[Iron Munro]

To some extent this current wave of Islamic militancy and savagery is a recent development - recent being in the last 50 years or so.

As an example consider the changes militant Islam has brought to Afghanistan.

The thumbnail photos below depict Afghanistan in the 1950's.
It was semi-modern and western then and nowhere near as regressive as it is today.

The Taliban and other militant muslims have set Afghanistan and the mid-east back 800 years or more.

To see full size photos just search Google for "Images for Afghanistan in the 1950's".

[Cronos]

The Taliban’s ideological ideas come from Saudi Arabia’s Wahabbi philosophy which the Sauds have been exporting for the past 60 years