# Steven Sotloff has been beheaded
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-sotloff-has-been-beheaded/697288
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [September 2, 2014, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-sotloff-has-been-beheaded/697288 "2014-09-02T20:07:11Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2014, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-sotloff-has-been-beheaded/697288/21 "2014-09-03T00:04:22Z")
> [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](#):
>
> My preference is that we retaliate in kind. Any Islamic terrorists that are killed by American soldiers, the bodies should be slathered in pork fat, including bacon stuffed into their mouths, and buried in unmarked graves that way, and this should be well publicized.
Firstly, I think, regarding ISIS/ISIL/whatever, I’m fairly sure it’s the ‘hostage-taking’ and ‘killing-by-beheading’ parts that get people upset. Desecrating the corpses of already-dead combatants doesn’t strike me as retaliating in kind.
But I’d greatly appreciate it if you could walk me though the logic of this. What, precisely, do you think this would do? Bacon isn’t some kind of muslim Kryptonite, for fuck’s sake.
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### Author:  [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2014, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-sotloff-has-been-beheaded/697288/22 "2014-09-03T00:20:32Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#):
>
> …
>
> But I’d greatly appreciate it if you could walk me though the logic of this. What, precisely, do you think this would do? Bacon isn’t some kind of muslim Kryptonite, for fuck’s sake.
Actually, IIRC, having any pig product about them after death prevents them from getting their handful of virgins on the other side, or even making it to the other side. If they truly believe in that hogwash, then it would probably piss them off to no ends to be covered with bacon grease. It’s something like that anyway.
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### Author:  [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2014, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-sotloff-has-been-beheaded/697288/23 "2014-09-03T00:27:39Z")
Can’t this be a UN rather than a US issue?
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### Author:  [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2014, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-sotloff-has-been-beheaded/697288/24 "2014-09-03T00:29:36Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#):
>
> That would be an awesome thing to do if you wanted to inflame anti-American sentiment among the Muslim world, including the moderates we need on our side. Not sure how it would help us defeat ISIS though.
Yeah, those moderates sure have been great to have “on our side” so far. They are always very helpful in there continual silence.
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### Author:  [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2014, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-sotloff-has-been-beheaded/697288/25 "2014-09-03T00:29:49Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#):
>
> Actually, IIRC, having any pig product about them after death prevents them from getting their handful of virgins on the other side, or even making it to the other side. If they truly believe in that hogwash, then it would probably piss them off to no ends to be covered with bacon grease. It’s something like that anyway.
I’m pretty sure that’s a myth. I’ll see if I can look up something definitive.
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### Author:  [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2014, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-sotloff-has-been-beheaded/697288/26 "2014-09-03T00:32:33Z")
> [@Cubsfan](#):
>
> Yeah, those moderates sure have been great to have “on our side” so far. They are always very helpful in there continual silence.
I would consider it helpful to not make enemies of more than a billion people unnecessarily, but obviously that’s just me.
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### Author:  [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2014, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-sotloff-has-been-beheaded/697288/27 "2014-09-03T00:32:45Z")
> [@MacCat](#):
>
> Can’t this be a UN rather than a US issue?
It should be but the world prefers to sit back and do nothing and wait for the US to take action. Then if it’s going well they may throw some sort of token effort towards the issue but if its going badly then they would rather just criticize the US for acting unilaterally.
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### Author:  [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2014, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-sotloff-has-been-beheaded/697288/28 "2014-09-03T00:43:10Z")
> [@Cubsfan](#):
>
> Yeah, those moderates sure have been great to have “on our side” so far. They are always very helpful in there continual silence.
Silence is better than roaring. Or bombing.
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### Author:  [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2014, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-sotloff-has-been-beheaded/697288/29 "2014-09-03T00:43:48Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#):
>
> I’m pretty sure that’s a myth. I’ll see if I can look up something definitive.
I know there’s no real hope of putting the idiotic “pork = muslim Kryptonite” meme to rest, but hey, I’ll give it a try. I would hope folks will accept this cite as factual:
> **[Jihawg Ammo: Pork Covered Ammunition Designed To Offend](https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2013/06/10/jihawg-ammo-pork-covered-ammunition-designed-offend/)**
>
> A group of Idahoans have gotten together to produce ammunition loaded with bullets dipped in pork-infused paint.Why you ask?They claim it will deter radical Islam terrorists from fighting if they run the risk of being hit in the stomach with a...
The article discusses a company that supposedly is making pork-coated ammunition for small arms (and how silly that is):
[Quote=The Firearm Blog]
This is blatantly false. Muslims are permitted to eat pork if it is strictly necessary for survival, **or if it is forced upon them** (bolding mine). It explicitly states this in the Quran 2:173 “… whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit], there is no sin upon him …”.
[/Quote]
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### Author:  [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2014, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-sotloff-has-been-beheaded/697288/30 "2014-09-03T00:49:11Z")
> [@Cubsfan](#):
>
> It should be but the world prefers to sit back and do nothing and wait for the US to take action. Then if it’s going well they may throw some sort of token effort towards the issue but if its going badly then they would rather just criticize the US for acting unilaterally.
