Ch.318Interesting Thoughts (2)

# The Middle East Influence of the Roman Treaty

The influence of the Roman Treaty on the Middle East was, in reality, merely nominal. Despite claiming “This is my territory!” in private talks with the United States, there had been no substantive actions to back up these claims.

Until now, they had simply hoped that Middle Eastern countries would voluntarily submit to the authority of the Roman Treaty.

Somehow, they particularly wanted to exert direct influence over Iraq and Iran. The problem was that these very countries were now trying to break away from the Roman Treaty.

This could actually be a good opportunity to firmly establish the Middle East as Turkish territory.

However, there was one problem: the current political system.

Public sentiment toward the Sultan had long disappeared. In the current situation, what reaction would reinstating the Sultan provoke?

“Aren’t the citizens the issue?”

Would the citizens really accept a monarchy?

Of course, the current Turkish citizens would probably do whatever their national father Atatürk told them to do.

“The citizens likely won’t have immediate objections to a monarchy. After all, we have the United States of Greater Russia, the German Empire, Britain, and Spain all under monarchies.”

True. A figurehead wouldn’t be so bad.

Perhaps it’s worth considering.

“But who would be suitable to install as Sultan now?”

Is there a worthy candidate?

“There’s the former Sultan’s daughter.”

Right. There was Dürüşehvar, daughter of the former Caliph.

Coincidentally, the German Empire had an Empress, as did the United States of Greater Russia. Britain was also expected to have Elizabeth II, so installing a female monarch here would make them all somewhat similar.

This doesn’t seem like a bad idea, though reinstating a monarch still feels uncomfortable. But just one Caliph might be entirely possible.

The Russian Tsar’s proposal was to place the Middle East firmly in Turkey’s hands.

This would secure Rome’s right to survival completely.

If they gave Turkey the position of neighborhood boss, it would be more beneficial than what they had given to Russia so far.

“Let’s make contact then.”

“Yes.”

It wouldn’t hurt to look into it.

***

I have no intention of sparing the Hejaz either. If we’re going to step into the Middle East, we should do it thoroughly.

At the very least, we should push out Hejaz and Nejd, and turn that area into Roman Treaty territory, or give it to Turkey.

Churchill seemed to be very eager for this as well.

-“Your Majesty. Are you saying you want to create a bloodbath in the Middle East?”

“What’s stopping us?”

I’ve already said it, so why ask?

-“The British Army will definitely take the lead. We must attack from both sides using the navy as well. That’s the only way to secure the oil fields Your Majesty desires.”

This seems quite feasible.

“Hmm, so you’re saying Britain wants to receive some direct shares in return.”

-“Yes. Russia will take most of it anyway, but just a little. Just a tiny bit.”

As expected of Churchill.

British imperialist Churchill! Exactly like Churchill, which I appreciate.

“It’s not a bad idea. But since everything is already integrated under the Roman Treaty organization, why are you requesting separate shares?”

Those shares would all come into the Roman Treaty anyway and then be redistributed.

Everything would be allocated according to need by the Roman Treaty organization, so why the need for separate shares?

-“It’s about the feeling, you know.”

Yes, I suppose that makes sense.

Rather than receiving an allowance from the Roman Treaty itself, there’s a different feeling when you directly own shares.

Having something you can give to others is different from receiving rights from parents.

Well, if the British Army takes the initiative, that’s not bad.

Sure, even with new recruits, if Britain is the main force and other countries’ armies join in, it’s different. The British fleet is still strong. If they fill their quota in the Nejd expedition, there’s no reason not to give them oil field shares.

Churchill doesn’t have many days left anyway, so why not give him this much?

“Your Majesty. Are you planning to go in person this time as well?”

The Duma is anxious about whether I’ll go directly again.

Come on, I don’t need to go in person every time. I’d like to live a more elegant emperor’s life now.

