"Public crimes are committed by individuals who play roles in political, military, and economic institutions. ... Yet ... the crimes don't seem to be fully attributable to the individual himself."

"Not only are ordinary soldiers, executioners, secret policemen, and bombardiers morally encapsulated in their roles, but so are most secretaries of defense or state, and even many presidents and prime ministers. They act as officeholders or functionaries, and thereby as individuals they are insulated in a puzzling way from what they do..."