Beheaded man's father didn't want Martyr nor Bush

There is an interesting interview transcript at CNN.com - Beheaded man's father: Revenge breeds revenge - Jun 8, 2006.

Michael Berg, the father of Nicholas Berg, one of the men behead in Iraq with Zarqawi as the likely murderer, is a pacifist. He did not want the death of Zarqawi and is not happy it happened. He believes that the US actions in Iraq will spur on more violence and revenge and breed and grow more resistance in both the weeks and months to come but also in the years and decades to come.

I would consider myself enlightened to some of Berg's perspective, but I'm not yet capable of being as forgiving. I think its notable that he carries his convictions as strongly as he does, even though I disagree with some of them.

Here is an excerpt from the CNN transcript that gives a flavor of Berg's beliefs:

O'BRIEN: There's a theory that as they try to form some kind of government, that it's going to be brutal, it's going to be bloody, there's going to be loss, and that's the history of many countries -- and that's just what a lot of people pay for what they believe will be better than what they had under Saddam Hussein.

BERG: Well, you know, I'm not saying Saddam Hussein was a good man, but he's no worse than George Bush. Saddam Hussein didn't pull the trigger, didn't commit the rapes. Neither did George Bush. But both men are responsible for them under their reigns of terror. (Watch

I don't buy that. Iraq did not have al Qaeda in it. Al Qaeda supposedly killed my son.

Under Saddam Hussein, no al Qaeda. Under George Bush, al Qaeda.

Under Saddam Hussein, relative stability. Under George Bush, instability.

Under Saddam Hussein, about 30,000 deaths a year. Under George Bush, about 60,000 deaths a year. I don't get it. Why is it better to have George Bush the king of Iraq rather than Saddam Hussein?