalric issued an order, in Latin, that translates roughly to “Kill them all, for God will surely know his own.”

Cue the carnage.

Present day American leadership finds itself facing the same dilemma regarding Iran. Promises are made, perhaps by some would-be leaders, and quickly broken by others. Actions contrary to the supposed agreements are undertaken and uncertainty rules the land.

Overnight, Iran is reported to have sent small craft to attack tankers in the Strait (Gay?) of Hormuz and I would expect oil prices to skyrocket and stock markets to plunge when markets reopen Sunday night/Monday, erasing most or all of the spectacular progress made Friday.

And we ask, where is today’s Arnauld Amalric to deal with this?