Must Read article about Nick Berg and liberal media

[mayor]

This guy from the Australian Herald Sun has written a fabulous piece. It's long, but worth it.

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Evil off the hook
By ANDREW BOLT
14may04

The horrific slaughter of Nick Berg should be compulsory viewing for those who seem to have forgotten who our real enemy is.

IT took a long, long time to saw off the head of Nick Berg, and for nearly a third of it you could hear the 26-year-old American screaming and gurgling.
I know that because I saw the video his five killers – Islamic terrorists – made of his murder.

It is God-awful to watch, and ends with one of these animals holding up as a trophy Berg's severed head, eyes staring in shock. The video was then rushed to an al-Qaida-linked website, which gleefully published it.

The ABC seemed annoyed to have had this interruption to its wall-to-prison-wall coverage of the "torture" of Iraqi prisoners by American soldiers.

"Beheading deflects focus from Iraq prison scandal," sighed the headline of the ABC Online report.

Sorry, but shouldn't that have read: "Beheading puts Iraq prison 'scandal' in focus?" After all this hysteria over pictures of Iraqi prisoners being made to pose naked, there's nothing like a live-on-video decapitation to remind us what real evil looks like, and to make us ask if a media that forgot the difference helped to kill Nick Berg.

It was probably about the very time this video of Berg's murder was being sent to the al-Qaida site that I found myself in a heated argument on ABC TV's Insiders program.

I'd dared to say that much of the coverage of the abuse of Iraqi prisoners in the Abu Ghraib jail was an irresponsible attempt by anti-war commentators to use the, yes, disgusting behaviour of a few out-of-control American soldiers to vilify not just the US army, but America itself, and to discredit the liberation of Iraq.

And I asked whether it was dangerous for media outlets to so lavishly run photographs of that abuse if they honestly believed what they were saying – that these pictures were a recruiting tool for al-Qaida.

After all, the Age's Washington correspondent co-authored a piece that approvingly quoted a critic saying: "If you want recruitment tools, these are the best anyone could imagine."

The Australian's Washington correspondent exclaimed: "What a recruitment poster for the Iraqi resistance, never mind Osama bin Laden." ("Resistance"? These throat-cutters are to be honoured as the "resistance"?)

Yet what do these and so many media outlets from London to Sydney do with their "recruitment posters" for Osama bin Laden?

Why, they run them again and again. They run them huge on their front pages, and put them on their websites. And their commentators droolingly describe them as horrific, proof of Yankee bestiality, and ample excuse for the Iraqi "resistance" to strike back.

Islamic terrorists got the hint. Berg's killers read out a long statement as he sat on the floor before them, waiting to die, saying they were about to punish the US for its sins at Abu Ghraib, as revealed by the pictures in the Western media.

"How can a free Muslim sleep as he sees Islam slaughtered and its dignity bleeding, and the pictures of shame and the news of the devilish scorn of the people of Islam – men and women – in the prison of Abu Ghraib," their leader shouted.

So, was it worth publishing those photographs now that Nick Berg has had his head hacked off? And remember, these photos were first published at least three days after the US army publicly revealed details of the abuse and charged – as is necessary – the allegedly guilty soldiers.

Of course, when I suggested on TV the media reconsider the wisdom of repeatedly publishing their "recruitment posters for al-Qaida", I was shouted down by the other panellists. That's the way a free media in a free society works, I was instructed.

Actually, it's not the way the free media works if the facts don't fit their agenda.

The media didn't endlessly show the video of the 2002 beheading of reporter Daniel Pearl by al-Qaida operatives, or scream for apologies from al-Qaida's backers in the Saudi Arabian Government.

Nor did they endlessly run the video the Iraqi "resistance" made last month of Italian hostage Fabrizio Quattrocchi being shot in the head by his captors.

Why weren't we shown it? Too shocking? Too likely to get us angry with the Iraqi "resistance"? Too likely to give us the "wrong idea"?

