However, since my ealier posting, the UK has had a bucketload of shit hit the fan.
Because the local authorities in Rotherham, a medium-sized town west of Sheffield, were afraid of being accused of racism, a culture of active child abuse by members of the Muslim community involving an estimated 1400 children became entrenched, and continues. The failure of the community to police itself is being seen with the uttermost gravity, not least because of the concern that if they prioritise their group identity in the face of child abuse, what will they do when faced with jehadism? True, the wider Muslim community is starting to talk about exporting peace to the Middle East, and that far outweighs the local concern, but none the less all that it takes for a bomber to succeed is for one small group to camouflage him.

But that is beyond our pragmatic reach: we must do what we can to improve things on the ground and then we might make another few steps closer towards the wider goal of being able to say we are a global community. But while we have petty chauvinistic nationalism, and communities afraid to integrate, and dictatorships, it's not likely.