Manners

Tony Blair finally ventures an opinion on Saddam Hussein’s execution, saying, “The manner of the execution of Saddam was completely wrong, but that should not blind us to blah blah blah.” He concludes, “So the crimes that Saddam committed does not excuse the manner of his execution, and the manner of his execution does not excuse the crimes,” a statement which gives the illusion of even-handedness, while suggesting that those who complain about the way the lynching was carried out (or even those who oppose the use of the death penalty, which Blair seems not to have done) are somehow using it to “excuse” or forget his actions, a position taken by no one in the entire world.