Well, truth be told, I have a problem with morals to begin with. It’s a war. We are engaging in this war directly in Iraq, and indirectly in the region as a whole. As is usual, everybody claims they have the one true God, which is, of course on their side. And it’s never enough to merely have an enemy, one must claim moral superiority, too. The other guy is always evil.
In a war, we may look at the opponent’s morality to make ourselves feel better, or we may view it as military intelligence. I am opposed to american action in Iraq, not morally, or even as to its stated goals. I think it is a strategic and tactical blunder. That doesn’t mean I have any particular sympathy or empathy for the enemy. I seek to neither defend nor condemn them.
What is the military value of this beheading? That’s what counts. That guy knew the risk before he went. But a death is a death. You don’t always die instantly from rifle fire. War is some serious shit, and there is no place for moralising. Win and get out, before you blow too much money and expend too much personel. There’s always another war to fight.