1990 smög sig Ryszard Kapuscinki in i den krigsdrabbade provinsen Nagorno-Karabach. Med upplevelserna där i tankarna skrev han att

Three plagues, three contagions, threaten the world.
The first is the plague of nationalism.
The second is the plague of racism.
The third is the plague of religious fundamentalism.
All three share one trait, a common denominator – an aggressive, all-powerful, total irrationality. Anyone stricken with one of these plagues is beyond reason.

Det känns väldigt aktuellt i dessa dagar av islamistisk fundamentalism och ingelligent design.