I just finished downloading and then watching the Nick Berg execution video. Several questions and comments emanated from the experience:
a. Do you think that they offered him “pain medication” first? I read that Daniel Pearl was offered drugs, but refused to take them Mr. Berg seemed relatively calm (more so than I would have been under the circumstances) only occassionally “shrugging” his shoulders while the three minute diatribe was read.
b. Once the executioner commenced cutting how long would he have felt pain? You could hear him “gasp” for about five seconds, by the second cut he was silent (it took about twenty seconds to sever the head). My impression is that he would have gone into immediate shock feeling little pain, and losing conciousness within about ten seconds.
c. Why such a bloody method? If they wanted to execute the guy why not just shoot him? For one thing the executioner was exposed to large amounts of body fluids. If Mr. Berg had HIV or hepatitus B/C I wouldn’t want to be the executioner. Also, doesn’t the Muslim religion like the Jewish religion believe that spilling human blood upon the ground is sin (especially touching that blood
d. They played a tape first where he stated his name and where he was from. Do you think he was advised of his fate? If so what would be the incentive to play along? Why not just tell the bastards to go bugger themselves?
The whole thing is sad, makes me want to pray for his soul and that of his executioners.
Most of your questions are asking for opinions. This one, however…
Cecil coveredit, albeit inconclusively. And if he doesn’t know, I sure as heck don’t. I haven’t seen the video, but as you said it took about 20 seconds, I’d imagine he’d have felt pain at least until the spinal cord was cut, and possibly afterward.
By the way I got this tape from a “peer to peer” file sharing network. Every other link I tried would not function (including the ones which Shawn Hannity advertised on his show today). Why couldn’t the major news services provide the link and then let the people decide for themselves whether or not they wished to view the tape? After all from what I read the AP gave them the “entire feed” and letting them make the decision as to what to show. Why, should they be offered an option which the public at large is not? I feel the same about the prisoner abuse photos, I’ve still only seen a couple. Where can I find links to the dozens which are supposedly out there?
For now, I don’t think you can. They have secure viewing areas set up in DC today for the senators to view the whole macabre collection, but they have not (yet) been released to the public. Be patient, I’m sure eventually they’ll either be leaked or released. For that matter, does anyone know if FOIA would cover something like this?
I haven’t seen the video, but according to this report, there was probably an 11 hour delay between the end of the speech and the scene of the actual beheading. It’s quite possible that at the time of the speech, Berg didn’t know that they were going to carry out his execution–or, if they had warned him about it, he may still have hoped they were bluffing. If the latter was the case, he was unfortunately mistaken.
c. Why such a bloody method? If they wanted to execute the guy why not just shoot him? For one thing the executioner was exposed to large amounts of body fluids. If Mr. Berg had HIV or hepatitus B/C I wouldn’t want to be the executioner. Also, doesn’t the Muslim religion like the Jewish religion believe that spilling human blood upon the ground is sin (especially touching that blood
It was to scare foreigners away from Iraq. Beheading is a scary way to go. It would work for me
Slitting an animal’s throat is very commonly done even my urbanized Arabs. When a child is born for example, dad slaughters some sheep. It is required to drain the blood away from the meat, so a neck slice is the required method.
In any case, these butchers would be most familiar with that method.
While all this is probably better suited in IMHO, I’ll venture forth with such…
IANA terrorist but IMHO I sincerely doubt it. Their whole intent was to shock and that end is better served if the victim doesn’t appear heavily medicated. Plus, these guys hate American and are just looking for any excuse to kill. My guess is that the more he suffered, the more satisfaction they derived from the sadistic spectacle.
Not sure but the closest analogy I can offer is Sebastian Junger’s account of death due to drowning in The Perfect Storm where he describes the physical processes involved in that particular scenario. Ramped up proportianately, you might get a sense.
Again, shock value. Anybody can shoot someone. To behead a conscious victime sends a particularly chilling message. HIV or hepatitus? You seriously think these guys are expecting to live a normal lifetime? They fully expect to become martyrs at some point in the not too distant future. Also, they’re doing this out of political hate, not as Muslims. True Muslims have condemmed the act and were justifiably outraged by it as it goes against their faith’s stated principals.
I can’t imaging being docile if you knew someone was about to decapitate you. I imagine he had no idea the horror that was about to unfold. I think his screams are what accompanied that realization.
You’re a better person than me then. I hope the executioners rot in Hell.
60 Minutes initially delayed release of the photos at the request of the Department of Defense. They only broadcast them once they had begun to circulate elsewhere. The executives can in no way be blamed for this. aldiboronti seems to wish to blame the messenger for the message.
I haven’t seen the footage and have no desire to do so, but the answer depends on how the cut was made.
An animal that has its throat cut properly dies an approximately painless death. The carotid artery is severed before the conscious brain is even aware the skin has been broken. The severing of the artery causes a massive drop in blood pressure within the brain leading the animal to faint and before it can ever regain consciousness loss of blood the brain has resulted in death. The animal kicks and gasps in reflex but their isn’t even any sound made.
That’s when it is done humanely by someone who knows what they are doing. Basically a sharp, curved knife using a cut that starts at the angle of the jaw and is drawn with maximal force across the neck. It should almost severe the head.
Gruesome as it may look if that is how Mr. Berg was executed then he felt very little. I hope that s the case.
Other methods will be more painful and result in a slower death.
If anyone really desires to see the video I can pretty much gurantee that http://www.ogrish.com has it. Be warned I am sure it is graphic
If I was out of place posting this I guess the mods can delete it.
That doesn’t really answer the question. Was his throat cut as the first move?
It could concieveably take several minutes to completely slice across the entire neck but the initial cut could still be deep enough to severe the carotid artery.
Explain?