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We’re so sorry we doubted you, Mr. President

iraq_berg_family.jpg
Father, and son: Nick Berg and his family
While the media reacts with outrage over the release of videotaped footage of the beheading of 26-year-old civilian contractor Nick Berg in Iraq this week, the bigger story seems to have fallen through the cracks.
Namely, we’ve finally found that elusive connection between Iraq and al-Qaeda that the American public heard so much about from the President and his advisors for the past two years.

“An Islamist Web site posted a videotape Tuesday showing the decapitation of an American in Iraq, in what the killers called revenge for the American mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison.
The Web site said the man who carried out the beheading was Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian militant linked to al-Qaeda who the Americans believe was behind some of the deadliest terrorist attacks here.”

Admittedly, America-hating lefties may point out that this new connection technically falls under the rubric of a “post-Saddam Iraq”, and, furthermore, the occupying American army more or less created the terrorist-supporting circumstances which lead to this connection, but regardless: Well done, guys!
In tribute to this development, and to our baseball-loving commander-in-chief, I’m off to go watch a film about the American pastime, Field of Dreams. You know the movie…”If you build it, they will come.”
(NOTE: This entry has been ‘corrected’ from its originally-posted form. See comments for more info.)

34 replies on “We’re so sorry we doubted you, Mr. President”

i’m new to your site. please tell me your “well done guys” is tongue in cheek.

I think the movie you’re thinking about is actually “Field of Dreams”, not “Bull Durham”.
Just a little FYI

Bull Durham does have an appropriate line when referencing the president: “Kid’s got a million dollar arm and a two cent head.”
Girls, they do get woolly…

yeah, you’re right. damned costner/baseball errors.
good thing i didn’t get it confused with the other ron shelton/costner sports movie, “tin cup”.

The other part of the story that’s just starting to emerge is the fact that Berg’s family recently named Donald Rumsfeld in a lawsuit against American authorities who detained Berg as he attempted to leave the country prior to being captured by Islamic militants.
As far as I know, the military currently denies that he was ever in American hands (he was originally aprehended by Iraqi security forces), but the FBI did visit him three times before his death.
See this WP article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21300-2004May12.html

that’s what i love about the great doggone administration.. if they can’t prove it, they make it happen. guess that’s an example of good ole “can do american moxie”. good thing we invaded to provide a link.

First, I hate Bush. I did not vote for him in 2000. Will not vote for him in 2004. But the whole tone of this post in which LowCulture is somehow twisting things around to put pseudo blame for this horrific murder on Bush is nauseating. “Well done, guys!” What the fuck kind of parallel are you trying to insinuate?
There’s politics and reality. And the reality is that Nick Berg was murdered for no good reason whatsoever by a group of loons who are acting on their own behalf to further the amosphere of terror and hate out there. But it’s nice to see the staff at LowCulture can twist a horrific event into some bizarre pseudo conspiracy theory. You people are assholes.

well-noted jack, and i see how one may have had that “bizarre pseudo conspiracy” interpretation from the post, but that wasn’t really the spirit, i assure you.
i was merely being cynical about the 2 years of bush administration lies and innuendo regarding iraq’s connection with al qaeda, and the idea that the need to occupy/invade iraq was linked to the events of 9-11, etc, and the idea that invading iraq could ever be spun as being part of ‘the war on terror’, as certain media outlets insist on labeling our current predicament…
and thusly how, in a perverse triangular way, the lies have become reality because the lies were told in the first place.
that’s all. and the fact that we’re slowly but surely creating a horrid terrorist breeding ground throughout the region (cf. bush’s blind endorsement of sharon’s policies a few weeks back, and yesterday’s imposition of syrian sanctions) really is awful. where once it was disputably nascent, it now is most certainly growing faster and faster.
i hope this brief moment of sincerity clarifies things. i now promise to revert to ‘snide’ mode.

“where once it was disputably nascent, it now is most certainly growing faster and faster.”
Jean-Paul, it’s obvious your knowledge of mid-east history and terrorist activity in the mid-east begins and ends with your need to simply blame Bush for anything bad. Your “sincerty” really does nothing to but highlight more and more of your non-knowledge and desire to simply lash out.
Like I said before, Bush is an idiot. And does not deserve to be re-elected. But to place blame on him for the mess that has existed in the mid-east for years is simply idiocy.
I stand by my assertion that the post is simply that of an asshole and completely devoid of any real knowledge of what is happening over there. You people are simply narrow minded vindictive jerks.

