The Management of Savagery
Power Line
Mudville Gazette has a must-read post on the al Qaeda video depicting the bodies of the two American soldiers who were reportedly abducted in Iraq. It begins:
When confronted with savagery one can demonstrate courage
or flee. The second option is available for a limited time
only. Eventually there will be nowhere to run.
Greyhawk's post needs to be read in its entirety; it makes several distinct and important points. To abstract, very briefly:
1) This video is consistent with the strategy laid out in
an important al Qaeda manifesto titled The Management
of Savagery:
- Brutal killings must be explained in a manner that
justifies the atrocity.
- Public opinion must be turned against the enemy
soldiers.
- Al Qaeda should be seen as the solution to the
chaos/savagery - even as they foment more such
atrocities (hence the title).
These efforts are to be directed at the local Muslim
population in any conflict. In Iraq, with a majority non-
Sunni population, they will achieve limited success. But
the even more powerful response is desired from the
population of the enemy state - erosion of support for
the effort on the home front.
2) The video's claim that the murder of the two Americans
was in retaliation for the alleged rape and murder of
an Iraqi girl, and the murder of several family members,
is in all probability false. al Qaeda learned of this
incident, in all likelihood, from American media as a
result of the military's own investigation.
3) Happily, it appears most likely from the video that
the two Americans, Kristian Menchaca and Thomas Tucker,
were not abducted at all, but rather were killed in the
initial attack, along with the third soldier whose body
was left in the vehicle.
In an email to us, Greyhawk writes:
<<< This video offers evidence (if you know where to look) that those soldiers weren't "abducted", but were more likely killed in the original attack. *** Obviously I don't offer this as conclusive proof, but I am confident this was the case. >>>
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