Reaping the whirlwind from Abu Ghraib: "American beheaded as torture backlash grows"
Full story: London Independent
It was only a matter of time. Somewhere in Iraq, or elsewhere in the world, someone was going to be killed in retaliation for the now widely publicized mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners by Americans. Last night a video was released showing the beheading of Nick Berg, an "American businessman in Iraq". As unfortunate as this is, it should come as no surprise. In fact, no act of retaliation great or small - whether for the officially sanctioned torture now coming to light or for the U.S. occupation of Iraq in general - should surprise anyone.
There were voices - silenced or ignored though they may have been - that before the war spoke of what the fallout of the U.S. invasion might be. By and large their predictions have proved true - alarmingly true. The people of Spain, for example, were summarily punished in the horrible train bombings in Madrid on March 11 2004. Thousands of innocent Spaniards suffered because their leader, Jose Maria Aznar, decided to ignore an overwhelming public outcry and enlist with George W. Bush and Tony Blair.
If the claims of responsibility and the reasons given for the attack are credible, then Spain was attacked simply for being an adjunct to U.S. foreign policy - an enabler.
What happened in Spain should serve as a lesson for the entire world: what your rulers do in your name can and will be used against you. We in the United States of America had better learn this one fast if we hope to head off another September 11th.
Things can change. As for Aznar, he was recently ousted by a socialist who promised to withdraw Spanish troops from Iraq.
So what will become of Bush?
It's up to us.
Read Progressive Magazine Editor Matthew Rothschild's"The Slaughter of Nicholas Berg" (Web Exclusive - May 12 2004)
It was only a matter of time. Somewhere in Iraq, or elsewhere in the world, someone was going to be killed in retaliation for the now widely publicized mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners by Americans. Last night a video was released showing the beheading of Nick Berg, an "American businessman in Iraq". As unfortunate as this is, it should come as no surprise. In fact, no act of retaliation great or small - whether for the officially sanctioned torture now coming to light or for the U.S. occupation of Iraq in general - should surprise anyone.
There were voices - silenced or ignored though they may have been - that before the war spoke of what the fallout of the U.S. invasion might be. By and large their predictions have proved true - alarmingly true. The people of Spain, for example, were summarily punished in the horrible train bombings in Madrid on March 11 2004. Thousands of innocent Spaniards suffered because their leader, Jose Maria Aznar, decided to ignore an overwhelming public outcry and enlist with George W. Bush and Tony Blair.
If the claims of responsibility and the reasons given for the attack are credible, then Spain was attacked simply for being an adjunct to U.S. foreign policy - an enabler.
What happened in Spain should serve as a lesson for the entire world: what your rulers do in your name can and will be used against you. We in the United States of America had better learn this one fast if we hope to head off another September 11th.
Things can change. As for Aznar, he was recently ousted by a socialist who promised to withdraw Spanish troops from Iraq.
So what will become of Bush?
It's up to us.
Read Progressive Magazine Editor Matthew Rothschild's"The Slaughter of Nicholas Berg" (Web Exclusive - May 12 2004)
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