Calling all Nick Berg conspiracy theorists: is this as fishy as it appears?

I tend to approach conspiracy theories with a large grain of sea salt, knowing how ridiculous some can be. That said, I’ll look at them seriously if I think the evidence is sound.

I’ve just read two mind-blowing posts on the death of Nick berg, and I have to admit I’m looking at them seriously. Here’s one, and here’s the other.

It’s the latter that I’d put in the must-read category (the former is far more shaky), as it raises no fewer than 50 inconsistencies regarding Berg’s death. Some are compelling, others not. But there are enough amazing questions to make me wonder what’s going on here. For example:

11. Berg is killed before torture photos released but video tape refers to photos?
To quote “Fishy Circumstances and Flawed Timelines Surround American’s Beheading”:
“me and a friend were discussing recent news events and trying to piece together the information presented to us, thought you might want to look into this further, they said in the news that Nicholas Berg was killed 2 weeks ago (i think), however in the video the culprits who killed him said they were “avenging iraqi prisoner abuse” but those photos weren’t released until last week, so my question is how is that even a possible motive if he was killed prior to the abuse photos being released?? maybe i am misinformed but thought id ask the question to someone who would look into it.”

12) Text with video mentions “shameful pictures”
The text posted to the website along with the video the translation of the Arabic statement, cites “shameful pictures.” Here is a translation of the Arabic statement (at the Northeast Intelligence Network) made with the video: “And the shameful pictures and the news of the evil humiliation of the Islam people men and women in Ghareb ‘s father prison then where the jealousy and where the zeal and where the anger about the Allah’s religion and where the jealousy for the Muslims sanctities and where the revenge for the honors of Muslims and Muslims is in the crosses prisons.”

13) Wag the dog timing
There is extremely convenient ‘wag the dog’ timing at the height of furor regarding U.S. torture of Iraqis.

14) Torture photo timing
CNN poll question: ‘Is the Berg killing a reason for withholding any remaining Iraq prisoner abuse pictures?’ Bush has been reported to be struggling with question of whether the Pentagon should release additional torture photos. Given that the alleged decapitation of Berg was allegedly prompted by the first wave of torture photos, Bush could now cite ‘national security’ issues for withholding additional materials.

I don’t want to jump to conclusions. But something seems weird. I’ll hold off on drawing conclusions until I understand it better. But there certainly are a lot of questions here and, unfortunately, a lot of contradictory, murky answers.

The Discussion: 11 Comments

Well, the beheading is status quo in the Middle East. Just look at the Israeli soldiers recently killed in the Gaza Strip.

May 18, 2004 @ 4:41 pm | Comment

There is a touching memorial on Berg at the St. Petersberg Times in Florida: http://www.sptimes.com/2004/05/15/Worldandnation/A_jolting_awareness_t.shtml

Very touching and shows a different side to Baghdad.

May 18, 2004 @ 4:50 pm | Comment

Haliburton arranged it. Chaney wielded the knife. It was for the Oil.

May 19, 2004 @ 12:15 am | Comment

I like the theories that point out:

he’s wearing a us prison uniform.

the chair he sits in matches the chairs in the prison torture photos.

one man is wearing a wedding ring on a finger that middle eastern men don’t wear rings on.

and something about his sneakers.

oh, and that the men are speaking a mixture of arabic and russian.

May 19, 2004 @ 3:55 am | Comment

What are the chances of somehow being involved, even so superficially as is claimed, with a “9/11” terrorist and ending up dead as a civilian in Iraq at the hands of terrorists?

The probablity factor is enormous as to be impossible.

A falling out among thieves? A case of “got a dead body may as well use it” Or some misguided “friend” attempting to take the heat off certain important people?

May 19, 2004 @ 6:00 am | Comment

Steve, I’m tempted to go with the “friend” theory. Did anyone notice how fast the government was to say it was “definitely Zarkawi”? Something doesn’t add up, and that’s an understatement.

May 19, 2004 @ 11:08 am | Comment

If baseless, these conspiracy theories could be shot down in a matter of hours. Bush & Company could give a mid-level state department staffer and an army intel guy two hours and they could provide the answers for which many clamor.

Yet the information is still not forthcoming. It is the silence that fuels the suspicion.

May 20, 2004 @ 5:05 pm | Comment

c brackney, the government will only answer these questions if somebody asks them. It is up to the media to do the asking, and they don’t seem interested, so we won’t hear more about it until they are.

May 21, 2004 @ 9:40 am | Comment

Have a look at this site. Interesting analysis of the video

http://www.aztlan.net/berg_abu_ghraib_video.htm

May 21, 2004 @ 11:07 pm | Comment

hello out there. two items:
1) due to the overwhelming circumstantial evidence (and yes, it’s only circumstantial at this point, but it will have to suffice until someone digs up some solid facts), I believe there is a very real possibility that American Special Forces or paramilitary operatives- employed by the US intel community- murdered nicholas berg at Abu Ghraib prison, for the purpose of distracting from the prison abuse scandal, and to re-ignite support for the war. check out this link- there are far too many sober, reasonable questions surrounding this incident to dismiss them out of hand: http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2004/5/15/22827/0477
2) THE US GOVERNMENT HAS ANNOUNCED PLANS TO TEAR DOWN ABU GHRAIB PRISON. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5032107/ If this murder in fact took place there, by perpetrators associated with the US military, the Bush administration is taking an active hand in destroying the physical evidence.
any suggestions? what the hell do we do now- write our congressmen? call the police? the potential implications of this situation are absolutely staggering, and frankly, this whole thing scares the living shit out of me…

May 24, 2004 @ 6:44 pm | Comment

Here’s what you do: Vote, and bring a friend. No, two friends.

May 24, 2004 @ 6:47 pm | Comment

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