“And the reality is that Nick Berg was murdered for no good reason whatsoever by a group of loons who are acting on their own behalf to further the amosphere of terror and hate out there.”
No reason?!? Hello – we invaded their country. Can you imagine what US hicks would do to foreigners if we were invaded? I’m not trying to forgive this disgusting action, but really, get some perspective – idiotic “good and evil” thinking is what got the majority of people in this country to support invading Iraq. We’re walking into decades of Israel-style revenge like dumbasses.
“You people are assholes.” Yes, critical thinking does = asshole, doesn’t it? Lets all wave the flag and rape some more prisoners…

Jack says: it’s obvious your knowledge of mid-east history and terrorist activity in the mid-east begins and ends with your need to simply blame Bush for anything bad.
Okay, well if you’re going to argue that Middle East history contradicts the view that the U.S. invasion of Iraq and it’s aftermath has increased anti-American sentiment (and thus support for anti-American terrorist organizations), at least cite some historical evidence.
Just declaring that, “the post is simply that of an asshole,” doesn’t provide a hell of a lot of support for your argument. Also, it’s grammatically awkward.

Look folks, this isn’t something to lose your head over. Are things more or less violent in the Middle East since Bush has taken office? Do you really think that because of Bush’s policies there will be more peace in the region in the future? Less “terrorism”? Less anti-Americanism?

Good lord are you people off it. Before the invasion of Iraq and before Bush was even in office people were being kidnapped by Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups. Notably the Christian missionaries kidnapped in Afghanistan prior to 9-11.
What I find disturbing about LowCulture’s assessment is that it ignores the fact that groups like Al Qaeda simply hate Americans and have been killing them–and other outsiders–for years. To place blame on Bush or anyone else for someone decapitating an innocent person is simply a perverse way of blaming one group (Bush and his idiotic administration) for the viscious actions of another group (Al Qaeda).
Also, for the people here who thing that Bush is the sole person to blame for this whole mess, what about the 9-11 attacks to begin with? Who provoked Al Qaeda to kill thousands of people on 9-11? Is Bill Clinton to blame too?
Regarding ryan’s comments:
“No reason?!? Hello – we invaded their country.”
The “their” in this case are non-Iraqi Al Qaeda terrorists who have taken it upon themselves to “speak” for the Iraqi people. To make it easier to digest: The Al Qaeda people who did this are NOT IRAQIS.
“Can you imagine what US hicks would do to foreigners if we were invaded?”
Perhaps I don’t know. But perhaps if a group of radicals from Canada came down to the U.S.A. and murdered a foreigner in the name of U.S.A. freedom I would look at that with suspicion. In this case, a group of non-Iraqi Al Qaeda terrorists killing a civilian does nothing for Iraq or even the U.S.A.
Bush has fucked many things up. He deserves to be out of office. But this assesment–that Bush is responsible for the decapitation of an innocent civilian–is simply a politically perverted assessment. And LowCulture’s desire to simply use his death as fuel for a political fire shows a level of idiocy that words cannot express.

To address one aspect of that arguement:
The Al Qaeda people who did this [killed Berg] are NOT IRAQIS.
Last I heard, there was no conclusive proof of the identity of any of the people on that video. One of them claimed to be Musab al-Zarqawi, but we don’t really know. Furthermore, as the War on Terrorism ™ has caused Al Qaeda to splinter into an even more loosely knit group of cells, many of whom do not, supposedly, have any communication with bin Laden and associates, it seems entirely plausible that the people who killed Berg are in fact Iraqis, who carried out the killing in the name of Al Qaeda.

“The Al Qaeda people who did this [killed Berg] are NOT IRAQIS.”
Without proof one way or the other, I find it hard to believe that than al qaeda members decided to mosey over to Iraq now that thousands of US soldiers are there. I think it’s much more likely that the US invasion has driven some Iraqis to join al qaeda (or support al qaeda) in order to fight back as best they can. Al qaeda is scapegoat-ed for more insurgent activity than they could possibly have a hand in.
“groups like Al Qaeda simply hate Americans and have been killing them–and other outsiders–for years.”
This a rediculously naive and shallow idea. If you would take an honest look at US foreign policy in the middle east you would see that there are plenty of valid justifications for anti-americanism. We supplied arms that killed people to just about everyone, created economic sanctions that hurt average people much more than our political adversaries, and sending missionaries to a country that outlaws evangelism (punishable by death) is asinine.
Turn off the tv & read something about the world.

