In May 2002, six months after the invasion of Afghanistan but before the Iraq war, the London Review of Books held a debate: ‘The War on Terrorism: Is There an Alternative?’ The panel comprised Tariq Ali, Christopher Hitchens, Jacqueline Rose, Anatol Lieven and Onora O’Neill.

President Bush’s ultimatum set the tone: either you’re with us or you’re with the terrorists. The Guardian described it as ‘a battle for the soul of the left’. Hitchens argued for military action and said that ‘theocratic fascists must be crushed.’ Others on the panel questioned the premise of the War on Terror and where such a doctrine might lead.

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