I wish more people on the right were saying what Mark Steyn is saying about the death of Menezes. I wish that more people were saying that generally. He describes it as 'the pathetic public execution of an innocent man'.

It was indeed that- and I find it disquietening that so many people have just swallowed the scenario so easily. One could list some reasons why the police action was unacceptable (it's difficult to believe such a final and brutal act could have any real, sensible operational foundation based on such flimsy pretexts as the police have proffered. The operational guidelines are clearly idiot guides to human situations), and Steyn does just that. That's not to say that a shoot to kill policy isn't necessary for some conjunctions of events, and of course we don't know all the facts- Steyn says the police accosting Menezes were plain clothes; I have heard other people say otherwise.

What I don't like is the sense I get that the quietude over Menezes' death is a reflection that people just want to make the suicide bombers a law enforcement issue. Thus they give the law enforcers a free rein, meanwhile hoping that the statistical chances of being a victim of that freedom bear out in their own cases. Of course the authorities have to act, but we need to sharpen up their game and not accept their ineptnesses.