Ryan, I like how you attack Jack’s argument for lacking proof. Yet, your agrument is loaded with assumptions:
“I find it hard to believe that than al qaeda members decided to mosey over to Iraq now that thousands of US soldiers are there.”
“Al qaeda is scapegoat-ed for more insurgent activity than they could possibly have a hand in.”
“I think it’s much more likely that the US invasion has driven some Iraqis to join al qaeda (or support al qaeda) in order to fight back as best they can.”
Then, you claim the FACT that they’ve hated and have been killing Americans for years as “shallow & naive.” Unbelievable!
So, what are you doing this summer now that Freshmen year is over?

“If you would take an honest look at US foreign policy in the middle east you would see that there are plenty of valid justifications for anti-americanism.”
The entire reason for me posting on this idiotic topic is simple. While I hate Bush, the decapitation of an innocent civilian by Al Qaeda terrorists really cannot be blamed on Bush.
“Turn off the tv & read something about the world.”
I have Ryan. What do you know about the mideast? Do you realize that Al Qaeda has existed for years prior to Bush coming into office? Do you realize that Al Qaeda even wanted to target Clinton for assisination? Why do you think Clinton launched missile attacks against Bin Laden and his cronies? Why did Bin Laden attack the World Trade Center in 1993 with a truck bomb? I mean, George W. Bush was not in office at that time so what’s the explanation? Technically speaking, this whole mess can be traced back NOT to U.S. foreign policy but the whole mess that British/French/German colonialization had on the region after the fall of the Ottoman empire.
The point is you are really dense to bring this issue into the realm of partisan politics. Al Qaeda’s behavior is simply that of terror and aggression. To somehow hook Bush–and ONLY BUSHES–foreign policy as the cause of Nick Berg’s death is simply idiocy.
And speaking of idiocy…
“Al qaeda is scapegoat-ed for more insurgent activity than they could possibly have a hand in.”
Yes, these loons murder their own women and children because they are not “findamental” enough, murder Westerners for being Westerners, kill thousands of people on 9-11 and PRIOR to that in Somalia and Afghanistan, and NOW they are a “scape goat”. Give us all a break.
Is it possible that even if Bush did not attack Iraq as he did that Al Qaeada and affiliated terror groups would find a reason to hate us because they simply HATE US?!?!? No, that’s a “fantasy” right?
Geez, you know Bush should be kicked out of office as soon as possible. But the anti-War movement could do well to dump loons who connect ANY bad world event to Bush or whoever (1) is in power and (2) they do not like. Nothing does more harm to the anti-War movement than people placing inappropriate blame on Bush for things that really have existed for years prior to his election.
I’m voting for Kerry in the election. If 3 years into the election Al Qaeda kills more people, I think Kerry should be blamed? Right? I mean he’s the U.S. president in office at the time?
Heck, you know who’s to blame for the Iran hostage crisis of the 1970s? Jimmy Carter! He was president at the time and he should have known better.

“…it seems entirely plausible that the people who killed Berg are in fact Iraqis, who carried out the killing in the name of Al Qaeda.”
*BZZZT* wrong. It’s been confirmed the the person who beheaded Nick Berg was Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a JORDANIAN who has sentenced passed on him in Jordan as well as a bounty on his head of $10 million for his death and capture.
So let’s see. A Jordanian terrorist leader has gone into Iraq and killed an innocent civilian in the name of Iraq… Yet the person who did the act is Jordanian… He is not Iraqi…
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=542&e=2&u=/ap/20040513/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_american_beheaded
Sounds more like someone is trying to take advantage of the weak political infrastructure of Iraq right now to further his own twisted agenda. But he’s not really acting on “behalf” of Iraq.
In fact as far as Al Qaeda goes, if you want to see how they have infected other countries, just look at the situation in Afghanistan after the Russians pulled out. The country was a mess. And Al Qaeda and the Taliban moved in to fill that political vacuum with their own power-hungry insanity. In Afghanistan people were grateful that they were hunted down and killed because Al Qaeda in that case was a completely foreign force taking advantage of the situation for their own purposes.
It looks like their attempting to do the same thing in Iraq. And that more than anything is what is causing the mess over there.

“groups like Al Qaeda SIMPLY hate Americans”
The implication that they have no justification for their hatred and sponteneously hate (or are jealous of) Americans is rediculous. We need to take responsibility for our foreign policy and the role the US played in creating an environment where such depravity and violence thrives.

