"Actions are held to be good or bad, not on their own merits, but according to who does them," George Orwell observed, "and there is almost no kind of outrage … which does not change its moral colour when it is committed by 'our' side". Indeed. This was quoted in an article by Mehdi Hassan in today's Guardian about the state-sponsored killings by the West that are becoming both more prevalent and more widely reported, but without any ensuring public outcry. On the contrary, the reaction is if anything largely positive, as Mehdi Hassan reports. His argument is spoiled however by a selective quotation from Michael Burleigh in the Telegraph. Burleigh is a well-respected historian and Hassan's quote suggests he is unequivocally in favour of these murders: 'I shall not shed any tears whenever one of these scientists encounters the unforgiving men on motorbikes, men who live in the real world rather than a laboratory or philosophy seminar.' But there is a vital coda in the next sentence: 'Except that if Israel ventures down this road, I cannot think of much of an argument to prevent Iran following them, and then anyone else who decides to follow' Shame on you Mehdi Hassan. Your sloppy journalism undermines an essentially vital and vibrant piece of writing.
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