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Then let Putin have Europe and he’ll strong-arm the Islamists like the Euros cannot. He’s not PC at all."
Here's an oldie for you. People just can't get enough of it. The "Mother Church of Russia" (Eastern Orthodox) was treated better than others during the days of the Soviet Union. On the issue of Russia and Islam,...
On Russia and its Islamist ties, the following is from an old post of mine. Sorry I don't have time right now to update the links and info, but anyone can go to the CIA World Factbook for more up-to-date info.
Russia has military friends in its Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO: members listed below).
All of the following excerpts are from the
CIA World Factbook (as accessed on 29OCT06).
Russia Religions:
Russian Orthodox 15-20%, Muslim 10-15%, other Christian 2% (2006 est.) note: estimates are of practicing worshipers; Russia has large populations of non-practicing believers and non-believers, a legacy of over seven decades of Soviet rule
Kazakhstan Religions:
Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%
Kyrgyzstan Religions:
Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5%
Tajikistan Religions:
Sunni Muslim 85%, Shi'a Muslim 5%, other 10% (2003 est.)
Uzbekistan Religions:
Religions: Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%
BelarusGovernment restrictions on freedom of speech and the press, peaceful assembly, and religion continue . . . Religions:
Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)
Armenia Religions:
Armenian Apostolic 94.7%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi (monotheist with elements of nature worship) 1.3%