That last excuse, by the way, was the one SBS gave us for not screening the tape it shot of the Grand Mufti of Australia, Sheik Taj El-Din El-Hilali, praising suicide bombers in his mosque.

Nor did many Western correspondents in Saddam's Iraq bother us too much with the ugly truth.

The admired John F. Burns of The New York Times last year accused correspondents who reported alongside him from Saddam's Iraq of having "behaved as if they were in Belgium", rather than in a tyranny: "The essential truth (about Saddam's genocidal regime) was untold by the vast majority of correspondents here."

As CNN executive Eason Jordan admitted only after Saddam was toppled, his network refused to tell us of staff who were tortured, of assassinations planned by Saddam's sons, and of a woman torn apart "limb from limb" by police, and then dumped in bits on her father's doorstep. None of this CNN had reported, Jordan said, because "doing so would have jeopardised the lives of Iraqis".

But there's no such fear of telling the dirty truth – painted in darkest black – about the US. And there's sure no concern that "doing so would have jeopardised the lives" of not Iraqis, but Americans like Nick Berg. Or that exaggerated criticism of America would give us the "wrong idea".

But that's the Western media, too often aiding al-Qaida by exaggerating the regretted mistakes of the US while going soft on the unapologetic barbarism of its foes.

So should the media keep publishing pictures likely to incite terrorists, both overseas and here at home?

Probably not if they truly believe these are recruitment posters for terrorists who'll kill us in "revenge". Why not just describe the pictures in words? How many beheadings is a lurid photo spread really worth?

But there is one compelling excuse for running the pictures from Abu Ghraib (although without the hype and endless repeats), and it's time more journalists and commentators used it.

The fact is that such photographs in themselves do relatively little to recruit terrorists to al-Qaida, whose members want to kill us no matter what we do. Who want to kill us whether the guards at Abu Ghraib were mean or mice.

If that's the excuse, then let's not have these ludicrous claims that the terrorists kill only because we drive them to it through some wickedness of ours.

Let's not have headlines like The Sydney Morning Herald's yesterday that described Nick Berg's murder as "Chilling pay back over abuse" – falsely implying, yet again, that we just brought this terrorism on ourselves through our sins.

Let's not have Islamic terrorism excused as the understandable acts of men driven mad by American or "Zionist" crimes. Let's not have the Bali bombing blamed on our liberation of Afghanistan.

As we've already seen from the video executions of Daniel Pearl and Fabrizio Quattrocchi, al-Qaida and its allies didn't need the excuse of Abu Ghraib to film its killing of hostages.

As we saw this week from the video of Hamas gunmen posing with the body parts of six Israeli soldiers, and offering to "trade" them, Islamic terrorist groups have invented obscenities that far surpass in evil any offence we may have caused. And we should remember, too, that al-Qaida and its friends have being blowing up people for years – Americans, Kenyans, Tanzanians, Saudi Arabians, Turks, Moroccans, Iraqis, UN officials, Red Cross workers, Jews, Christians, Masons, Australians and so many more.

They started their terror long before the "torture" of prisoners at Abu Ghraib, and long before the liberation of Iraq or Afghanistan.

The murder of Nick Berg is just the latest atrocity of an enemy of matchless savagery, and many more people will yet die in this war with a rising militant Islam.

It's time more in the media realised just who our greatest enemy really is – and trust me, it isn't America or a handful of its prison guard bullies.

If the media must publish pictures from this war on terror, let them include plenty of our real enemy and its satanic deeds. Then the abuse at Abu Ghraib will be put in the focus that's been all too deliberately blurred.

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Truth reigns.

Mayor

[chippers21]

Disrobing vs. decapitating? There is no comparison. I hear we have a talk radio host causing havoc by playing the audio from the decapitation. It must be horrific to listen to, but maybe it is also needed to remind us what kind of terrorist persons we are dealing with.

