Butchers of Baghdad Commit True Atrocity (NY Daily News Editorial)

NY Daily News ^ | 5/12/04 | NY Daily News Editorial

[NYC Republican]

Yeah, that's right. The bastards cut his head off. With a knife. On videotape. Those who consider it a proper moral duty to convulse in gulping outrage at U.S. mistreatment of the Abu Ghraib detainees, please take a moment to reflect upon the late Nick Berg of Philadelphia. Berg's terrorist captors, plainly higher-minded souls than are Americans, did not sink to siccing a dog on him or forcing him to disrobe in front of ladies. No, they merely cut his head off with a knife.

Which gets to the heart of the matter: As we've said once or twice already, we'd a lot rather be an enemy in American hands than an American in enemy hands. And we're with Republican Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma, who yesterday scolded those wallowers in America-bashing who would rather be outraged by the failings of the U.S. military than take umbrage at the atrocities of the enemy.

Those military failings are profoundly disturbing, bespeaking a calamitous command malfunction, and let them not be minimized. In Senate hearings, televised around the globe, they certainly have not been. Some coverup. The military has been investigating itself for months. The scrutiny continues. Fascinating in yesterday's round of Senate quizzing was the inability of the chief Army investigator and a Defense Department man to agree upon who was operationally in charge of Abu Ghraib when the prisoner abuses occurred last year. That is rather central to the question of who exactly was or wasn't ordering whom to do what.

While answers will be forthcoming, appearances do begin to suggest that, beyond the undertrained and unsupervised privates and specialists, at least two colonels and a general will be called to account before all is done.

Meanwhile, like Inhofe, horrified we remain by how many Americans seem to believe that men like soldier Pat Tillman somehow "had it coming." Doubtless some think Nick Berg did, too. We don't agree. And we'd bet that, given the choice between dog bite and decapitation, Berg would have taken the dog.

[NYC Republican]

Yep- exactly. The NY Post has the best Editorial and Op-Eds around!

[highlander_UW]

Just once I'd like someone to ask Kennedy or one of the other terrorist-loving leftists who they'd rather be held prisoner by, the US or the Islamists.

[ken5050]

Here's a repeat of my fearless prediction from last week. the Daily News will endorse Bush this November....Noice in the editorial that it is NOT mentioned that Berg is Jewish..and don't think that Mort Zuckerman doesn't know that little factoid...You are correct that over the last two weeks there have been some remarkable editorials and articles in the News..

[sox_the_cat]

Fox this morning showed the front page last week with the pictures of the Iraqi prisoners and the front page today with no pictures of this atrocity.

[marty60]

My Mother and I were just discussing this. She is 87 and is soooo upset. Her exact words were, doesn't anyone realize that Muslims must be totally destroyed, just like the Nazi's? I told her not to worry, God is the one being blasphemed, and God help us all when he gets enough. I really don't think God is going to let Bush lose this election. America was starting to turn from the Godlessness of the Fascist/Socialist/Liberal/ Evil Dums, if we don't hold the line he may remove his help. Hold On!!!!!

[Stentor]

yet, the American left; the Ted Kennedys, nancy Pelosis and John Kerrys think these people can be reasoned with

I don't think they think anything of the sort. I don't think they care. They want control of the big enchilada. They want the big graft, the big corruption, control of who gets the contracts and the jobs. The Democrat party at every level is just a big city graft machine. As Hillary and Bill proved, if you want to avoid prosecution, appoint the prosecutor.

[TigersEye]

yet, the American left; the Ted Kennedys, nancy Pelosis and John Kerrys think these people can be reasoned with.

My answer to that is this:

They are the ones who have set the stage. When someone has the unwavering intention to fight you to the death you cannot change their mind and you cannot negotiate the rules of engagement with them. There are only two possible outcomes. The choice is ours, they have made theirs.

[Paul_B]

Mort's problem is he's still using paragraphs composed of three sentences and more. When he gets down to one and two, de rigor, we'll know his lessons are over. But then, the Post might nail him for copyright infringement..

Seriously, this is the second good edit in as many days. Good to see at the Daily Rag.

[Southack]

Zuckerman was once on our side. Perhaps he'll come back.