“The implication that they have no justification for their hatred and sponteneously hate (or are jealous of) Americans is rediculous. We need to take responsibility for our foreign policy and the role the US played in creating an environment where such depravity and violence thrives.”
Just because someone flies a plane into a building does not mean they have a valid point. Do us all a favor Ryan, go read up on mid-east history. And learn how much ethnic and fundamentalist divisions within the region have led to the enviroment that exists there.
And in your obession to blame the U.S. for everything, do some research into the history of the social and political borders of the mid-east. You might be shocked to find that it was more than the U.S. that is to blame for anything that has happened or will continue to happen there. You might find it in yourself to realize that the Ottoman empire, French, British and German colonialists had a lot more to do with laying the foundation of strife there.
Your entire attitude Ryan wreaks of a rebellious college freshman who hates authority so much they blame anything connected to the perception of authority for the world’s problem. Your life sucks? Blame mom and dad! This country sucks? Blame the president! Your job sucks? Blame the boss!
The deal is that if you think Al Qaeda is simply a noble rebellious band of ruffians who simply want the U.S. and western influences out you’re a tad naive. They are to the mid-east what U.S. militant militias are to north America. Add drug money and easy access to the weapons black market that exploded when the nearby U.S.S.R. collapsed and you might realize Al Qaeda is about as much of a liberating force in the region as the Unabomber was to the U.S.
But more susinctly Ryan, if you can find valid explanations as to why Al Qaeda wanted to kill U.S. and westerners prior to George W. Bush taking office and invaded Iraq, we’d all love to hear them. Al Qaeada might have entered your consciousness in the past 12 months, but they have been active for longer than that and they even *GASP* were active under Democratic administrations.
Which is why this post on LowCulture is crass and idiotic. The implicaton is that without George W. Bush Al Qaeda would be frollicing around and baking cakes and having a great old time! They have been doing what they’re doing for a while; wake up and smell the coffee and stop mixing up (1) political divisions (2) personal animosity towards the U.S. and (3) horrific acts of terror with murdering thugs.
If John Kerry gets elected I’ll remember you Ryan when someone else gets killed by those loons. And I’ll know the “correct” conclusion is to blame John Kerry for the sick actions of others.

wow, I thought the post was just making fun of the fake connection between saddam hussein and al qaeda, but now I see it’s so much more. Thank you, noble freeper, for your quite educational rant.

There is one very important fact that you are all missing here. Let me break it down for you.
1. Zarqawi was sheltered in Kurdish controlled Iraq, he was an enemey of Hussein/Ba’athism.
2. Bush had the opportunity to Assassinate/liquidate Zarqawi on at least threee occaisions.
3. He was not killed because the Bush team needed to maintain the illusion of “Al Qaeda in Iraq”.
4. Since he wasn’t taken out when he could have been, some measure of responsibility must lie with those who chose not to kill him and his associates. The fact that this wasn’t done in the middle of the War on Terrorism to bolster tenuous connections to the War in Iraq borders on the criminal.

j-fly, my apologies for actually having an opinion. And my apologies for pointing out the complexity of this situation and the idiocy of LowCulture’s desire to blame the U.S. for the decapitation of Nick Berg.
My sincerest apologies. In the future I will only post one dimensional comments and blind cheerleading comments devoid of thought and criticism. Viva one dimensional rants and screeds!
Regarding the snide Internet comment, I woud recomment that the crew at LowCulture “go out and get some fresh air” themselves. Especially when posting idiocy on this level.

“2. Bush had the opportunity to Assassinate/liquidate Zarqawi on at least threee occaisions.”
Back up your claims with facts. Otherwise, it’s just hyperbole.
“3. He was not killed because the Bush team needed to maintain the illusion of “Al Qaeda in Iraq”.”
What proof do you have of this other than your own prejudices?
Seriously, why are people tripping over themselves NOT to place the blame the people who directly kidnapped and decapitated Nick Berg and are OBSESSESED with blaming ANYONE in the U.S. for this tragic death. Since when in this world is the primary person responsible for a person’s death not the person who directly committed the act. Geez Louise, talk about a patronizing and pedantic view of responsibility.
Next time I hear about a crime of any kind I will be sure to blame whatever President is in power at the time “Society and the bad President in office made me do it!”

So if I follow your logic Jean-Paul, Bush is responsible for the death of Nick Berg because he chose not to act against Al Qaeda forces in Iraq when he had a chance.
Okay, if that’s a truth by your standard, please feel free to blame Bill Clinton and his administration for SNAFUing the cruise-missile attack on Bin Laden back when Clinton was in office.
The point being Jean-Paul as much as I hate Bush, I really hate assholes like you who barely comprehend the fact that Al Qaeda transcend U.S. political issues and is rooted in the fact that they are simply brutal thugs who not only want to destroy western civilization at all levels but to force mid-eastern countries to conform to their 17th century view of life/culture.
BTW, you might want to realize that perhaps there was one solid reason Nick Berg was chosen for a brutal death where other hostages were simply kept alive for negotuation reasons. That being Nick Berg was a Jew. He went to that country trying to find work and even learned Arabic to try to ease into the culture better. But ultimately his death came not because of Bush or Clinton but because a bunch of NON-IRAQI thugs decided “Let’s kill a Jew to show the world who we are!”
Learn a little bit about the world Jean-Paul. Pull your head out of your ass and stop shifting the blame of brutal murders on others.

our thoughts and prayers to the Berg family our goverment didnt help them but we as the people can in the name of love we should show them respect and support in every way possible.