[pandybat]

Have you watched the video, Joel? You seem to be pushing the notion lately that we all should watch it in the name of better understanding the war. Well, I don't want to watch it. I don't care who this man is or was. I don't care if he was an American, an Iraqi or an alien. He was a human being, a human being with feelings and a beating heart. I don't want to watch a life being taken, especially in as brutal a way as a beheading. Watch it if you want. Me watching it is not going to make me hate anyone responsible for it as much as it will make me feel sorry for what happened to that human being, no matter what his nationality.

[luvmetender]

Originally Posted by pandybat

Have you watched the video, Joel? You seem to be pushing the notion lately that we all should watch it in the name of better understanding the war. Well, I don't want to watch it. I don't care who this man is or was. I don't care if he was an American, an Iraqi or an alien. He was a human being, a human being with feelings and a beating heart. I don't want to watch a life being taken, especially in as brutal a way as a beheading. Watch it if you want. Me watching it is not going to make me hate anyone responsible for it as much as it will make me feel sorry for what happened to that human being, no matter what his nationality.

Well said, sandy. I did happen to listen to the audio. Hannity comes on at 3:00 pm here, (which is when he played it) which is when I am driving home from work, and I love to listen to him because he amazes me with his stupidity.

I heard a lot of screaming on the audio. But I have also read on many websites that the video shows that Nick is not reacting at all during the decapitation. Does anyone else have any info about this?

[crazytimes]

I wathced the video. The quality of video and audio is poor, so I heard nothing more than garbling.

The video is disgusting...they do not CHOP the head off...they literally saw it off...when they hold the head up you can see guts hanging from it.

This is truly the most horrible thing I have seen in my life...do NOT watch it. I almost vomited.

You DON'T need to watch videos like this to realize that the terrorists and enemies need business. Believe me for your sake DO NOT wathc it.

[crazytimes]

He doesn't react because he can't. They are holding him down, he can't move. I pray to God that he died quick..because it looks like the way they did it he may have been alive for a few seconds...I mean they didn't just hack it off all at once.

[luvmetender]

Originally Posted by crazytimes

He doesn't react because he can't. They are holding him down, he can't move. I pray to God that he died quick..because it looks like the way they did it he may have been alive for a few seconds...I mean they didn't just hack it off all at once.

\

I'm very glad i didn't see it, but did he scream 7 times? That is what Hannity's audio aired.

[pandybat]

Hannity played the audio on the air!??!!? What was that supposed to accomplish? Isn't it enough to all these people to just talk about it instead of having to hear it or see it? Drilling the sights and sounds of it isn't going to make people any more upset than they already are about it. It's just going to numb everyone a little more for the next time it happens.

[luvmetender]

yes, pandy, he did. He thinks he is justified in doing that. I can't stand the guy.

[mayor]

Originally Posted by luvmetender

Well said, sandy. I did happen to listen to the audio. Hannity comes on at 3:00 pm here, (which is when he played it) which is when I am driving home from work, and I love to listen to him because he amazes me with his stupidity.

You are funny! It's so cute the way you call Sean stupid...

You are listening to Hannity? There is hope yet. You may be "Hannitized". 8-)

[luvmetender]

I like to listen to the enemy....

[mayor]

Originally Posted by pandybat

Have you watched the video, Joel? You seem to be pushing the notion lately that we all should watch it in the name of better understanding the war. Well, I don't want to watch it. I don't care who this man is or was. I don't care if he was an American, an Iraqi or an alien. He was a human being, a human being with feelings and a beating heart. I don't want to watch a life being taken, especially in as brutal a way as a beheading. Watch it if you want. Me watching it is not going to make me hate anyone responsible for it as much as it will make me feel sorry for what happened to that human being, no matter what his nationality.

No , I didn't want to watch it. I did want to hear it, but not because I wanted to hear Nick Berg dying. I was more curious to hear the sounds of the pigs as they were saying "God is great"...

I don't think everyone should watch it or hear it. Only those who don't "get it". Only those who don't realize that it could be YOUR head being sawed off if liberals don't shut up and get behind our effort to defeat these animals.

