Abdul Rahman Free, Safe, Heading to Italy

AP is reporting that Abdul Rahman has left Afghanistan and is en route to Italy, where the Italian government has granted him asylum. Rahman, 41, was facing the death penalty from an Afghan court for his conversion from Islam to Christianity. His exact whereabouts are unknown, but the AP story indicated that he could arrive in Italy today. Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi and the Italian Foreign Ministry deserve the thanks and congratulations of all who were concerned about the fate of Abdul Rahman. In a perfect world, nobody would have to flee their home country due to religious persecution. However, given the intolerant and unforgiving nature of the Islamofascists, it was clear that Rahman would have been unable to survive for long in Afghanistan or any other Islamic country. This is the best resolution we could hope for, given the circumstances. As we thank the Italian government for doing the right thing, we must also question what can only be called the stunning indifference of the U.S. government to the plight of Abdul Rahman. As late as this Sunday, Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and her staff were using weak waffling weasel words about respecting Afghanistan's system, finding a "favorable resolution," and so on. Technorati: Abdul Rahman, Afghanistan, Italy, Silvio Berlusconi