Early Christianity in Asia and Africa

[abaris]

The Ottomans were a different story.  They were muslims but by then the die was cast.

And so were the Mongols later on. Karakorum, according to recent archeological finds, was a rather tolerant melting pot too. Geared at trade with the known world rather than anything else.

Also, just because the Ottomans were muslims doesn't change the fact that they were considered opporessors by many. First, large regions they occupied are Shia, while the Ottomans were Sunni. Secondly they occupied once proud kingdoms already having their own culture.

Which was one of the reasons why Lawrence had such an easy time delivering his empty promise of independency if they just participated in defeating the Ottomans. One of the reasons for the resentment against the West, since they just exchanged their colonial masters after WWI.