JONATHAN FREEDLAND, in The Guardian, is not afraid to tackle the tough question:

No, we need an answer to the argument which has become Tony Blair’s favourite in recent days: that war is needed to topple a cruel tyrant who has drowned his people in misery. In this view, the coming conflict is a war of liberation which will cost some Iraqi lives at first, to be sure, but which will save many more. It will be a moral war to remove an immoral regime. To oppose it is to keep Saddam in power.

This is a much harder case for the anti-war movement to swat aside. We have to take it seriously, if only because no slogan will sink the peace cause faster than “anti-war equals pro-Saddam”. And the anti-war movement has made itself vulnerable to that charge. Tony Benn’s patsy interview with the dictator was a terrible error, while aspects of Saturday’s rally hardly helped. Few speakers paid more than lip service to Saddam’s crimes; indeed, most seemed to regard George Bush as by far the more evil despot. Tariq Ali suggested regime change was needed in Britain more than it was in Iraq, while the official banners told their own story. “Don’t Attack Iraq,” they shouted, above a second line, “Freedom for Palestine.” Why was that not “Freedom for Iraqis”?

Why, indeed? Read the whole thing — it’s the sort of sharp self-criticism that the antiwar movement will need if it is to be taken seriously. Well, it’s a start, anyway.

UPDATE: William Sjostrom is less impressed. I guess it depends on your expectations.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Hey, look who’s agreeing with Freedland.