From the atrocities at Abu Ghraib, and now the reported Al-Qaeda revenge execution of an American contractor, I'm speechless. All I can say is...WAFM.

Today's Guardian UK [via Daily Kos] reports a video has been released on a militant Islamic website that appears to show the beheading execution of an American. These are the chilling last words of a doomed man:

"My name is Nick Berg, my father's name is Michael, my mother's name is Susan...I have a brother and sister, David and Sarah. I live in...Philadelphia."

After reading a statement, the [captors] were seen pulling the man to his side and putting a large knife to his neck. A scream sounded as the men cut his head off, shouting "Allahu Akbar!" - "God is great." They then held the head out before the camera.

[A captor speaks] "So we tell you that the dignity of the Muslim men and women in Abu Ghraib and others is not redeemed except by blood and souls. You will not receive anything from us but coffins after coffins...slaughtered in this way."

Is it real, or is it computer doctored? I doubt it's the latter. And the circle goes 'round and 'round...and it's painfully obvious we're not the civilized world we often like to think we are.

* What A F__king Mess. I think I may be saying that a few more times before this is all over.

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