--Save that you're talking about a statement that singled out members of the technocratic elite of empire, which is the argument made. I don't really see much in use of that argument myself, but that is the argument he made. I think Yoshie is spot on that the argument is not useful from a left perspective, placement of guilt and innocence moves things not very much forward and might actually hold them back. These people could all have a transformation of heart and that would not change much. But like I said, that argument isn't that much different from much of liberal or Frankfurt School, Hannah Arendt, philosophy really, which focuses on subjectivity in lieu of structurally based class relations as the source of the world's inequity and tragedy.
BTW, that statement you agreed with was from George Bush recently. In the early days of 911, it was the kind of thing that was attacked for being unpatriotic and blaming the victim. Hate to say it, but we were right to say it then--even when attacked as unpatriotic for saying it [recall Sontag]--and we remain right now. And that, not what Churchill said-- is what is really the target from the vantage of the empire defenders.
steve