[VRWC_minion]

Now, could it be that he was in cahoots with the Zarqawi gang, was picked up by Iraqi Police, released, and then executed for turning on his AQ cohorts?

Here is a "tin foil" scenario.

1. He went to Iraq to help the dissidents.

2.He helped by using his technology knowledge to tap into military and/or private contractor communications.

3. The communications provided data to the insurgents that gave them a heads-up of comings and goings of military and contractor travels.

4. The advance knowledge of the routes and times of travel provide the insurgents with the ability to ambush contractors and military.

5. He returns home after setting up the links for the terrorists

6. Something makes the terrorists request his return to Iraq.

7. His return gets the curiosity up of the FBI who detains him with Iraqi help.

8. The FBI finds nothing but suspicions and attempts to convince him to go home.

9. Berg decides to finish his work for terrorists and declines safe passage.

10. Berg meets with terrorists who have decided he is has too dangerous information and is convinced to stage himself as a hostage. Copying other hostages.

11. The end.

[narby]

More tin foil....

In the edited out part of the video, Berg says things obviously incriminating to those in the room.

But, I really don't want to think the guys a bad guy. I'd prefer to think he was a real spy and got caught. He might have even done the same things as your list, merely to establish his cover.

The only "real" spy I knew was a graduate of OU as well. Went to HS with him in Edmond OK. He studied Russian in the mid 70's.

[Southack]

"2.He helped by using his technology knowledge to tap into military and/or private contractor communications.
9. Berg decides to finish his work for terrorists and declines safe passage."

Nick was working on a communications tower at the Abu Ghraib prison during the mortar attacks there. If, big IF, he was helping anyone on anything, it was as a spotter for the mortar teams attacking our prison.

And if, big IF, he was providing that sort of aid, then an easy explanation to why he turned down free transportation out of Iraq was that he needed to meet with certain people to get PAID for his services...payment perhaps coming in an unexpected form.

[Barlowmaker]

That's a plausible scenario.

[Conservative4Ever]

Dang....that has the ring of plausibility. (this post has been run by the spelling police.)

Red

[P-Marlowe]

I had to read the whole thread to see whether or not anyone else came up with your "tin-foil" scenario before I posted.

When I saw the possible Mousosoui connection, the first thing that went through my mind was that this "kidnapping" was staged and that Berg (who really had no obvious legitimate reason for being in Iraq --i.e, you don't go to iraq to get radio tower construction business when there is more business in the US than you can shake a stick at) thought he was going to participate in a phoney staged kidnapping, but to his surprise, he was the unwilling participant in a real murder. His own. Allah Ahkbar.

Your musings may just be accurate.

The big question that needs to be answered is why was Berg in Iraq? I really don't buy the fact that he was trying to get contracts to build communication towers. You don't do that on your own. You need a crew of 20 or more people and a whole slew of local connections to pull that off. He was apparently there on his own. That doesn't make sense. Especially when (with the cell phone business growing daily) there is more business for communication tower builders in the US than they can handle.

[COUNTrecount]

Excellent scenario.

[Libertina]

Really interesting hypothesis. I have read on FR threads that he was a Bush supporter, but I guess I'd better find those links.

[oceanview]

wow, what a story. yours is the best post of the thread so far. he did look kind of calm in the speech before the beheading, its one thing to say "he didn't know what was coming", but still he should have been more nervous given his predicament - unless he really believed he was participating in a "hostage" setup, but he was double crossed.