A most disturbing turn of events

[askthepizzaguy]

Friends and brothers of the Coalition:

Our worst fears seem to be realized. Caliph an-Nasir has taken a disturbing position in defense of the hated and warlike, most untrustworthy, murdering bully King Baldwin of Jerusalem.

He now claims, after paying us 5000 in war bonds, that we are not to attack Rome, and we are not to attack Jerusalem.

I am seriously considering the suspension of repayment of the war bonds, estimated at 15000 florins including interest, as a result of this apparent bias towards our hated enemies and murderers of good Armenians.

It is only my loyalty to the Caliph of all Islam which has prevented me from taking any rash action.

What are your impressions of the Caliph? I would like your opinion. If I must ignore the Caliph's belated and one-sided calls for peace with Jerusalem, I will do it with your support.

It is not my intention for my actions to seem threatening to anyone, but I am acting in defense of my nation and that of my allies. Surely no one here has ANY love whatsoever for King Baldwin?

The Caliph warned that he would "feel threatened" by Turkish or Armenian forays into the Levant. Threatened by his fellow Muslims? I am beginning to wonder if the Caliph deserves the loyalty all Muslims, for his title and rank seems to have gone to his head.

Friends and brothers of the Coalition, I would appreciate your thoughts on this matter. I feel betrayed by my friend the Caliph in this matter, after he has armed us with florin aid and gave his consent to defend ourselves, he now tells us not to do so, and accepts generous reimbursement of his loan, which we are now not allowed to benefit from.

I have steadied my hand, but I was about to post a protest in the Caliph's court denouncing his actions as traitorous and duplicitous. Meanwhile he has made no effort to restrain the Ghorids or the Latins for their wars of conquest.

Is this Caliph a worthy leader? Or are his diplomatic protests and calls for peace intentionally one-sided? Do you suspect treachery, or an alliance with the Ghorids and King Baldwin?

I wish to act with the will of the Coalition, and I will take no unilateral action at this time. Thank you all, and I pray that we all emerge victorious in our struggles together.

[ramsesiicp]

Studied from afar it appears that the Caliph has merely become overwhelmed by the volume of violence near his homelands and lost track of which nations started wars and which merely mean to finish them. His concern for his people does him some credit, even if his confusion about the nature of the wars takes some back again.

I do not see any reason to believe the Caliph is a threat.

As far as the Kingdom of Jerusalem, it seems clear that given enough rope they will hang themselves. I would advise taking a step back and giving them that rope; when next they abrogate another nation's territory then they can be fallen upon in haste.

[askthepizzaguy]

I fear that by the time that happens, I will be horrendously in debt due to the volume of troops I am now forced to keep in the security of my country. I have way too many standing armies to balance my budget.

While I am waiting patiently for Jerusalem to hang themselves, I am hanging myself in my own debt and contributing nothing to the Coalition but words.

Still, I hear your words, noble Rajput emissary, and I will consider them very much in my decision making process.

[tristan]

I will agree with our Rajput friend on this matter...

I think the sheer level of violence (whether excusable or not) displayed on every side of the Caliph's lands is cause for fear to him.

While I would like to put Baldwin, Ibelin and tripoli's heads upon spikes, I am ready to show patience and let the Latins be the perpetrators of their own downfall...

I can't help but think that they will not resort to war with either Turkey or Armenia in the years to come.

Plus, the extermination of Antioch deprived them of a large income now and in the years to come while the city grows its population back.

Now that my homelands are returned to me, I may disband a large part of the army gathered for our counter-attack and create a spy network.

What I would like to hear is the Roman position on this matter. From what I understood, peace with them was to be bought by the fall of Jerusalem and the loot and lands taken from Latin hands... What now ?

[zim]

I think we should pay off our debts, even were they to an enemy. Not doing so would lower our prestige, while doing so would make it clear to all who the badguy is if the Caliph went against us later.

I'm not sure about Jerusalem. I do fear the COF might spread itself out too far if we sustain wars against the Ghorids and KOJ, two of the most powerful factions (the Shah is on his way out, and money from taking Transoxania will do much good in our other wars). I leave it up to our leader.