Margaret Hassan has been killed.

There really isn't anything else to say about this, really. I almost wish I could get numb to senseless deaths, but I don't seem to.

how does gwb sleep at night? like a baby, is my sad guess.

A sidenote - and please don't attack me for being insensitive or hyper-cynical - I just want to raise the point that humans have been doing horrible disgusting, brutal things to each other for a very long time, so the idea that our brutality is increasing is not really the case. The only major difference is that we can now easily see horrific things as they unfold on TV or the internet. The occur much less frequently nowadays, but our media coverage is so instantaneous and extensive that the impact is seismic (and rightfully so). Beheadings? Far less now than there used to be in our civilization's history, that's for sure. Think of the middle ages, or even the attrocities during the last century. I'd suggest that on the whole, we are committing far fewer 'crimes against humanity' at the present time than in our species' past. So whenever you think that society has gone completely to shit, please take some comfort in the fact that the massive majority of humans alive today find this behaviour completely unacceptable, whereas not that long ago, beheadings (remember the Guillotine?) were practically a social event.

I realise of course that this broad thinking is of little consequence to the families of victims today. However if we need a source of strengh in these times, let's try to focus on the fact that we are not alone in hating this - and that if we keep pushing in the right direction, we will continue to reduce this behaviour against each other over time.

this quote may seem sophistic, but i think it lessens the horror one is bound to feel at events like these by a little.

Then again, humans have engaged in bloody holy wars throughout our history, most of which involved a far greater proportion of the population than this current one. Right now most of us are going on about our lives, physically disconnected from what we see in the news. Like you, I am deeply worried that this current situation will escalate - we could find ourselves in a religious shitstorm akin to the crusades. I certainly hope this isn't the case, and I try my damndest to be optomistic about it, otherwise it's incredibly easy to fall into despair.

yes, i agree. i think the key is that the 'normal' channels for religiously motivated retribution are all blocked.

see also bernard lewis's view of the arab world (he is or recently was an adviser to the white house on middle eastern policy and a great pal of wolfowitz): they understand and respect only strength and shows of strength. maybe this explains some of their strategy?

You, debden, are probably better read than me...and i should try to be rational, but it seems like everything vis a vis religious reasons to perpetrate violence are becoming the reason for violence in response to violence.
As the daughter of a minister, from a very faithful family, the teachings I received were never about revenge. '"Normal" channels for religiously motivated retribution are all blocked?'There are several leaders of Islamic thought who are trying hard to tell people that Islamist faith does not equal violence. I want to know what channels there are for religiously motivated retribution. I'm in doubt where my faith lies, but I know that Jesus was not preaching vengeance.
What are the normal channels?
In the U.S., the great, lost democracy, it's faith based initiatives and compassionate conservatism. That's the channel, which is a very narrow and limited channel.
And belive me, it is retribution. They are going to kill with kindness. Heal homosexuality. Love the women contemplating an abortion. Love the sinner, hate the sin.
The sinner is never given the option of decrying the entire model of redemption, of course.
And nobody is safe in Baghdad. But, also, nobody is safe in Springfield. Who among is without sin?
My head would be riddled with bullets, after several beheadings, if I was judged on religious standards.

As David Hedges (?) points out in War Is a Force that Gives Us Meaning, once you've tipped over the edge into a war, both sides get frozen into an attitude that they are the victims and justice demands that their wrongs must be avenged. Since war is guaranteed to deliver a whole avalanche of grievances for both sides to cherish and avenge, then the easy, obvious downhill path is to escalate into total war to the bitter end.

The arrogance on the USA side of the equation is breathtaking, so I don't see us getting out of this quagmire any time soon. Keep resisting and don't panic or lose heart. A clear head and a strong heart will see you through. And permit yourself not to carry the whole world to safety on your back. It's more than enough to present an example for others.

Yeah, sorry (I think this was inspired by me, I said the brutality was escalating), I meant that the brutality of this specific conflict is increasing, not of warfare on the whole. The decision to liquidate a city as a show of force probably won't create a specific act of retribution, but the 'atmosphere' of the war (I can't think of a better word, sorry) will be darkened even further, and future acts of violence will be coloured by this atmosphere.