# 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:** 8
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/141 "2014-08-22T20:35:07Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Wow, you guys are really good at imagining conspiracy theories. Can you point out where I or anyone else has offered ANY kind of conspiracy theory? All I know, which others are now agreeing with, is that this video is a fake. It does not show a beheading. > [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > ISTM the people calling this a conspiracy theory are either just lazily trying to rebut something that they don’t agree with by pretending it’s a conspiracy theory, or are just confused by the fact that conspiracy theories frequently feature allegations that some crucial video was faked. [The US National Security Council says it’s real](https://news.yahoo.com/video-u-journalists-authentic-nsc-154740127.html). If it’s fake, US intelligence has made a big mistake, or the US government is involved in a conspiracy to hide the truth, for some reason. **Rigmarole** , if you’re honest in your intentions, why do you ignore this fact? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/142 "2014-08-22T20:38:57Z")
> [@EasyPhil](#): > > You believe the video shows someone being beheaded and killed? I just watched it. It doesn’t show the actual beheading, but I see no reason to conclude that it’s not a video of Foley’s execution. Certainly it’s not “incredibly fake,” as you seem to believe. **Rigamarole,** you mention in the OP that the still image of the beheaded body is badly Photoshopped, but you haven’t touched on your reasons for thinking so. For those of us who lack your expertise, could you please point out the features of the photo that indicate it’s faked? Also, could you describe how it managed to fool analysts in the US intelligence community? ---
**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, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/143 "2014-08-22T20:41:34Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I just watched it. It doesn’t show the actual beheading, but I see no reason to conclude that it’s not a video of Foley’s execution. Certainly it’s not “incredibly fake,” as you seem to believe. > > **Rigamarole,** you mention in the OP that the still image of the beheaded body is badly Photoshopped, but you haven’t touched on your reasons for thinking so. For those of us who lack your expertise, could you please point out the features of the photo that indicate it’s faked? Also, could you describe how it managed to fool analysts in the US intelligence community? I didn’t say anything about Photoshop. The still at the end…some observations… Look at the elbow. Look at the neck. ---
**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, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/144 "2014-08-22T20:43:07Z")
> [@Bozuit](#): > > [The US National Security Council says it’s real](https://news.yahoo.com/video-u-journalists-authentic-nsc-154740127.html). If it’s fake, US intelligence has made a big mistake, or the US government is involved in a conspiracy to hide the truth, for some reason. > > **Rigmarole** , if you’re honest in your intentions, why do you ignore this fact? It depends on what they define as “real”. It’s could be "real"ly from ISIS, but it’s not a real execution or real body at the ned. ---
**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, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/145 "2014-08-22T20:49:15Z")
> [@EasyPhil](#): > > It depends on what they define as “real”. It’s could be "real"ly from ISIS, but it’s not a real execution or real body at the ned. Why are you answering questions specifically directed to **Rigamarole**? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/146 "2014-08-22T20:50:49Z")
> [@EasyPhil](#): > > I didn’t say anything about Photoshop. **Rigamarole** did. I’d like to hear his analysis. > [@](#): > > The still at the end…some observations… > > Look at the elbow. Look at the neck. That’s what you got? What about them, exactly?:dubious: Thanks for your highly sophisticated analysis. It’s about on a par with the rest of your objections. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/147 "2014-08-22T20:53:33Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Why are you answering questions specifically directed to **Rigamarole**? I have a theory. ---
**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, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/148 "2014-08-22T21:01:04Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Why are you answering questions specifically directed to **Rigamarole**? The original post asking the question didn’t mention **Rigamarole** , subsequent edits by a moderator have added that information. ---
**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, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/149 "2014-08-22T21:05:40Z")
> [@EasyPhil](#): > > I didn’t say anything about Photoshop. The still at the end…some observations… > > Look at the elbow. Look at the neck. Okay, I looked at the elbow. I looked at the neck. And? What do they show? And don’t say “that it’s fake.” Be specific. ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/150 "2014-08-22T21:10:14Z")
> [@EasyPhil](#): > > It depends on what they define as “real”. It’s could be "real"ly from ISIS, but it’s not a real execution or real body at the ned. So that leaves the following possibilities: 1. US intelligence thinks everything in the video is real, including the execution and body, but are wrong about that. You, **Rigmarole** and a few others are superior intelligence analysts. 2. US intelligence overlooked verifying the authenticity of what is depicted in the video, only thinking it might be useful to confirm it came from IS, despite it being obvious, according to some, that the video is fake. This would possibly make them more incompetent than option 1. 3. US intelligence are intentionally deceiving the public by omission, claiming the video is “authentic” when they’re aware of the presumed meaning. Someone involved in the US government is obviously lying outright somewhere, because James Foley’s parents are certainly convinced he’s dead. This would make a conspiracy. 4. US intelligence are intentionally deceiving the public by lying about the video’s authenticity. So, is there a conspiracy involving the US government? Otherwise, I think you should submit an application to the CIA right away. > [@EasyPhil](#): > > The original post asking the question didn’t mention **Rigamarole** , subsequent edits by a moderator have added that information. Another conspiracy theory. Who removed the “Last edited by…” from your post (_you quoted it_) and mine? This one goes right to the top! Not that I mind who answers. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/151 "2014-08-22T21:15:21Z")
