# Alleged James Foley "beheading" video is so incredibly fake. How is anyone buying this bullshit? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 21, 2014, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069 "2014-08-21T07:59:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![EasyPhil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47c2d/32.png) [@EasyPhil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EasyPhil)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/121 "2014-08-22T19:37:59Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > It’s true. The video does not show a beheading. It shows what appears to be Foley beheaded, which of course is something completely unrelated. > > :smack: This is all that’s being said, he’s not beheaded or killed on this video. ---
**Author:** ![dude77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@dude77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dude77)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/122 "2014-08-22T19:38:40Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > It’s true. The video does not show a beheading. It shows what appears to be Foley beheaded, which of course is something completely unrelated. > > :smack: not quite lol … the video doesn’t show a beheading … a still image shows a beheaded man ---
**Author:** ![EasyPhil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47c2d/32.png) [@EasyPhil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EasyPhil)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/123 "2014-08-22T19:39:02Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > I don’t get the “sight unseen by most” part. > > If US intelligence believes it’s a real video, why should that not be good enough for me? There’s very little that goes on the world that people have seen with their own eyes, and you need to rely on reporters and experts etc. for a lot of things. Trust but verify. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/124 "2014-08-22T19:39:29Z")
> [@EasyPhil](#): > > This is all that’s being said, he’s not beheaded or killed on this video. Huh? That’s definitely not “all that’s being said” by the OP. ---
**Author:** ![EasyPhil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47c2d/32.png) [@EasyPhil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EasyPhil)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/125 "2014-08-22T19:40:08Z")
> [@dude77](#): > > not quite lol … the video doesn’t show a beheading … a still image shows a beheaded man More like a beheaded CPR dummy. ---
**Author:** ![dude77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@dude77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dude77)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/126 "2014-08-22T19:41:45Z")
> [@EasyPhil](#): > > More like a beheaded CPR dummy. or that lol … I should have said alleged beheaded man ---
**Author:** ![camille](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/22d042/32.png) [@camille](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/camille)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/127 "2014-08-22T19:42:04Z")
Serious Question: How do the experts determine whether or not it’s real? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/128 "2014-08-22T19:43:23Z")
Well, great. I decide to give in and watch the fucking thing, and it’s been taken down. ---
**Author:** ![EasyPhil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47c2d/32.png) [@EasyPhil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EasyPhil)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/129 "2014-08-22T19:44:40Z")
> [@camille](#): > > Serious Question: How do the experts determine whether or not it’s real? It depends on what “real” means, the video exists, it’s real but that doesn’t speak to what’s actually on the video. ---
**Author:** ![dude77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@dude77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dude77)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/130 "2014-08-22T19:44:50Z")
and even if they didn’t want to show the actual beheading … why a still image ? … why not roll the camera after they’re done and show motion footage of their ‘results’ ? … just little things that make ya wonder ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/131 "2014-08-22T19:47:15Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Well, great. I decide to give in and watch the fucking thing, and it’s been taken down. Well, of course. After they found out **Rigamarole** and Co. were on to them, what else could they do? ---
**Author:** ![dude77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@dude77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dude77)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/132 "2014-08-22T19:47:23Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Well, great. I decide to give in and watch the fucking thing, and it’s been taken down. it’s still around if you keep looking ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/133 "2014-08-22T19:58:25Z")
> [@EasyPhil](#): > > The video doesn’t show a beheading, if you know otherwise tell us how. Have you seen the video? If not, you’re coming from a perspective of ignorance. I’ve seen the video. In fact, I’ve seen almost all the newsmaking beheading videos. A human being isn’t a balloon filled with red water. You can cut into one without making a fountain of blood immediately. ---
**Author:** ![EasyPhil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47c2d/32.png) [@EasyPhil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EasyPhil)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/134 "2014-08-22T19:59:54Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > I’ve seen the video. In fact, I’ve seen almost all the newsmaking beheading videos. A human being isn’t a balloon filled with red water. You can cut into one without making a fountain of blood immediately. You believe the video shows someone being beheaded and killed? ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/135 "2014-08-22T20:04:08Z")
> [@EasyPhil](#): > > You believe the video shows someone being beheaded and killed? It shows someone having their neck sawed at. It later shows a beheaded body in a still picture. As to why it fades to black? There are a bunch of possible reasons. The one I’d assume is most likely, is that it didn’t go as cleanly as they’d like. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/136 "2014-08-22T20:05:40Z")
Yeah, I found it on another page on Liveleak which hadn’t been removed, for some reason. Watched from the four minute mark to the end. I don’t know if it’s authentic or not. It looks like they might have just cut away before the “slashes” were firm/deep enough to begin cutting him. The still of the dead body looks real enough, but then I haven’t seen quite as many 'shops in my time as other experts have. I’m not sure what the motivation was for editing it the way it is, but I disagree with the OP and **EasyPhil** that it’s an obvious fake. I agree that it doesn’t depict the actual moment of death, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t killed in this incident. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/137 "2014-08-22T20:20:29Z")
> [@camille](#): > > Serious Question: How do the experts determine whether or not it’s real? Isn’t it obvious? They ask random bozos online. There’s no way anybody could be better informed than douchebags with names like **EasyPhil** and **dude77**. These are clearly people with years and years of training and expertise in sophisticated video analysis. > [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > People discuss what they’re interested in, much of which is not significant. If you ever need a personal motto, this should be it. It’s too short, but I’m sure you can find a way to stretch it out to five or ten pages. > [@Rigamarole](#): > > But it’s disturbing that all this outrage is based on a completely fake video, sight unseen by most. Ah, an internet pedant. Thank you for your service, good sir. The committee will send you a medal shortly. It’ll be on your doorstep inside a flaming bag of dog poop. ---
**Author:** ![EasyPhil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47c2d/32.png) [@EasyPhil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EasyPhil)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/138 "2014-08-22T20:30:28Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Isn’t it obvious? They ask random bozos online. There’s no way anybody could be better informed than douchebags with names like **EasyPhil** and **dude77**. These are clearly people with years and years of training and expertise in sophisticated video analysis. If you actually saw the video, you would know sophisticated video analysis isn’t required for this video. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/139 "2014-08-22T20:30:38Z")
> [@EasyPhil](#): > > Trust but verify. But if you don’t have a valid for the experts to have all missed these obvious signs of fakery, then that should count as a strong reason to assume it’s probably real. (I think this is the only part that _does_ touch on conspiracy theory.) > [@Marley23](#): > > If you ever need a personal motto, this should be it. I wouldn’t want to steal a motto that would be put to far better use by a guy I know who has posted over 77,000 times to this message board. I mean, no doubt _some_ of those posts were significant, but … ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/140 "2014-08-22T20:31:47Z")
> [@EasyPhil](#): > > If you actually saw the video, you would know sophisticated video analysis isn’t required for this video. Except there are people here who saw the video and say you’re full of shit. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069.md?page=8)