We didn't reduce to the level of the Japanese guards of WW2, or the SS or any other thug. We held above that low despicable behaviour and upheld ourselves at a certain level. British people aren't saints or angels and neither are the French. But we should maintain a standard.
Hands up who thinks killing Britain Jihadi John last week was a good idea, in the manner he died?
Well not me - count me out of that.
Making it up going along has got us here.
We need fair law, and standards above the level of ISIL to get through this.
We need intelligent leaders, an intelligent electorate within a correctly functioning democracy. Not easy and I wouldn't start from here but we need to do better than the instant military solution (not that that even remotely exists).