Magic Statistics

Moscow has devoted much attention in the past few years to building close relations with nations in Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Eastern Europe that used to be part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (map at right). Political analyst and Columbia University Visiting Professor Vasili Rukhadze, blogging at NewEurasia, provides a full country-by-country rundown on Russia's geopolitical offensive.

Threats and bribes brought impoverished Tajikistan to heel. President Kurmanbek Bakiyev of Kyrgyzstan was threatened by worsening relations with both Russia and the United States.  Bakiyev caved to Russian energy and communication monopolies to preserve his tenuous grip on power.

Uzbekistan became an international pariah after government forces opened fire on a crowd of peaceful demonstrators in the May 2005 Andijan massacre.  That gave Russia an opportunity to move in and negotiate a full-scale economic, political and military alliance with the desperate regime.

Kazakhstan, the largest, wealthiest, and most independent of the Central Asian republics, has proved difficult to control; but unrelenting pressure and subtle threats are gradually forcing the energy-rich nation closer to Russia.

Vladimir Putin’s campaign to dominate Central Asia was greatly advanced by this month’s energy agreement with Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan.

President Putin, during his week long visit to Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, reached an agreement with the Central Asian leaders ensuring Russia’s access to Turkmenistan’s abundant gas resources. According to Mr. Putin’s announcement Turkmen gas will be transported via Kazakhstan and Russia to Europe. . . . These three states along with Uzbekistan also agreed that two other gas pipelines will be renewed. When all these envisioned pipelines go into operation, Russian natural gas imports from Central Asia will almost double to 90 billion cubic meters per year from the current 50 billion. In other words, these agreements assure Russia’s unequivocal dominance over Central Asia’s gas imports.

For complete discussions of developments in the South Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia) and Eastern Europe (Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Estonia), read the whole thing.

Russian leaders have disclosed that they intend to bring the countries of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics under Russia’s control in a new “Eurasian Union”.  Clear and substantial progress is being made toward that goal.

Previous related posts:

• New arms race? Experts say no, Russia says yes
• Putin: Russia not a “monster”
• Russia on the ascendant against divided West
• Democracy not on the agenda at meeting of world’s largest democracies

Last month Russia said it will no longer comply with the terms of the Conventional Forces in Europe treaty and hinted it could also abandon another nuclear arms-limitation treaty.

Now comes news that Russia has test-fired an inter-continental ballistic missile with MIRV (multiple independently targeted reentry vehicle) capabilities in what President Vladmir Putin (photo at right) says is a response to US plans to "stuff Eastern Europe with new weapons".

Do these developments portend a new arms race between Russia and the United States?  Military experts think not.

Duncan Lennox, the editor of "Jane's Strategic Weapons Systems," says an arms race is not realistic.

"I think this is just a continuation of the process that has been in place for many years between the Russian Federation and the United States," Lennox says.

“Independent Moscow-based military analyst” Pavel Felgenhauer also thinks Russia is too weak economically and demographically to assemble a credible challenge to US military superiority.

Russia takes a rather different view.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in Potsdam, Germany, on May 30 that the planned U.S. missile-defense system is a threat to his country, adding that "the arms race is starting again," Russian and international media reported.

Russian media explicitly claimed that mass production and deployment of the RS-24 ICBM could give Russia “strategic parity” with the US in less than a decade.

Previous related posts:

• Putin: Russia not a “monster”
• Russia on the ascendant against divided West
• Russia no longer a politically free, democratic country

Lina Joy, the woman at the centre of an important religious rights case in Malaysia, is disappointed that the country’s highest court refused to recognise her conversion from Islam to Christianity.

"I am disappointed that the Federal Court is not able to vindicate a simple but important fundamental right that exists in all persons," she said, according to her lawyer, Benjamin Dawson.

Joy was referring to the right to believe in the religion of one's choice, and the right to marry a person of one's choosing.

She cannot legally marry her Christian partner because Malaysian law requires non-Muslims to convert to Islam to wed a Muslim.

"The Federal Court has not only denied me that right but to all Malaysians who value fundamental freedoms," Joy said.

The court ceded jurisdiction in the matter to an Islamic shari’a tribunal, which is hardly likely to render impartial justice.  She would almost certainly be punished for “apostasy”.  In any case, since she is now a Christian, Ms Joy rejects the authority of Islamic courts.

She refused to rule out the possibility that she may emigrate.

Previous related post: Lina Joy loses bid for legal recognition of religious conversion

The House of Bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada recently issued a pastoral statement discouraging same-sex blessings (SSBs).  The Rt Rev Michael Ingham, Bishop of New Westminster, has told his Diocesan Council that he voted against the statement because, in his view, the bishops should have kept their mouths shut an open mind.

Bishop Michael Ingham told Diocesan Council this month that he could not agree with a statement issued by the Canadian House of Bishops that recommends that the June General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada again delay decisions regarding the blessing of same sex unions.

“I voted against it,” said Bishop Ingham, adding that he knew some other bishops failed to agree with the statement also, although the vote count was not made public.

I think we see here one of those instances where the headline says something not clearly supported by the content of the article.

Bishop says colleagues should have kept open mind on blessings

In fact, it seems to me to be contradicted by the subhead:

Opposes more delay at national Church level

Call me cynical, but I find it hard to believe that Bp Ingham would have raised the smallest objection to a statement calling for immediate authorisation of SSBs in every parish of the Anglican Church of Canada.  Indeed, the subhead implies exactly that: He’s against further delay.

Michael Ingham has publicly stated his support of SSBs in the church; other bishops have publicly stated their opposition.  If it’s kosher for individual bishops to take public stands on this issue, why is it illegitimate for the bishops to meet together and issue a joint statement?

Anyway, the text of the bishops’ pastoral statement shows that they have kept an open mind.  They call for further prayer, study, and discussion on the issue, and ask for theological and ecclesiological reports to be prepared and disseminated before General Synod 2010.

Who has the open mind: those who want more discussion and deliberation, or those who oppose further delay and want the issue put to a decisive vote right now?

The graphic is Binky’s latest creation, posted at his blog earlier today.  It arises from another discussion of Anglican issues, but it kinda fits here, too.

Previous related posts:

• Bishop Ingham reveals in-depth theological knowledge
• Michael Ingham to Episcopal Church: We’re great
• Michael Ingham draws a bead on Donald Harvey
• Bishop Ingham seizes another orthodox Anglican parish

Three Indonesian Sunday school teachers imprisoned in 2005 on dubious charges have been told they will be released on parole soon.  Rebekka, Ratna, and Eti have spent their time behind bars sharing the gospel with other prisoners and guards.

They have remained in high spirits although they have now spent two years in jail for a crime that most people say they did not commit.

In 2005, the three Sunday school teachers were put on trial after a group of Muslim radicals in their village accused them of converting their children to Christianity.

Evidence was presented suggesting the Muslim parents were aware their children attended Sunday school with their Christian friends. Regardless, the court still pronounced the women guilty and sentenced them to three years in prison.

The women say they will return to teaching children in Sunday school, but they will be careful because they know adversaries will be watching.

h/t: Christian Persecution Blog

Previous related post: Imprisoned Indonesian Christians send a Christmas message