I wonder if this will be read at all. Specifically by Jack. Well, it’s like this, for me at least. SOMEONE has to be held accountable. Why not hold the terrorists accountable for what happened, right? I mean, THEY cut his head off after all, right? Not like Bush went there and did it himself (whether or not he’d know what to do is debatable).
Thing is, you just dont wake up one morning and decide to chop someone’s head off. Something’s gotta tick you off. You say they’re jealous of America, you say they’re upset that America is corrupting their world and making a mockery of their values. Maybe. Maybe that’s why. But maybe it’s not. I mean, unless you asked them, and you’re sure they gave you a truthful answer, you just dont know.
Maybe they’re power starved, they just want to eliminate America and Israel and control the world… Maybe. Although that’d be a little like me, penniless nobody, aspiring to purchase a 10m$ mansion with my fat wallet.
Maybe it’s something else altogether. The one thing I DO notice however, is the common denominator: America. There’s just something about America that’s pissing them off. Economic sanctions, countless dead civilians tossed aside as collateral damage, abused prisoners… well, really that’s not much to be ticked off about. If it happened to me, I’d be a good “Christian” and, well, turn the other cheek. So it can’t be that. But whatever it is, it is something America is doing. Or is it that they think we’re just so DAMN good looking, that they have to destroy us.
And, as the Commander in Chief, the head honcho, regardless of whether or not he had anything to do with it directly, doesn’t our friend at the top become somewhat responsible for creating these circumstances? Or allowing these circumstances to be created? Or however it is you want to phrase it? So in that sense, yes, I do have to agree with our leftie friends, and disagree with you, Jack.
You kick a rabid dog in the ribs, dont be surprised if he tries to bite back.

“I wonder if this will be read at all. Specifically by Jack.”
Wait, I’m cleaning my ears. Ahh! Better! Speak away sir!
“Well, it’s like this, for me at least. SOMEONE has to be held accountable. Why not hold the terrorists accountable for what happened, right? I mean, THEY cut his head off after all, right? Not like Bush went there and did it himself (whether or not he’d know what to do is debatable).””
Yeah, right on dude! You tell us the truth! It’s like taking the Red Pill and heading down a rabbit hole!
“Thing is, you just dont wake up one morning and decide to chop someone’s head off. Something’s gotta tick you off. You say they’re jealous of America, you say they’re upset that America is corrupting their world and making a mockery of their values. Maybe. Maybe that’s why. But maybe it’s not. I mean, unless you asked them, and you’re sure they gave you a truthful answer, you just dont know.”
By your logic Ed Gein, John Wayne Gacy and other sick mass murders have valid positions for killing and multilating their victims. I mean if you say that, it all makes sense. Heck, if someone would have just laid David Berkowitz the Summer of Sam would never have happened!
It’s all so clear, dude!
How about this. The next time I’m having a bad day at work, I’ll go and kick some random person in the crotch. When they curl up in a ball on the ground and ask why, I’ll just say “Hey sorry. My boss was a dick to me and you were right in front of me.”
Hilter didn’t just wake up one day and decide to kill 6 million Jews. But who is to blame for his behvaior? The Polish? Yeah, right. They were asking for it! Hitler’s not the sick fuck in that equation. Blame the Poles!

I’m pretty sure it’s too late for this to be read by anyone. But still, for the principle. Jack, I have no idea what the heck you’re talking about. Maybe next time you read someone’s comment, you should try to understand it instead of spewing your canned rant.
See, you’re still stuck on the argument you were giving everyone else on this post. I’m not talking about that line of reasoning anymore. NoNo. Let me make it clear.
Me have cars. Me need oil. Me dont like people who own oil. Me dont like paying expensive. Me fuck over people with oil. Me should expect consequences.
You want it any clearer?

way back to the middle post – i do hold carter responsible for the iranian embassy seige; he gave asylum to the Shah
and jack, even you must know the difference between simple murderers and those acting to promote a cause.

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