His final statement was to slander America and to support the Islamist cause. He did it with gusto, not looking at all like it was against his will.
Lots of men have stayed true even facing imminent death. He turned traitor. An example is the Doolittle raiders who were beheaded, none of them gave final statements badmouthing their country.
I stand by it even if we know his family.
No reverence for a traitor.
“The prospect of beheading, coupled with several mock executions, can have most people saying almost anything.”
There is truth in that. And here's something else to think about. Years ago I read the autobiography of Francis Gary Powers, the U2 pilot who was shot down and captured by the Soviets.
Powers writes that he was told by his superiors to either commit suicide if captured (he carried a poison for that purpose), or just tell them what they want to know because they will get it out of you anyway.
All this doesn't imply that Foley deserves “reverence”. But it does make things a bit easier to understand.