Any attempts to present Saddam Hussain in a positive light or to justify the actions of the insurgents are utterly PATHETIC. That said, Mcgrath is completely correct in pointing out that none of this would have happened if not for this illegal, immoral and unneccessary war. 'But Saddam was killing people!' I hear you cry. Well, none of that would have happened if the Yanks hadn't helped put him there. Iraq would perhaps have been a normal Middle-Eastern country (where people are murdered, oppressed and tortured, but hey, as good liberals we must respect their way of doing things, and, the bottom line is, they don't do it as badly as S.H. did, and we aren't bothered enough about it to declare war on them - yet. Wait until we need more oil.)

The filth who murdered Margaret Hassan are suppressed in decent societies - they thrive only when a country is weak, divided and traumatised, and that is the effect of this illegal war. Bush and Blair must share the ultimate responsibility. I still find I can't work up any real anger about the marine killing the insurgent - and that too is another shocking effect of this war, compassion fatigue.