Jonah, re your Sunni/Shia red squirrel/grey squirrel wars: I think most British readers would be surprised to read that “Ireland’s red squirrels” are under threat from “their more aggressive grey British cousins” since, for as long as I can remember, British newspapers have been full of reports that “Britain’s red squirrels” are under threat from “their more aggressive grey American cousins”. The assumption has always been that the grey squirrel is characteristically American – big, aggressive, blundering, trampling all in its path, overpaid, oversexed and over here – while the red squirrel is characteristically European – small, hunched, shifty, furtive, devious, low fertility rate, etc. This report from The Daily Mail (not online) is typical:

FOR decades the red squirrel has been facing extinction in Britain as it fights a losing battle against the rise and rise of its more powerful and robust grey cousin.
The number of red squirrels has dwindled while the stronger American grey has thrived.
But now a new breed of red ‘super squirrels’ could be released into areas where the species is in danger.

A “new breed of red ‘super squirrels’”? There’s a phrase to chill the blood. And the government’s behind it. Or as the Birmingham Evening Mail headline put it:

Minister Backs Scheme For ‘Super Squirrels’