[Bush and Blair] are the foremost international representatives of a view which makes [the war on terrorism] into a moral war, a struggle of good against evil. Blair just spoke of the "evil" terrorists in Istanbul represented. And Bush underlined the two countries' will to "fight and defeat this evil, wherever it may exist".

President Bush in particular has a habit of phrasing him self in this Old Testament way. It is no coincidence that it was he who presented the expression "the axis of evil" about the presumed enemies of the US. And he keeps using the word "evildoer" about both Saddam and other enemies.

Evil is such a strong word. How much better to say merely that we disapprove of terrorism, that we shall "fight and defeat this nuisance, wherever it may exist". We're not at war with terrorism. We're having an argument. Blowing up random strangers on the street is not evil, it's rude. That whole "moral" way of speaking is so out of fashion, haven't you heard? People keep telling me that "killing people is wrong", that "terrorism is evil", and I'm like "Hey, you, go thump your Bible on somebody else's head, ok? Am I thumping my books on your head? Stop oppressing me!"