Mike Given your statement: "Birmingham pub bombings - part of a 1970s IRA campaign of bombings in the mainland UK. 21 people killed in a series of bombs in cellar bars of central Birmingham. Many more maimed for life, created enormous strains between the Birmingham Irish and the rest of the city's population. We SHOULDNT forget history -this is the only way that we dont make mistakes twice." I would argue that the lesson that should have been learned was not to look, under public pressure/panic, for the nearest fit-up a la Birmingham Six/Guildford Four/ De Menezes/only doing our job/we're very brave really Now, I AM being slightly facetious there... but not much. The deal, the, if you like, difference between us "good guys" and the "baddies" is how we react. Western foreign policy may or may not contribute to Islamic disturbance, it doesn't justify the extreme reactions. Ditto Saudi bombers crashing into Twin Towers. Do we NEED to start a 5 year campaign Iraq?? On a more silly note, the IRA bombings cause UK reaction (pulling Kerrygold butter off the shelves???? That well known source of IRA funding)