Speculation and suspicion.
I think young Mr. Berg was trying to make contact with Al-Queda and succeeded. Much to his detriment.
Fact. His dad makes a very good living as an anti-war activist.
Fact. He held the same views as his dad.
Fact. He never had a business. He never owned a license to work on anything to do with communication. He was VERY interested in learning how to intercept communications.
Fact. He somehow had the email password of one of the original 20 terrorists on his laptop, and the account had been used and meticulously scrubbed using hard disk sector erasure.
Fact. He made two trips to Iraq... making a real target of himself by asking natives how to contact known agents of Al Quaida.
Fact. He obviously succeeded.
Fact. He was brought in for questioning due to local Iraqi's reporting this contact effort.
Fact. He was let loose so that he could be tracked and monitored.<edit> pure speculation on my part... SVW I know! I know! Shouldn't do that. <end Edit>
I guess you just have to be more careful when you join the anti-war movement. The people you are trying to assist don't play fair.
This is my best guess. We'll see over the next few years.
Originally posted by StarValleyWyI haven't been keeping up on this story, apparently. This is what I get for listening to music today rather than the news. Where did you get this information?
Speculation and suspicion.
I think young Mr. Berg was trying to make contact with Al-Queda and succeeded. Much to his detriment.
Fact. His dad makes a very good living as an anti-war activist.
Fact. He held the same views as his dad.
Fact. He never had a business. He never owned a license to work on anything to do with communication. He was ...[text shortened]... trying to assist don't play fair.
This is my best guess. We'll see over the next few years.
Originally posted by bbarrEveryone is gloves off for a week or two while the family mourns.
I haven't been keeping up on this story, apparently. This is what I get for listening to music today rather than the news. Where did you get this information?
Then watch it hit the skids... NY Times and Wall Street journal are doing the leg work now. I saw an interview with the two reporters from the journal on CNBC last night. I and everyone else had to read between the lines of what was said. I must admit that I am guessing, but lets see how it turns out in the next year or so.
How you up to dude?
<edit> Quote from the interview... "Why did he grow an obvious Islamic beard then go about town deriding the American military and trying to contact Al Queda? On public transportation for the most part?"
<edit> Another quote... "Why did he apparently, (on two occasions) refuse the offer of the military to escort him out of the country?"
<edit> Another quote... "We have not been able to find any effort to obtain work (in Iraq) by Mr. Berg. But we obviously have not been able to contact all people who would know of such efforts.".
Originally posted by StarValleyWyI guess it's understandable that people are treading lightly about this. Strangely, in the NY Times today it was reported that the US administration claims to have cleared Berg of any ties to terrorists. No real word yet on why Berg was apprehended by US forces in Iraq, or why they denied to Berg's family that they had apprehended him (claiming it was the Iraqi police that had him). No explanation for why Berg chose not to accept the diplomatic offer to be flown out of Iraq, claiming he needed to go to Kuwait. Everything about this case is bizarre.
Everyone is gloves off for a week or two while the family mourns.
Then watch it hit the skids... NY Times and Wall Streey journal are doing the leg work now. I saw an interview with the two reporters from the journal on CNBC last night. I and everyone else had to read between the lines of what was said. I must admit that I am guessing, but lets see h ...[text shortened]... arently, (on two occasions) refuse the offer of the military to escort him out of the country?"
The Tehran times suspects that the US adminstration had Berg killed to distract attention from the prisoner abuse scandal 🙄 Now, I can't stand Bush, but that seems a bit far-fetched.
I've been well. I got a summer position teaching rhetoric and debate for the university, so I've been working on a politically topical syllabus that will include debates on the justifiability of torture, our responsibilities to those suffering under tyranny, etc. Should be fun to watch the students duke it out, hopefully they'll learn more than just how to argue coherently.
How've you been?
Originally posted by bbarrI edited my speculation that the US "released" Nick in order to follow him and learn of his contacts. Very Machiavellian of me. But I think that is pretty close to the truth. He was not exactly subtle in his efforts at contact with the enemy.
I guess it's understandable that people are treading lightly about this. Strangely, in the NY Times today it was reported that the US administration claims to have cleared Berg of any ties to terrorists. No real word yet on why Berg was apprehended by US forces in Iraq, or why they denied to Berg's family that they had apprehended him (claiming it was the I ...[text shortened]... t out, hopefully they'll learn more than just how to argue coherently.
How've you been?
This makes the US govenment seem really, really cold. Maybe it is.
Tehran Times is a totallitarian propaganda rag. Sad. My daughter-in-law has to arrange meetings in Istanbul whenever she and her folks need to see family. I wish they could freely travel to Tehran. What a sad thing for family to be subject to the silly dictates of government.
Wow! You really know how to have a good time! "When can torture be employed" as a moral argument? Put me down for the "never" side. Always the romantic. <grin> Got too much of it to think it does anything but make for a crazy individual.
I've been well. Nothing too exciting to report in life. That is by definition... good.
As sad as it is, I've seen this information coming out as well. It was released that his family was questioned by the FBI about his motives in Iraq. Another fact about his release...He was released because his family had filed a lawsuit against the US government for holding him without due process. Upon release, he was offered a plane ticket back to the US on behalf of the government. He refused the plane ticket and also stated that he was never mis-treated while in US custody. He disappeared 3 days later.
Maybe they had him in custody for a reason....