Now, the idea that you can kill innocent people, simply in order to enforce your values, is extreme by western ethics standards. That does not mean it never happened – there were many religious wars where it did – but the dominant (liberal) tradition in western philosophy rejects ‘crusades’. The reason for this philosophical suspicion is simple. If Tony Blair may legitimately kill any person X, Y, or Z in Belgrade or Freetown or Basra, to enforce his values, then why is it not legitimate for them to come to London, and kill Tony Blair for their values?

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Assassinations breed assassinations, atrocities breed atrocities, crusades make holy wars. Once a crusade starts, those who are not prepared to kill for their values, will be conquered by those who are. The horror of a general bloodbath – such as the wars of religion in Europe – had a fundamental influence on the development of liberal philosophy.

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Cynically summarised, Human Rights Watch is a joint venture of George Soros and the State Department.