Nicholas Berg: The Dots Do Not Connect

ChronWatch.com ^ | 5-13-04 | Ira Simmons

[Travis McGee]

I see the books as go-between messages or bonafides.

You're trying to meet Al Queda, and contact A says "give this book to contact B, tell them Achmed the blind sent you." Then you pay him some $$$, or whatever is expected. Maybe there is no contact B, and you just got rooked out of your money.

Maybe there is a contact B, and you get passed along the chain, until you find yourself in an orange jump suit.

[antaresequity]

Oh my god...towers fire?

I am double wrapping in tinfoil...help me!!!!

[eddie willers]

(Anyone know what Diane did to Orion?)

Same thing Monica did to Bill?

[eastforker]

For a jewish family it sure seems like they had alot of Iraqi contacts, even married into one. Wish we had more info on that. I have a data base that I use but covers mainly southern states. If only this family was in Texas.

[Trinity_Tx]

OK... I'm gonna play devil's advocate here...

In order of the "unconnecting dots" the author points out:

1. Re the college degree and his business... Are we sure one cannot do whatever he did? Do we know what he did?

2. The "questionable" political differences with his father... I totally disagree. Polls show that this is more common than not, actually. Especially among Jews. Younger Jews are rejecting their liberal parents' politics in massive #s.
Even I, an obedient So Baptist girl, lol, rejected the politics of my father when I was 21. We still avoid the subject to keep from fussing.

3. Next paragraph questions his way of traveling to Iraq and making business contacts. But I heard he was chasing the dream of entrepreneurship as strongly promoted by the US dept of commerce in a conference he attended... In which case, he wouldn't be looking for contacts, he would strike out on his own.

4. A & B are plausible, but C is a stretch and contradicts itself. D: maybe. E. makes sense. I see no conspiracy or weirdness about any of these except C which is ...weird to bring up IMHO.

5. I don't know why he refused the free ticket home. Maybe he still had hopes of finding a place to set up shop, or maybe he didn't want to accept any favors from the coalition after being detained and probably pretty frustrated by them. Maybe he was just stubborn.

6. He's right. The terrorists lied.

OK... so that's my Devil's advocate post. lol I have yet to read all the other posts, so I could be missing a whole lot and welcome the info.

[GottaLuvAkitas1]

no- I am sure his dad is Jewish. At least that is my understanding.

[eastforker]

I have a feeling that type of work was farmed out to the Russians.

[niki]

Was he spotting and intercepting US troop movements for the terrorists?

During his time in Iraq, he struggled with the Arabic language and worked at night on a tower in Abu Ghraib, a site of repeated attacks on U.S. convoys and the location of the notorious prison where U.S. soldiers abused Iraqi inmates.
Newsday

Who knows?

[RightOnline]

Travis, your "speculation" makes far more sense than anything else I've read on the topic.

[Travis McGee]

It's what keeps me here!

[P-Marlowe]

At least 45% of the people (that are allowed to vote) in this country are going to vote for Flipflop Kerry.

No they're not. At least 50% of those 45% are not even going to vote. Kerry will not excite them. They may not like Bush, but they don't like Kerry enough to get in the cars and stand in line at the polls. That's a lot of effort for liberals. They only stand in line when there's a government check waiting for them when they get to the front.

[KMG365]

I admit, I have not followed this story closely and I have not watched the video because I am repulsed by the thought of it. That said, here is my take: Berg was just a stupid liberal who has his politics to thank for his fate. Sort of like the guy in Alaska a few months ago who was trying to make friends with the gigantic bear and wound up being his lunch.

There is a hypothetical for you. What is worse, getting your head cut off or being eaten alive by a bear.

[antaresequity]

Check this out folks...

Postulate: I wonder if Harris Corp has ever heard of Nick Berg [professionally]

Harris Corp is the Florida based company that won the contract to handle the Iraqi Media rebuild. If indeed young Mr Berg had a piece of that action as his emails to his parents claim he did...the dates of the emails are pretty consistent with the award date of the contract...kind of.

My Question is this: What does Harris Corp have to say...more importantly what does Youseff (Joe) Sleimen have to say? 'Joe' is the Lebanese born front man for Harris Corp in Iraq...has 'Joe' ever met Nick?

Go here and read this article all about Harris Corp and Youseff (Joe) Sleimen. This is a fresh find.

This is a very interesting read into the gritty business of contracting in Iraq...

Other Link: Harris Corp Home

[Southack]

"Maybe there is a contact B, and you get passed along the chain, until you find yourself in an orange jump suit."

Why do you turn down a free trip home when you are already planning on going home?

ANSWER: because you still need to meet with someone to get paid before you go.

Why do you get put into an orange jumpsuit in front of a videocamera?

Perhaps because your payment is going to come in a form that you didn't expect.

[eastforker]

Someone with a couple of years OJT could probably do what he said he was doing.

[Travis McGee]

I agree with you, I was just postulating his best cover story. And it didn't wash.

[Travis McGee]

Nope. Diane loved Orion, but accidentally killed him.

[Big Giant Head]

bumping to find this tomorrow

[Travis McGee]

Thanks.

[Travis McGee]

I don't think he was looking for pay from his contacts in Iraq. That would be handled by wire in Kuwait, Jordan, Cyprus, the USA etc. You would not be lugging a bagful of cash out of Iraq.

Anyway, I see Nick as an ideological agent, not an agent for pay.

But he sure did pay.