biased editing since the attacks the term useful idiot has been used by some conservatives to describe those who they think would take a softer line against islamist terrorism for example anthony browne wrote in britain's the times newspaper what kind of unbiased editing is this who is taking softer line against islamic terrorism the useful idiot is used to define people who take softer line in regards to islam and muslims in general and not the terrorists this is twisting the facts and is very much misleading