PippaZ I agree with what you say. There is certainly the potential in any country for this sort of mass psychosis - as seen in the imagined Gilead - I believe in that case based on a literal interpretation of the Old Testament. There is, as you say, a very scary shift towards the far right in many countries now so I am certainly not complacent.
We are certainly not without fault and were, in my opinion, committing an illegal and immoral act in invading Iraq and creating havoc throughout the middle east.
Having said that, what is happening in Afghanistan is truly terrible and seeing the atrocities being committed against civilians for what we would consider to be normal and acceptable behaviour is very frightening.