Besides, if the British Army is taking the lead, there’s no real need for me to step in. Hmm, should I send Vladimir this time?

“That’s not quite right. Vladimir, would you like to go?”

“Me?”

“You seemed very eager to go.”

“It’s not exactly that. It just seems like there are too many unnecessary wars.”

“I suppose that could be true.”

But this is a necessary war.

We should do it while I can still exert influence. Can we really pass up massive oil fields? Incidentally, this will be a war that teaches Iraq to behave properly.

Of course, if Turkey doesn’t want to take Hejaz, we might just have to end with taking the oil regions. Turkey is a special case after all.

The Ottoman Empire collapsed miserably, and the Sultan’s authority ended.

“Ankara has sent a response to Your Majesty’s proposal.”

From Ankara? Good. Finally, the answer I’ve been waiting for.

I firmly believe that İnönü and Atatürk will follow my suggestion.

They might agree to install a Sultan.

“Is it possible to install a Sultan?”

“Yes, Dürüşehvar, the daughter of the last Caliph, Abdul Mejid II.”

Oh, many female monarchs are emerging in this era.

Starting with me, then the German Empire, Britain, and now Turkey—if all monarchs are women, that would be quite interesting. Truly an era of Empresses.

The era of the Four Empresses. This would be excellent material for otaku culture to use for years to come!

And they’re all played by one person. Of course, the other countries’ empresses will all age, so if they want to compare themselves to me, I’d recommend they just get in their coffins, but anyway, they all have good looks.

Well, never mind that. Is a Caliph really possible?

“So, is it a real possibility?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. They say not as a formal Sultan, but as a Caliph representing the Islamic side.”

Just as a Caliph—that’s not bad either.

After all, the Caliph will be the justification for this Arabian Peninsula war.

And so the era of the Four Empresses begins.

“It’s a shame. It would be wonderful if Your Majesty could descend upon the Arabian Peninsula in person and take the position of Caliph as well.”

Grigory Semyonov still seems to want to add more titles to me.

Ah, not a chance. I want to live a more relaxed life now.

Why does he keep trying to attach titles like Caliph and whatnot to me?

“Well, I have no connection to Islam.”

A Turkish Caliph seems fine, but in the history I know, when you hear “Caliph,” Islamic extremists come to mind, which is concerning.

“As expected of Your Majesty. You have no greed.”

Tsar of Russia, Great Khan of the Manchurian Steppe, King of Finland and Poland, Saint, Ataman, and so on.

Honestly, I already have too many titles. Shouldn’t it be normal not to be greedy? Previously, Grigory Semyonov tried to contact Balhae separately to make me Eastern Emperor as well, but failed.

“Being a Caliph is a bit much. I’m really sick of Islam.”

What would they say if a woman from Moscow with no connection suddenly proclaimed herself Caliph?

Even Turkey has some legitimacy, but not me.

“Do you have some grudge against Islam?”

A grudge against Islam? Not directly.

But yes, history has changed dramatically here, so I don’t know what the future will be like.

Or it might change even more severely than the original history. For now, it doesn’t hurt to be cautious.

We’ll make an example of Hejaz and Nejd, secure the massive oil fields, and tell them we’re abandoning them. That should do it.

“Well, originally in the future, people who would behead anyone with different ideologies would take power, or they’d commit terrorism in Europe.”

Such terrible things would happen.

Ugh, it’s disgusting just to imagine. That’s why I want to push hard enough to prevent Islamic extremists from emerging in the Middle East.

To be honest, I know nothing about this region. Without exaggeration, I don’t know how this area will change in the future.

At least in Europe, I had some knowledge of the people or technology to deal with, but everyone knows how horrifying the Middle East can be.

I didn’t deliberately see it, but anyway. Before, Islamic extremists would cut people’s necks like butchering meat with machetes on the spot.

The victims had to watch their necks being cut while still alive, with blood gushing everywhere.

Even if not such extremists, didn’t Muslims in France behead a teacher?