> [@EasyPhil](#): > > More like a beheaded CPR dummy. That’s exactly what I thought when I watched it. Might be a real head though, or maybe photoshopped since its a still? The body just doesn’t seem to match Foley’s. Anyway, I think James Foley is dead, and this was not his execution video. Comparing this video to the gruesome ones of Berg and Eugene Armstrong, plus the other ones Rigamorole linked for us, this visdeo in question looks like a dress rehearsal. There was screaming, overlapping dialogue, and at least five terrorists on screen in any other video. Guess we just wait for autopsy results? ---
**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, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/152 "2014-08-22T21:28:43Z")
> [@EasyPhil](#): > > The original post asking the question didn’t mention **Rigamarole** , subsequent edits by a moderator have added that information. **Colibri** edited his own post, and it sounds like you’re talking about a different post. Not that I think you’re socking; dimwits of a feather have to stick together. > [@Locrian](#): > > Anyway, I think James Foley is dead, and this was not his execution video. Comparing this video to the gruesome ones of Berg and Eugene Armstrong, plus the other ones Rigamorole linked for us, this visdeo in question looks like a dress rehearsal. You believe the Berg video was real? [Kooks started screaming ‘fake’ as soon as it appeared.](http://www.rense.com/general52/anom.htm) Ironic that it’s now being used as evidence that another beheading wasn’t real. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/153 "2014-08-22T21:34:30Z")
> [@EasyPhil](#): > > The original post asking the question didn’t mention **Rigamarole** , subsequent edits by a moderator have added that information. I edited my own post to indicate the question was directed at **Rigamarole** an entire minute after I first posted it. And you quoted the edited version of the post. Doesn’t say a lot for your observational capabilities, does it?😉 ---
**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, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/154 "2014-08-22T21:41:27Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I edited my own post to indicate the question was directed at **Rigamarole** an entire minute after I first posted it. And you quoted the edited version of the post. Doesn’t say a lot for your observational capabilities, does it?😉 That’s all good, I was wrong about that. You observed what I observed you don’t see a beheading in this video. ---
**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, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/155 "2014-08-22T21:44:42Z")
> [@Bozuit](#): > > So that leaves the following possibilities: > > 1. US intelligence thinks everything in the video is real, including the execution and body, but are wrong about that. You, **Rigmarole** and a few others are superior intelligence analysts. > > 2. US intelligence overlooked verifying the authenticity of what is depicted in the video, only thinking it might be useful to confirm it came from IS, despite it being obvious, according to some, that the video is fake. This would possibly make them more incompetent than option 1. > > 3. US intelligence are intentionally deceiving the public by omission, claiming the video is “authentic” when they’re aware of the presumed meaning. Someone involved in the US government is obviously lying outright somewhere, because James Foley’s parents are certainly convinced he’s dead. This would make a conspiracy. > > 4. US intelligence are intentionally deceiving the public by lying about the video’s authenticity. > > So, is there a conspiracy involving the US government? Otherwise, I think you should submit an application to the CIA right away. The thing is you don’t know what they mean by “real”, neither do I. I do know that no “real” beheading took place on the video. WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION - of course there were no lies about this. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/156 "2014-08-22T21:46:28Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > **Colibri** > > You believe the Berg video was real? [Kooks started screaming ‘fake’ as soon as it appeared.](http://www.rense.com/general52/anom.htm) Ironic that it’s now being used as evidence that another beheading wasn’t real. Okay, maybe it wasn’t Berg then. My mistake. But the Eugene Armstrong one on that gore site, and many other related links, none look as scripted as this Foley one. ---
**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, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/157 "2014-08-22T21:46:44Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Why are you answering questions specifically directed to **Rigamarole**? Is there some rule that I missed about doing this? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/158 "2014-08-22T21:47:52Z")
> [@EasyPhil](#): > > More like a beheaded CPR dummy. It doesn’t look like any[CPR dummy](https://www.uthsc.edu/cpr/images/cpr3.jpg) I’ve ever seen. Ones specifically for CPR usually lack arms and legs and are pretty crude in general. Maybe you mean a [first-aid training dummy,](http://www.laerdal.com/images/L/AEEOFEGQ.jpg) but again, the body doesn’t look anything like one. Such dummies are generally rather crude, and have obvious joints at the elbow, wrist, and ankle. I see no sign of such joints on the body. The shape of the hand and the angles of the feet don’t suggest a commercial manikin either. Perhaps you can link to a commercially available dummy likely to be available in the Syrian desert that has the rather realistic features of the hands and feet shown by the body? ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/159 "2014-08-22T21:55:25Z")
> [@EasyPhil](#): > > The thing is you don’t know what they mean by “real”, neither do I. I do know that no “real” beheading took place on the video. As I said in the post you quoted, it’s _possible_ they mean something different from what most people would assume. But none of the scenarios where that could be true (I listed them all, as far as I can tell) seem even remotely likely. Do you disagree with that? ---
**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, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-james-foley-beheading-video-is-so-incredibly-fake-how-is-anyone-buying-this-bullshit/696069/160 "2014-08-22T21:57:55Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Perhaps you can link to a commercially available dummy likely to be available in the Syrian desert that has the rather realistic features of the hands and feet shown by the body? Yeah, good luck with that. For a moment there, I thought \*\*Phil \*\*actually had some useful information. Nope, just being a dick. If \*\*Rigamarole \*\*or anyone else does have specific observations that debunk the video or the photo (something less useless than “look at the elbow”), I’d honestly be interested in hearing them. [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=7) [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=9)