For many years I thought that the Muslim world was better than Islam. Although normative Islam mandates the stoning of adulterers, the execution of homosexuals and the murder of apostates, my hopes about Muslims were buoyed by the fact most Muslim societies eschew the crudest elements of Shariah and that most Muslims are personally opposed to these cruel punishments.

These hopes have been dashed by current events unfolding in Afghanistan. With hindsight it was foolish to expect American blood and American money to turbospeed a medieval society into modernity. Journalistic reports twenty years ago about how Afghani women were discarding the niqab and how illiterate sheep herders welcomed Western-style liberal democracy, should have alerted us decades ago that even serious journalism often peddles propaganda.

Regardless of the numbers of Afghans who dislike the Talibans, the Taliban were the only Afghans really willing to fight for their convictions.
Having ascertained the foolishness of American ambitions, the shame and guilt for the failure of America’s Afghan mission does not stain America: It stains the Afghani people, the leaders they elected and Pakistani and Irani neighbors who pulled every possible string to make sure that Afghanistan was reconsigned to the Middle Ages.

The international community invested over three trillion dollars to liberate Afghanistan from the Taliban, rebuild its infrastructure, fund modern healthcare, education and craft democratic institutions. The GDP of Afghanistan and the living standards of Afghanis rocketed as foreign money poured into this impoverished landlocked country.

Yet at the moment of truth the good done mattered little. Not because Afghans were unable to see the momentous changes brought forth by the international community, but because any advantage and virtue brought by non-Muslim benefactors was an insult to Islamic honor.

Pure xenophobia and hatred of non-Muslims drove the Taliban to fight for almost two decades, and when the infidels left, the soldiers and policemen serving the legitimate Afghan government chickened out instead of fighting to save their state from the Middle Ages. In other words, regardless of the numbers of Afghans who dislike the Talibans, the Taliban were the only Afghans really willing to fight for their convictions.

The Taliban cause was supported by Pakistan’s military brass and to a lesser extent by Iran’s Ayatollahs. Both are Islamic nations that have dug themselves into very deep holes just for the pride of being able to inflict pain and suffering on non-Muslim neighbors: In the case of Pakistan, it is India and in the case of Iran, Israel.

Yet the magnitude of the problem Afghanistan lays bare exceeds the cowardice and crimes of Afghans, Pakistanis and Iranians. Do you remember the last time Israel bombed Gaza to stop missile launches against Israel cities? Do you remember the last time a Danish newspaper published cartoons of Mohammed?

The reason the Muslim streets and the Muslim leadership are silent, is because most Muslims are actually proud to see the Taliban roll into Kabul. The fate of Afghan women, human rights and regional stability concerns them far less than the glee derived from Muslim fighters inflicting a humiliating defeat on infidel America.

In both cases hundreds of thousands of Muslims all over the world flocked to the streets to vent their rage and anger at the atrocities allegedly committed against Muslims and against Islam. Where are the demonstrations in the Muslim World begging the Taliban to respect women rights, to plead for democratic institutions to survive and asking the international community to stop a Taliban bloodbath?

Zilch, zero, nada. I have yet to hear of any sizable demonstration in any country outside of Afghanistan, either Muslim or non-Muslim against the Taliban onslaught. In fact, even Muslim communal leaders so eager to appeal to human rights and women’s rights whenever Muslims are criticized or uncomfortable questions are aired about the hijab, are astonishingly silent. Surely, they do not fear that Taliban hitmen will hound them in America or Europe. So what explains their silence?

The reason the Muslim streets and the Muslim leadership are silent, is because most Muslims are actually proud to see the Taliban roll into Kabul. The fate of Afghan women, human rights and regional stability concerns them far less than the glee derived from Muslim fighters inflicting a humiliating defeat on infidel America. In other words, as long as non-Muslims are screwed, it doesn’t really matter how many Muslims are screwed even more. All that matters is the pride and ego of victory.

The deafening silence of the Muslim street, Muslim governments and Muslim communal leaders all over the world teach us a critical lesson: At the moment of truth, the Ummah does not care about how painful the price of victory is. All that matters is humiliating the non-Muslim adversary, even if most Muslims are far worse off after “victory”.

For Israel this is a dark omen. It means that any Muslim country in a position to destroy Israel, will not hesitate do so regardless of the consequences. The fanatical stupidity found in Palestinian Arab and Lebanese suicide bombers is merely a microcosm of the fanatical stupidity that envelops an entire religion.

Despite this grim scenario, there are measures that can defeat Islamic fanaticism. Philanthropists and friends of Israel must fund the translation and upgrade of websites such as Wiki-Islam exposing the contradictions and untruths strewn throughout Islamic scriptures. Demolishing the myth that Islam is perfect in Arabic, Turkish, Farsi and Urdu is essential for Israel’s long-term survival and for global peace prospects.

Ex-Muslims are invariably among the brightest and most ethical human beings I have encountered. It is important to increase their numbers and to make sure that inquisitive teenagers with an internet connection in the Muslim world can see through the lies and myths at the root of their societies' failures.

Discrediting Islam is also the most promising path to reform Islam. The day most Muslims realize the Qu’ran and the Sunnah are fallible, is the day Muslim clerics and theologians will be forced to change the way they teach Islam. Expecting the Islamic world to mend its ways by non-Muslims lavishing more humanitarian aid and promoting human rights more actively is not the way forward. Afghanistan is the painful proof of this tragic truth.

Rafael Castro is a Yale and Hebrew University educated business and political analyst based in Europe. Rafael specializes in proofreading, editing and ghostwriting quality texts for entrepreneurs and politicians. Rafael can be reached at rafaelcastro78@gmail.com