*Ah, that's better*

Lox, I think you have shown remarkable forbearance and patience in this thread. Your setting out of a logical, coherent, consistent explanation has been outstanding and I fully understand completely why you have done it and why you felt the need to do it.

However, you should know by now that you will never gain any accommodation from the keyboard warrior, Keith A - on a sofa somewhere - in Hertford. You will win the argument hands down. In fact you have already done so. The problem is that Keith The Armchair is only capable of diversion, mis-representation, deviation and failing to substantiate his wild and outlandish claims. His is a classic war of attrition and I honestly think he clearly believes that by wearing down his perceived adversaries he will have the last word and so will have won!

Ridiculous but true. But his time alone in his armchair clearly leaves him with a need for some form of social interaction. His approach on messageboards (well, to be absolutely accurate, THIS messageboard) suggests he will truly struggle to have any meaningful form of social interaction. Hectoring people and incessantly making outlandish arguments is not a recipe for success in that respect. Anyhoo, my point is that others - myself included - have chosen to ignore his tired and pathetic ramblings. Let him argue with himself. He will soon tire of it. Deny him oxygen for his increasingly lunatic posturing on this topic and on the topic of Northern Ireland and he will simply go away.

As with Ireland where, if memory serves, he spent a weekend at a wedding, his knowledge of British Islam and Muslims in the wider context is, I would wager, not based on any actual exposure to the people or to their faith or culture (too much trouble involved in setting down one's Daily Mail, getting out of the armchair and actually researching at first hand). Most rational people will base their opinions on more than an armchair assessment and allow a wider set of experiences to inform their opinions.

So, Lox, give it up. You have manifestly exposed the fatal flaws in the arguments put foward by the Armchair General, he will nevertheless not desist. You know this. Let him have the last word in his true schoolboy bullying fashion. Best just to let him fester in his own deluded mind.