I work currently for the Army’s only active Psychological Operations Group. I can’t tell you how, because even the mundane operations are classified. Still you can look up 4th PSYOP GRP and draw your own conclusions.
It says that the religion predominates in areas of the world where the populace are likely to view themselves as the victim of foreign interference in their politics. It’s not an unreasonable view- we do interfere in their politics, and usually it was to the detriment of the people, in historic terms.
Heck, our most recent “contribution” to Middle Eastern affairs was liberating Kuwait, which made us look good. Then we told the Iraqi people to rise up against Saddam, which they promptly did… and were slaughtered when coalition forces walked out on them.