Mercy

Amidst the news of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi being killed in a U.S. airstrike, I found this interview with Michael Berg. His son Nicholas was beheaded in Iraq in 2004, most likely by al-Zarqawi himself.

O'Brien: I'm curious to know your reaction, as it is now confirmed that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the man who is widely credited and blamed for killing your son, Nicholas, is dead.

Michael Berg: Well, my reaction is I'm sorry whenever any human being dies. Zarqawi is a human being. He has a family who are reacting just as my family reacted when Nick was killed, and I feel bad for that.

I feel doubly bad, though, because Zarqawi is also a political figure, and his death will re-ignite yet another wave of revenge, and revenge is something that I do not follow, that I do want ask for, that I do not wish for against anybody. And it can't end the cycle. As long as people use violence to combat violence, we will always have violence.

(emphasis mine)

This man is an awesome example of having mercy. I wish more people shared his mentality.

❦

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published June 9, 2006

Responses

Ali – June 9, 2006
Awesome. Thanks for that.

gwyneth – June 9, 2006
that is an awesome example of mercy.
and you have not seen me online lately because i haven't BEEN online lately.

Reverend Pimp Daddy – June 21, 2006
Michael Berg is trying to be a political figure. He is currently running for the U.S. Congress in Delaware on the Green Party ticket.