---Trying to isolate the actions of a group of fanatics as representative of Muslims world-wide is like blaming the downing of passenger airlines on birds.---
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This strand of Islam ~ the 'militant Islamist', so-called ~ is indeed a comparatively small segment of worldwide Islam (tho it would be hard to assess how much its aims and methods are, secretly or not-so-secretly, admired or supported or sympathised with by other Muslims worldwide}; but their influence, and worldwide effects, and profile generally are obviously disproportionate to their numbers. Otherwise the Twin Towers would still be standing, and that editor of Rushdie's would still be alive, and those tube trains & that London bus would still be running.

And it is their high-profile example and success in continuing to keep us all twitchy and nervy and apprehensive and looking over our shoulders all the time which will have inspired this latest enormity in response to the - undeniably idiotic - provocation of the Koran-burning.

So the birds/airliners analogy won't really wash, will it, in regard to this small but powerful segment of Islam whose universal effect & overall influence is so disproportionate to their actual number?

~Michael~