Bastards

I saw the video of Nick Berg today, just before I left work. I can do that, somehow. I don't get queasy at the sight of such things. I've seen others just like it in different videos, different people, but one thing stays the same.

I'm pretty pissed off.

The first one I saw was long ago, shortly after I left the military. It was a crude film of what appeared to be a Russian soldier getting his head removed in a similar manner, although it was hard to tell exactly what was going on. These were mujahedeen in Afghanistan, and at the time I felt somewhat morally ambiguous about it because I knew darn well the Soviets had done things just as bad, if not worse, to the Afghan population.

But there were more. Until recently the most infamous one was the Daniel Pearl video. I watched that one too, and now we have this one.

Nick Berg read his statement, no doubt assisted by his captors, and then he knelt there on the floor while people in hoods and masks ranted in a language he didn't understand. And when they were finished with their rant, the dragged him to the floor. He knew he was about to die, you could see it on his face. But it was too late for any resistance. The apparent leader pulled out a large knife, and sawed off his head.

It took time. I'm sure the initial shock of what was happening to him brought about a swift unconsciousness. They weren't careful in their actions, just crudely chopping away and flesh and bone until the head came right off.

And then the guy held it up. End of video.

I watched that bit of digital media without expression or emotion. I just took it in, a part of my mind thinking "he's having trouble with the vertebrae", "he's done this before" and other such incidentals. And when it was done, I packed my things and left work, walking slowly home in the rain. That's when I started to feel again.

I feel anguish for what his family must be going through.

I feel a profound sense of loss, as this was an idealistic man doing idealisting things, bringing technology and knowledge to places where it had never existed.

I feel very bitter towards certain people who are sure to use this as a political football to further their own ambitions, careers, agendas, and what have you.

I feel contemptuous towards those subhumans who did this thing.

To them, it wasn't pointless, it is an attempt to alter the course of American action. To some of us, it is a vile thing, a hateful and pointless act that served nothing. To others, it will merely be another arrow in a quiver full of politcal ammunition. That disgusts me, that a person so brutally murdered can be used as a bullet in some Powerpoint demo to embarass elected officials. And to an even smaller, but no less vociferously vocal minority, a justification for all the imagined ills the United States has draped across the planet. For myself, I hope they find all five and execute them on the spot. I do not care how it is done, only that it is done.

But keep this in mind, whether you are angry or sad or even happy that this happened, for whatever reason. Those people wore fabric over their faces. They hid themselves behind a mask and killed a man who did no harm to anyone. They hid behind hoods and severed a head for a political statement. They wore those hoods for a reason.

The reason? They know damn well what will happen to them if we knew who they were. They fear that. They fear that most intensely. They know that death can come for them in the middle of the night, by bullet or Hellfire missle or precision bomb. They did behind a mask because they are afraid. They don't want to die in a manner of our choosing. They know that we will come and kill them.

We should teach them more ways to fear. Because if we don't, this is what is in store for all of us. Because apologies didn't save Nick Berg. Appeasement will not stop this thing from happening again.

Killing them all will.