re: Couple Tries to Prove ISIS is Kind with Mixed Results

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Look, I'm under no illusions about how shitty Tajikistan is. But I do think this severe of an event was an outlier, even for the terrorism they have had there - which has been largely focused on government targets. I'm sure all sorts of hikers and bikers go through there and none have been killed like this before now.

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It may be an outlier but the country is like 98% Muslim and violence would probably be much worse if it weren't for a somewhat totalitarian government that enforces religious pluralism or outright secularism. It's a great spot for rebellion by ISIS because the President has been heavy-handed against some Muslim traditions regarding head/body coverings and beards among other things.

The country borders Afganistan and ISIS has been targeting central Asia extensively for recruiting. While controlled by the Soviet Union, countries like Tajikistan were severely repressed religiously but since the fall, there's been a power struggle with more Muslim extremists/conservatives making a presence there and seeking an Islamic state.

Given that context, perhaps I was wrong to equate it with playing in the street, but I wouldn't want to travel there regardless of what happened to that couple because of the risk associated with growing Muslim extremism.

I think that couple was extremely foolish and was blinded to the risks associated with traveling through such countries because of their naive view of the human condition.