He appears to either not understand the distinction between [Jihadism] and Islam

As there are those who ostensibly do not understand - or choose to ignore - the distinction between Judaism and militant Zionism.

And those who maintain that the foreign policies of Britain & the US and the foreign and domestic policies of Israel are irrelevant to the points under discussion, as is the concept of "blowback".

He labels those of us who oppose it as Islamophobes.

Do you intend "it" to refer to Islam or Jihadism or something else entirely? And how would you characterize yourself? as an Islamophile?

he became not much more than a stalker with a glib comment aimed at those with whom he disagrees

And then there are those who label people who disagree with them "stalkers". Of course, that is in no way "name calling".

It's too bad because at one time I enjoyed his posts and agreed with many of them

I'm gutted. Absolutely gutted.

There is a difference between excusing and understanding.

Amen, Richard. Absolutely.