That sounds familiar

As expected, the Afghan courts that were threatening to execute a man because he had converted from Islam to Christianity, released him while the case is pending, saying he may not be mentally competent. He will probably leave the country, so he isn't killed by the fundamentalists.

The Times says the country's U.S.-backed president "has had to be careful not to offend Islamic sensibilities at home and alienate religious conservatives who wield considerable power."

W. and the Republican party, which gladly lets right-wing religious conservatives in this country wield power, ought to be looking at this and thinking long and hard about what happens when fundamentalists are given political power. But, of course, they won't. They are happy to get the votes of the conservatives who troop to the polls and loyally pull the GOP lever because that party does their bidding on issues like abortion rights and gay marriage.