“Are you saying this actually happens?”

“History has changed, so we can’t know yet. But the fact that these extremist forces flourished means there must be roots for it.”

Ultimately, extremists gained power because they were driven to it. Anyway, it also means that these extremists exist, even if they’re a minority.

There’s a core that grew, and there’s no guarantee it won’t happen here too.

Of course, it hasn’t happened yet. Especially if we make an example of them now. Hmm?

The Duma members’ gazes are focused on me.

They all have serious expressions—what’s wrong?

“Well, if Your Majesty’s prophecy is true.”

“What? No, it’s not a prophecy—”

“Let’s just crush them all. We can create justification somehow.”

The members are unanimously calling for crushing the Arabs.

Even Alisa Rosenbaum is saying this. They’re basically saying let’s create a justification and wipe them out completely.

“Oh? Do you have some plan?”

Still, it doesn’t seem right to sweep away the entire Middle East just because they’re Islamic.

Think about it. We’re not going to kill everyone in the entire Middle East with biochemical weapons.

It’s a bit much to generalize based on a few cases I saw in the future.

Though admittedly, when you look at problematic religions, it’s almost always Islam.

“I’ve thought of a brilliant method. Greece was a constituent state of the Christian Roman Empire, wasn’t it?”

That’s right. It was part of the Eastern Roman Empire.

Semyonov seems to be laying some groundwork here—I wonder what he’s trying to get at.

“That’s correct.”

Greece was indeed part of the Roman Empire’s territory.

The Megali Idea started with “Roman Empire! Roman fever!” after all.

Wasn’t the reason Greece held its head high to us because they claimed to have the legitimacy of Rome?

But why bring this up now?

“Didn’t Greece establish the Hellenistic Empire under Alexander III, which extended all the way to Iran?”

That’s right. They established the Hellenistic Empire. Didn’t its territory include Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iraq, and Iran?

I heard Alexander fell in love with Babylon and made it his capital. Looking at that, it’s hard not to feel a bit ambitious.

That’s why I told Britain to hold back on Iraq.

I want to prevent Islamic extremists from rising up everywhere.

“That’s true.”

“If we look at history, we could claim territorial rights all the way to Iran as the old Hellenistic Empire.”

How long ago was that? Well, the Roman Empire is also ancient, but hmm.

But what the Duma is saying seems to be about making it treaty organization territory this time.

“You want to occupy and make Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan treaty organization territory to prevent such incidents?”

Hmm. Let me seriously consider what they’re saying.

“Yes. The United States can’t do anything about it, can they? Let’s clean up the Middle East this time. Create past glory by making Babylon the southern capital.”

Babylon. Somehow, when you put it that way, it really feels like something we should do. If the Middle East becomes our territory, it might be possible.

Seeing how these Islamic people are acting now, they might cling to the United States in the future.

That doesn’t seem right to me.

So first we take Hejaz and Nejd, then move into Iraq as a second phase. Third phase, we break through from Iran to Afghanistan.

This doesn’t sound bad.

China has a non-intervention policy, but they can now raise their army again after some integration.

“Oh, that might be appealing.”

“If such incidents will occur in the future, it’s right to eliminate everything in advance. It would be good to conquer the Middle East by force and entrust it to Turkey.”

Oh dear, did I speak too much?

Will this lead to the disappearance of Islam? Well, dumping everything on Turkey is also an option. Hmm.

Yes, it’s good to take control when we can still manage it.

Using what I saw in the future as justification to crush the Middle East—if we really examine it, isn’t it better than the Opium Wars?

It’s better than Britain saying, “Many terrible people will emerge from you in the future, so I’ll kill you now!”

What could they do about it?

Ah, when the world’s strongest country decides to crush you, what can you do!

“It certainly seems better to suppress them this way.”

The Turkish army can take the lead.

This Arabian unification and Middle Eastern conquest will be handled by Britain and Turkey.