Russia's hudna (Spengler: Russia's our best long-term ally because they'll fight Muslims)

Asia Times Online ^ | Feb 21, 2007 | Spengler

[Mrs. Don-o]

"Free elections have brought Hamas to power in the Palestinian territories, entrenched Hezbollah in Lebanon, and set in motion a civil war in Iraq. By contrast, Putin has pacified the most stubborn Muslim population in the world, namely Chechnya, by means that horrified the world. The United States offers democracy to the Muslim world, and is universally hated; Putin destroys an entire Muslim country, and is welcomed as a friend. The question begs itself: who better understands the Islamic world, Vladimir Putin or George W Bush?"

Something to think about.

[MSF BU]

If they don't have more children it won't matter; Moscow is already about 25% Islamic.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Ping?

[johnny7]

Russia will do what's good for Russia...

[Cicero]

I thought Putin would be a useful ally in the WOT. Unfortunately, Putin doesn't seem to agree. He may have crushed Chechnya, or tried to, but he armed Saddam and he is arming Iran. And he has regularly backed the tyrants of Syria and the Palestinians.

Historically, Russia was the great Christian bulwark against the invading Muslim hordes. But Putin seems to have forgotten that role.

Our Lady of Fatima called on the Church way back at the beginning of the twentieth century to pray for the Conversion of Russia. The Wall fell, but it's still not clear that the country has been converted. Let us pray that it will be.

[MilesBennell]

I think Spengler has got it wrong this time...

Dec. 21, 2006 update: Joseph A. D'Agostino, a demographer at the Population Research Institute, writes in "Motherless Russia - Muslims and Chinese Vie For Huge Assets of Dying Nation":

In 2015, less than ten years from now, Muslims could make up a majority of the Russian military. Military service is compulsory for young Russian men, though only 10% actually serve due to college deferments, bribes to escape duty, and the like. Given the famously brutal Russian military, perhaps avoiding military service is forgivable. But will the generals be able to avoid having a Muslim military if most young men who haven't fled Russia are Muslim? Will such a military operate effectively given the fury that many domestic Muslims feel toward the Russian military's tactics in the Muslim region of Chechnya? What if other Muslim regions of Russia—some of which contain huge oil reserves—rebel against Moscow? Will Muslim soldiers fight and kill to keep them part of the Russian motherland? …

With birthrates, death rates, and emigration rates the way they are now, it is highly plausible that Russia could be majority Muslim by 2040.

sOURCE: http://www.danielpipes.org/blog/495

[Kozak]

Russia is doomed.

Fertility rate among Slavs is 1.2

70% of their pregnancies end in abortion.

By 2015 1/2 of Russian military will be Muslim.

Life expectancy of men is 58 years, lower then in Bangladesh.

[steel_resolve]

Putin is hated in Muslim countries, make no mistake. If a Chechen had the ability to carry out a nuclear bomb attack in the heart of Moscow, they would do it with glee. Thanks, but I'll stay on the side of democracy and trying to free enslaved peoples as opposed to putting your foot on Democracy's throat, as Putin has done in his own back yard.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Russia supports at least one Muslim country, Iran.

Furthermore, there are more secular threats in the world than Muslim extremists--though they can be at the top of the list.

From the PRC, to Iran, to pressuring Westernizing former Communist states (i.e. Georgia, the Ukraine, the Baltic states, etc.) with oil/gas restrictions and economic warfare, to giving speeches denouncing the United States, the Russian Federation has sure suggested that it does not want to be an ally with the United States and the "West."

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

If you're still here and still have your Russia/Eurasia pinglist, ping.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

And also suggesting an axis of Russia, the PRC and India to counter American influence in the world.

[x_plus_one]

Russia will end up nuking the liberals on the coasts and the inner cities since it is the liberals who will unleash Iran from its containment. Instability in the US foreign policy, support of Islamic terrorists in Kosovo, Kurdistan and anywhere else they are to be found will do more to upset the global balance of power than any wars in the 20th century. Russia is benefiting from our war on terror. They have their own war on terror. If we policy shift into some liberal utopian version of the future the Russians will have to contend with islamicized Europe, Belligerant China and unpredictable USA. God Bless George Bush for buying us a few more years of peace.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Thant Daniel Pipes link is excellent. Thank you.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Thant Daniel Pipes link is excellent. Thank you.

[Antoninus]

"Free elections have brought Hamas to power in the Palestinian territories, entrenched Hezbollah in Lebanon, and set in motion a civil war in Iraq. By contrast, Putin has pacified the most stubborn Muslim population in the world, namely Chechnya, by means that horrified the world. The United States offers democracy to the Muslim world, and is universally hated; Putin destroys an entire Muslim country, and is welcomed as a friend. The question begs itself: who better understands the Islamic world, Vladimir Putin or George W Bush?"

Such has it always been....

[pppp]

Statistic can be misleading. In Russia Muslim population is limited mostly to it's southern Asian part [some called this part of Russia it's inner colony]. In the past they tried to increased the number of ethnic Russian living there by encouraging settlement and forcing prisoners to live there. However those programs hadn't been successful. So significant part of Russian land had and has Muslim majority. If grip of central government weakens those parts may become independent. In European part of Russia I haven't spotted significant number of Muslims, although they are not so difficult to be seen in the western Europe. However it,s enough to go to Vladivostok to see how eastern part of Russia is flooded by people from China. For me the idea that Russia will one day become a Muslim country is strange at least. Russia will probably loose its Asian part, that may disintegrate into a few states. Most of them might be Muslim.

[Monterrosa-24]

The good news is that the fertility rate can change quickly and there could be something of a baby boom among the Slavs. Three years ago I saw anti-abortion billboards in Moscow in even the most expensive locations.

Some of the yearn for patriotism is being hijacked by the Reds but there is an awakening that pure materialism is not the desired future of Russia.

[montag813]

By this logic, China is an even better ally. Stories of their own brutal suppression of Muslim rebels inside China are evidence of their attitude towards Islam. I only wish we would have treated Muslims in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan as brutally after 9/11.

[jordan8]

He takes the tough action in Chechnya and extrapolates in ways that are not justified. Putin quacking about mutliethnicity and religion is proof that at heart he suffers from the same disease as the West. Holding on to Chechnya isn't a sign of strength and determination, it's a sign of stupidity. Russia needs Chechnya like it needs a gangrenous toe, and its determination to hold onto it runs counter to everything the author of this piece is claiming. If Putin were really determined to save the Russian nation he'd cut these little Bantustans loose and ruthlessly boot their citizens out of Russia.

[Leisler]

Russia has, as stated, been in a 300 year rut.

The US is, as it's nature, trying a novel and radical approach. Something Europe and Russian can't and won't do.

We know the non-results of the customary approaches. Usually in problem solving those processes would be excluded from future attempts.

Some rulers are into stasis, other people prefer change.