Well there you go. Iran also had made great strides towards a secular society, and might have once been thought of more kindly. They still are the most cosmopolitan and modern of the Islamic states, as is -- believe it or not -- Iraq.
If Iraq got rid of the chain around it's neck, Saddam Hussien, the country would explode with prosperity, since they are not a strongly fundamentalist Islamic country.
Islam in general and Wahibbism in particular, is one of the few religions in the world that preaches backwardness and lack of modernity as a virtue. There are a few other races and religions that do so -- Amish spring to mind -- but no other race or religion that embraces backwardsness proactively attempts to forcefully convert other nations and religions to its Medieval way.
If you know any Swedish au pairs who would like to care for a 56 yr. old let me know.:>)
I get first dibs. :o)