Ian & Jim: I really do take both your points that this is not a phenomenon either historically or ontologically unique. But I would draw attention to the theory of Hegel [I think it was ~~ philosophy, you will gather is not a particular discipline of mine], that at a certain critical point, a quantitive difference morphs into a qualitative one. I think that this point has been reached when one considers the effects of the radicalisation of Islam with those of the radicalisation of any other group you can name in the modern world ~~ which is the world we are concerned with here. This is not to downplay the enormities of, say, Christians to the Lions in Roman times; or the Crusades or the Holy Office [aka The Inquisition]: but just to urge their irrelevance to the topic of this thread ~~ in the interests of which, Jim, I urge that body-bags NEED to be counted. If you can't see the difference between the numbers being killed by Bokar Haram, and the none being killed, however many may be ortaorically threatened, by the Westboros, well then you can't. But I think you make yourself faintly absurd by the attitudes of moral superiority you strike over this gigantic gap smack in the middle of your perceptions.

~M~