During the Cold War, the United States often was accused of supporting, in contravention to our own democratic principles, dictators of various stripes who happened to oppose Communism. Often, it was charged, for their own benefit rather than ours or that of their own populace.

Now engaged in the Terror Wars, we find ourselves supporting regimes adamantly and irrevocably opposed to religious freedom. From BBC News South Asia we learn  that:

"Kabul to deport Korean Christians" 

Afghanistan says it will deport hundreds of South Korean evangelical Christians amid fears for their safety.

They have been accused by Islamic clerics of preaching Christianity. Afghanistan bans attempts to convert people to non—Islamic faiths.

Around 1,500 South Koreans arrived this week for a "peace festival", and education and entertainment programme.

On Wednesday, hundreds of Afghans held a protest rally against them at a mosque in the city of Mazar—e—Sharif. [snip]

In February several thousand people protested against the release of a man who converted to Christianity, demanding he face the death penalty. He was spirited out of the country.

It's absolutely astonishing that anyone has ever doubted that Ahmadinejad would call for the destruction of Israel despite Islamic claims to be a religion of "peace." Leaving that issue aside for others to debate, there can be no doubt that Islam is a religion of intolerance. It is most curious how those who are fundamentally anti—religious, irreligious or non—religious — fascists, Communists, socialist, etc. — seem to get along so well with a faith that is absolutely intolerant of any other.
 
I suppose intolerance, as does misery, loves company.
 
Dennis Sevakis 08 03 06