1400 years ago Turkey, Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Algeria, Tunisia, Algeria and Morroco were all predominantly Christian nations. Now the battleground has shifted into center of Europe itself.
Let's recognize the role of the Byzantines in stanching the Islamic tide for almost 800 years. They were the only Christian superpower after Charlemagne's empire disintegrated and they held the line; protecting the Balkans from invasion. Eventually Constantinople fell and the Turks surged forward but Western Christendom had had time to emerge as a power and were able to stop and roll back the tide though it took 450 years.
I couldnt agree with you more regarding the role of teh Byzantium in stemming the Islamic Tide. Were it not for them Eaurope would probably have been swallowed whole centuries ago. Europe for all that it was christian was in an of itself fairly weak and disorganized in and of itself petty kings fighting amongst themselves half more petty barbaric robber barons than true christians. Fortuanetly Europe was getting its act together (comparatively speeking) by the time Constantinople fell but even still the Ottomans cause a great deal of bloodshed that to this days spawns bloody civil wars in the balkans..all between muslims and christians.