Just announced on the news was that his parents are blaming the Bush administration for it, despite the fact that when Nicholas was jailed in Iraq earlier this year the CIA got him out and gave him a plane ticket back to the US, which he refused.

I'm not aware (as yet) that any Iraqis were tortured to death, although that doesn't make the humiliation those prisoners suffered ok.

What started all this was 911, or if you want to go back further, it was Iraq invading Kuwait. Those responsible inflamed the US, not the other way around. People seem to be forgetting that.

i havent seen the video, i want to see for myself i just dont get it from the words of others, will someone please give me the url for the site it is at? thanks..

Nothing justifies murder, however 650+ Iraqi civilians died in the American offensive on Fallujah two weeks ago. Americans never seem to hear news reports about Iraqi casualties, or if they do, it never seems to register. 650 Iraqis to 1 American seems like a high proportion to me. And yes, Iraqis have been tortured to death at the prison, and elsewhere in Iraq, as well as Afghanistan. What will it take to convince your country you do not have the right to rape and murder "for freedom"????? I've been wondering all my life what is wrong with you people? Don't you have hearts? Have you heard of compassion for all beings? Why do you seem to hate and fear the rest of the world to the point of irrationality???

I was on drugs when I wrote that last post. You know me. I was sitting in the coffee shop smoking pot and doing crank, when I thought what better way to start shit than to blame all of my problems on Americans.

I know that Americans are the very people that fought/died/ and finally saved our pathetic lives in WW1 WW2 and various other wars and conflicts.

Hell if it wasn't for them I'd speak japanese or German right now.

I just get mad that some people do good for others. How dare those americans help people? Who do they think they are? They should sit around and bitch like me and do nothing. Then nobody would hate them. We would all live in peace for a day or two and then we would never have to worry about this garbage again. Do you know why? BECAUSE THE WORLD WOULD BE OVERRUN WITH THUGS and KILLERS. Hell on EArth? Well maybe not that bad, but it wouldn't be far from the truth

Hmm I've had some visitors. Nearly 10,000 today alone according to the counter. Firstly, checking IPs regarding the previous three comments before Nathan's, the first (and obviously legit) comment from petaluda99 traces back through to AOL in Sterling, Virginia. The second comment by 'American' apparently came from Parsippany in New Jersey via Insight Broadband who presumably resell AT&T's network. The third comment was made from the same IP again in case you had any doubts ...just thought I'd clear that one up.

petaluda99, or Ann as I think your actual name is, I was fascinated reading a portion of your website, I will be back to read further when time permits. Back on-topic, I'll reply to your comment. First of all, this entry you commented on was written while I was very angry about what I saw on that video, and it can be hard sometimes to think clearly while in such an aggravated state. Had you seen the original entry I wrote, one thing you would have noticed is that I made it very clear that if it was Americans doing that to an Iraqi on that video, I'd feel the same way towards them; I don't care who did it, it was the psychotic act itself and possibly moreso the fact that they wanted everyone to see it that really got to me.

I believe you are Canadian but living in the US? Then you'd know what the media does and doesn't include in their reports here in the US (btw, I've lived in New Zealand most of my life until moving to NYC the day before 911). I didn't know about the high civilian death rate at Fallujah two weeks ago, and I don't think the figures you gave are outside the realms of possibility either. I would not however believe that US enlisted soldiers would ruthlessly torture Iraqis to death. Contractors or mercenaries, yes maybe. Rumours about "rape and murder" etc always persist in times of conflict; whether they are initiated by insurgents in order to stir up anger and thus support for their cause, or they are initiated by the alleged torturers in order to instill fear and therefore submission, I do not know. Until there is evidence of this, then it must be treated in exactly the same way that you no doubt view the original allegations about Iraq having WMD: it is not true unless there is proof. If you personally do not believe that Hussein had WMD or was trying to make them, then by believing that US soldiers are raping and murdering innocent Iraqis without any proof, you are completely contradicting yourself. Think about it.

"Have you heard of compassion for all beings? Why do you seem to hate and fear the rest of the world to the point of irrationality?"
I think (hope) that maybe you're doing exactly what I did when I heard the news about Nicholas Berg; you're angry and you're responding with your emotions.

Worth noting at this point is that US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld allegedly approved the use of 'harsh' interrogation techniques in the Iraqi theatre on condition that the commanding general gave approval 'prior to employment. This included sleep management, sensory deprivation, isolation, making detainees hold 'stress' positions and similar such actions. All apparently within the Geneva Convention... *raises an eyebrow*

Another point of view I read on a forum which was, well, interesting, was that; "it may be better in this arena for the US if they continued on the current route and were perceived as having a nutball for president. If other countries think the US will invade if provoked, regardless of how dumb an idea it is or the cost to the US, they're a lot less likely to provoke them."

To Nathan who commented "the arab world is barbaric and backward" (although that is taken out of context, but..) that view is a matter of perspective though. Some other cultures (not neccessarily just Arabian culture) no doubt think the western culture is barbaric and backward, or at least full of evil heathens with no sense of moral decency (re females exposing flesh and such crap). Although I don't agree with their point of view in that regard, I thought that was worth mentioning.