The Peshmurga and the Shiite militias are the only people fighting ISIS on the ground. FWIW, they are both Muslim groups.
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### Author:  [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2014, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-sotloff-has-been-beheaded/697288/31 "2014-09-03T00:50:35Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#):
>
> I would consider it helpful to not make enemies of more than a billion people unnecessarily, but obviously that’s just me.
But **what** exactly does it take to make this extremely large but apparently extremely passive group of people regard another group as an “enemy”?
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### Author:  [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2014, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-sotloff-has-been-beheaded/697288/32 "2014-09-03T00:55:07Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#):
>
> But **what** exactly does it take to make this extremely large but apparently extremely passive group of people regard another group as an “enemy”?
Again, the people who are actually fighting ISIS are Muslims. They are also ISIS’s main victim. ISIS has killed two Americans and thousands of Muslims: Kurds and Arabs.
Also, I’m still waiting to find out what the practical effect of the bacon wrapping is supposed to be. How will it help us defeat ISIS?
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### Author:  [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2014, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-sotloff-has-been-beheaded/697288/33 "2014-09-03T01:08:04Z")
Snopes
> **[General Pershing on How to Stop Islamic Terrorists](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/general-pershing-stop-islamic-terrorists/)**
>
> Gen. John J. Pershing did not effectively discourage Muslim terrorists in the Philippines by killing them and burying their bodies along with those of pigs.
The Muslim and being buried with pork thing.
Undetermined
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### Author:  [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2014, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-sotloff-has-been-beheaded/697288/34 "2014-09-03T01:20:00Z")
> [@Diceman](#):
>
> The fashionistas are the only people who noticed or cared what color Obama’s suit was. And I think most of them are Democrats.
>
> As for the ISIS fucktards, I’m having trouble thinking of an appropriate response. I’m trying to be the better person, but it’s damn hard. We could start with airstrikes, however. It was rather disheartening to hear that Obama didn’t even authorize reconnaissance drones over Syria until just a few days ago.
[Um, no.](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/president-obama-peter-king-tan-suit-rant)
But you get points for participation. So that’s nice.
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### Author:  [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2014, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-sotloff-has-been-beheaded/697288/35 "2014-09-03T01:22:18Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#):
>
> Again, the people who are actually fighting ISIS are Muslims. They are also ISIS’s main victim. ISIS has killed two Americans and thousands of Muslims: Kurds and Arabs.
How many Muslims are fighting ISIS though? It would seem that a super-majority would have a relatively easy time defeating a minority enemy; no matter how “vicious” that minority is.
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### Author:  [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2014, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-sotloff-has-been-beheaded/697288/36 "2014-09-03T01:24:00Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#):
>
> How many Muslims are fighting ISIS though? It would seem that a super-majority would have a relatively easy time defeating a minority enemy; no matter how “vicious” that minority is.
Most Muslims aren’t there.
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### Author:  [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2014, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-sotloff-has-been-beheaded/697288/37 "2014-09-03T01:24:45Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#):
>
> Snopes
>
> [General Pershing on How to Stop Islamic Terrorists | Snopes.com](http://www.snopes.com/rumors/pershing.asp)
>
> The Muslim and being buried with pork thing.
> Undetermined
The ‘undetermined’ refers to whether Pershing actually used that strategy, not whether it was effective in, er, bringing muslims to heel.
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### Author:  [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2014, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-sotloff-has-been-beheaded/697288/38 "2014-09-03T01:25:47Z")
> [@Diceman](#):
>
> Actually, here’s my idea: we launch airstrikes in close coordination with Syrian government forces. I’m sure the Assad regime can be trusted to show ISIS survivors all the mercy that is appropriate.
Back when 911 took place there were reports that Saddam Hussein was also an enemy of Osama Bin Laden and Al-qaeda. The so called “intelligence” showing a connection between them was found later to be poppycock.
I wondered then if we should had followed what the allies in WWII had to do, when they made Stalin our ally against Germany. Knowing what took place it makes me realize that while it would had been a tall order to get people behind that effort, nevertheless some moves should had been done then to turn Saddam into the “Stalin” of the war against terror.
In WWII the Allies then knew what the Soviets were, but they figured out that eventually the Soviets would fall or be dealt with at a latter time. (I do think that in the alternative time line Saddam would had fallen like Kaddafy in the Arab Spring, with no invasion needed).
Instead, Bush the lesser showed all how he forgot about history.
No, I do not approve of Assad, but I reluctantly agree with your idea here, in time we will deal with the Syrian Dictator.
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### Author:  [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2014, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-sotloff-has-been-beheaded/697288/39 "2014-09-03T01:28:09Z")
I think we might also think about reaching out to Iran, though I have no idea how feasible that is.
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### Author:  [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2014, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-sotloff-has-been-beheaded/697288/40 "2014-09-03T01:28:55Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#):
>
> The ‘undetermined’ refers to whether Pershing actually used that strategy, not whether it was effective in, er, bringing muslims to heel.
Did you read the last few paragraphs?
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