Raising the stakes....

Almost everyday we see in the media the reporting of the death of innocents in Palestine, Israel and Iraq. It's almost a given that we will read about another child, businessman or innocent bystander is killed by acts of cowardice and in the name of revenge.

The sickening pictures of the U.S. Army personnel mistreating their prisoners was unnerving but not surprising. I still remember Somalia where weak leadership and one or two soldiers of poor moral fiber were responsible for atrocities on another human being. A sixteen year old suspected thief was their victim.

So I was not at all surprised at the possibility of the U.S. having its own black eye situation. But you can add to the victims an American civilian. Al-Qaeda used the news of the poor treatment of prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison to some how justify his execution. It seems that these people are bent on keeping score and raising the stakes. "Torture and humiliate ours and we will kill yours", is what they seem to be saying.

Notice his executioners are all hiding behind masks. Cowardice in the name of revenge.