For those who say the Arab world is "primitive and barbaric" -- please watch American TV for a week and ask yourself what is "advanced and civilized" about that?

I've travelled in Egypt and met people who were extremely kind, hospitable, sensitive, well-educated. In fact, this experience caused me to wonder about the values of the supposedly superior West. Travel is healthy.

People who get all their information about the world from Fox News are mentally disadvantaged. It's truly scary to watch US television news -- it poisons the whole world, turning it into a "survival of the fittest, US vs Them" nightmare.

I feel sorry for Americans, the richest nation on earth, and also the most information-starved. I think even in the former Soviet Union, people had a better sense of the world outside their borders than Americans do today.

Thanks for your message, Nereus! Nice visiting your blog. Keep up the good work.

Interesting development.. within the last few hours the head of the Iraqi Governing Council (basically what would possibly be the President of Iraq) was assassinated, and not only that, a US convoy was attacked with, wait for it, nerve gas. Yup, sarin, y'know, that stuff also known as a WMD that does not exist in Iraq according to everyone who likes yelling opposition to the US being in Iraq. Good one.

why would anyone want to watch this video? it's enough to read about what happened to feel shocked and listless for a long while. the video should really be off limits, it's just not right that it's out there and anyone can watch this guy be brutalized like that.
and i'm sorry, but his death was a consequence of a series of decisions and actions made under the supervision of bush and his administration. shameless brutality under the guise of a humanitarian mission. that's fucking evil.

i'm surprised that a very similar murder of american journalist daniel pearl two years ago in pakistan didn't cause such an outbreak of publicity, including internet discussions. or maybe i'm forgetting. it's all terrifying, what can i say.

i guess what i'm trying to say, though, is that the sodomy that went on in iraqi prisons is equally horrifying. and the fact that it was done within the framework of "noble doings," of overthrowing a dictatorship, freeing a subdued people, makes it doubly so. i'm going overseas this summer, and i no doubt will feel like shit telling people where i am from. the land of unimaginable hypocrisy.

I just spent nearly an hour trying to type out a coherent, reasonable response to this. I have not seen the video, nor do I wish to. On that note, I commend you, Nereus, for not putting the video on your site, and for not reccommending others view it.

I heard a radio personality talking about the video, and even just hearing second-hand what Nick Berg went through in the moments before his death, I felt nauseous, and ultimately switched the radio to a different station because I didn't want to throw up in my car.

No matter what horrible things have been perpetrated by US military personnel in Iraq, Vietnam, Japan, [insert any battlefield the Stars and Stripes have ever flown over here], etc, there was no justification for what those men did to Mr. Berg.

Retaliation against those soldiers personally responsible for the prisoner abuse would be one thing, but to kidnap a civilian, then videotape his brutal, inhumane torture and murder, then post it on the Internet for the entire world to see is just sick.

This Nick Berg killing is not about the US being right or wrong in their occupation of Iraq. It's not about George Bush's competence or lack thereof. It's about hate, pure and simple. The men who killed Berg hate the US, they hate Jews, and they hate anyone who disagrees with them. There is no way to negotiate with someone like that. There is no way to peacefully resolve a conflict with someone like that.

These terrorists will continue to kill with no regard to their victims' innocence or guilt until they run out of enemies or they themselves are dead. That is what the mainstream media and the general public in the Western World does not seem to recognize.

People want so desperately to believe that peace can be gained without bloodshed that they rationalize away the brutal killing of an innocent civilian by our enemies while seeking out every bad seed in our own camp and making them appear to be the norm.

It's as if the United States has assumed the role of global janitor, trying to clean up messes all over the planet while the rest of the world condemns us for getting our hands dirty in the process. It makes me sick.

where the fucks the video?!!

I do not like to go to message boards like this but I want to tell any americans that YOU NEED TO LOOK TO THE VIDEO WHERE THE BRITISH GUY IS ASKING FOR HIS LIFE. It is so sad. I am not saying we deserve what is going on out there and they dont but I am saying Britian is not control freaks or trying to take over on lie there. I am ALWAYS SAYING that why do we have places there that they only show on the news for a fast time. Probably not thinking that we saw the WOMEN AND CHILDEN we had taken as prisoners. That was long ago when they showed that. Even before the war started we knew it was coming and there we not any weapons as they said. It was a sad day when we hear why my country was going to do. It is even sadder that we are going to drag it out so long now. I HAVE A GREAT HATE FOR THE USA NOW EVEN MORE SO THAN BEFORE. It is sad that so many in one country can be so stupid and so violent. Listen to last parts that are spoken by the British prisoner. My God he is a wise man. I wish we had more here that were that smart. If we just let the women and childen go home there and get the fuckin usa asses out of there from taking control .. well if we had brain maybe we would.
Leigh Girlweb page
I put my webpage up since there is not much on my site now so if you go there and want to vent to me in my chat room and say stupid things then i just wont speak to any americans that day.. hum i seldom do. We know why now. Some that are cool are welcome

I cant go to Ogrish.com because of our DLSZ web filter made from our school. BAD TRIP

no kidding.