A Crucible of Intolerance and Oppression

Does "trenchant" always come with built-in irony? Here's a letter in the Times today:

I have just listened to the Labour peer, Lord Ahmed, make a trenchant criticism of the award of a knighthood to the writer Salman Rushdie (report, June 19 ), in the course of which he asserted that it was insulting to Islam and to Muslim feelings and brought Islam into contempt.

What undermines Islam are edicts to kill people because their writings offend Islamic beliefs. What brings Islam into contempt is the killing of women for breaching a code of family honour; deeds carried out in its name that include the killing and maiming of people in Tube trains simply because they are part of a society that tolerates many and conflicting views; and plots to kill people because they frequent nightclubs.

Salman Rushdie was awarded a knighthood for his services to literature, not because he wrote a book that some see as critical of Islam. That Lord Ahmed aligns himself with these antilibertarians confirms the view that Islam is a crucible of intolerance and oppression.

A week ago the BBC were calling Ahmadinejad a "trenchant critic" of Israel (it's now been changed to "outspoken"). I wonder if they were being ironic as well...

Comments

[Noga]

Mick: Because of the BBC and your noticing their gaff (was it?) I will never again read the word "trenchant" without the irony. You may have started a linguistic fashion in the word's meaning....

http://contentious-centrist.blogspot.com/2007/06/was-lord-vader-really-mastermind-behind.html

BTW, the adjective they chose in the edited version, "outspoken", is only slightly less ridiculous than "trenchant" in this context. It still conveys a not-so-concealed nod of respect and approval as in the following examples:

"Outspoken: adjective
1. given to expressing yourself freely or insistently; "outspoken in their opposition to segregation"; "a vocal assembly"

2. characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion; "blunt talking and straight shooting"; "a blunt New England farmer"; "I gave them my candid opinion"; "forthright criticism"; "a forthright approach to the problem"; "tell me what you think--and you may just as well be frank"; "it is possible to be outspoken without being rude"; "plainspoken and to the point"; "a point-blank accusation" [syn: blunt]"

BTW, it's funny that "blunt" is offered as a synonym to "outspoken". Blunt being a dull edge is the opposite of "trenchant".