And if all you get out of this is sympathy for Nick Berg and you don't hate the people responsible, I hope you are in a minority. It ought to stir patriotism and a desire to protect your family unlike anything else.

Mayor

[mayor]

Originally Posted by luvmetender

I like to listen to the enemy....

That's ok. Many others have done so. Constant exposure to the truth has a way of getting into your soul and awakening the grey matter. I encourage you to continue "listening to the enemy".

Mayor

[pandybat]

Originally Posted by mayor

No , I didn't want to watch it. I did want to hear it, but not because I wanted to hear Nick Berg dying. I was more curious to hear the sounds of the pigs as they were saying "God is great"...

Be careful when "listening to the enemy", Joel.

Originally Posted by mayor

I don't think everyone should watch it or hear it. Only those who don't "get it". Only those who don't realize that it could be YOUR head being sawed off if liberals don't shut up and get behind our effort to defeat these animals.

I'm sure we all get it. You don't need to watch it on tv a thousand times to get it or hear the audio to get it. It wouldn't be my head being sawed off either since I wouldn't have been stupid enough to go over to Iraq for my own personal gain knowing the dangers like Berg did. I don't completely blame him for what happened but I do feel like he had a part in it. He should have left when the FBI told him it would be better to do so. He refused.

Originally Posted by mayor

And if all you get out of this is sympathy for Nick Berg and you don't hate the people responsible, I hope you are in a minority. It ought to stir patriotism and a desire to protect your family unlike anything else.

I have plenty of hate for the people responsible. They did it out of retaliation, which was wrong. My patriotism was tested enough when the pics of the soldiers abusing the Iraqi prisoners were brought out. It didn't exactly instill a good sense of patriotism. It pretty much dampered it a bit. I protect my family enough just from the dangers of living here in the U.S. It's just sad to think that had we not gone to Iraq, Nick Berg might still be alive today.

[mayor]

Originally Posted by pandybat

Be careful when "listening to the enemy", Joel.

Oh, ok. Perhaps you could explain this statement?

I'm sure we all get it. You don't need to watch it on tv a thousand times to get it or hear the audio to get it. It wouldn't be my head being sawed off either since I wouldn't have been stupid enough to go over to Iraq for my own personal gain knowing the dangers like Berg did.

You say you get it, but you just proved that you did not. It isn't about being stupid enough to be in Iraq.

Sandy, if the terrorists have their way, they are coming HERE to kill YOU and ME. Do you not understand? Planes flying into twin towers. Thousands dead. Bombs exploding in various free countries around the world. People dead. You think you are safe just because you are on American soil? You think it is impossible for beheadings and torture by these pigs to happen here? They want you DEAD. It is VERY possible.

I have plenty of hate for the people responsible. They did it out of retaliation, which was wrong.

NO, this has been their modus operandi from the beginning. They have ALWAY tortured people. They have ALWAYS killed innocents. You think that they would not be doing this if we had not taken out Saddam or gone after Al Qaida?

I can not say this statement bold enough or loudly enough.

THEY STARTED IT with THEIR brutal attacks.

My patriotism was tested enough when the pics of the soldiers abusing the Iraqi prisoners were brought out. It didn't exactly instill a good sense of patriotism. It pretty much dampered it a bit.

The media succeeded. You have been manipulated and bought it.

This stuff ALWAYS happens. It happens here on OUR soil. American prisoners rape and kill other American prisoners. Prison guards sexually abuse prisoners. People kill, steal, mutilate, torture, rape, have incest and every other imaginable kind of sin known to mankind, RIGHT HERE ON OUR SOIL. Every day, every minute. How does that affect your "patriotism". You think just because these people are in the military that human nature is not going to follow them? How about the 140,000+ that DIDN'T take part in this garbage?

I protect my family enough just from the dangers of living here in the U.S. It's just sad to think that had we not gone to Iraq, Nick Berg might still be alive today.

The U.S. is getting more dangerous. Elect John Kerry and watch your back.

Mayor