A grotesque act of evil
THE ISLAMIC State pulled out all the stops in its fifth and latest execution video, which showed the beheading of another hostage, American aid worker Peter Kassig, latterly known as AbdulRahman following his recent conversion to Islam.
Longer and containing more theatrical effects than previous execution videos put out by Islamic State, it was replete with blood-curdling threats, directed at Barack Obama, described as the “dog of Rome”.
“Tomorrow we will be slaughtering your soldiers,” the masked executioner declares.
The despicable murder of the American made headlines around the world because he is a Westerner, although the majority of Islamic State victims are local civilians and captured Syrian and Iraqi soldiers. Featured along with the unfortunate Kassig were 18 men described as belonging to the Syrian military. They were also beheaded.
But of course, anger and disgust are felt around the world over the latest killing of another unwary idealist who was unlucky enough to fall into the hands of these cold-hearted killers.
At the same time, these films are losing impact. It must have permeated the consciousness of Islamic State leaders that, no matter how brutally they behave towards their hostages, Western policy towards Islamic State is not going to change now. The air war against Islamic State will go on, as will the policy of arming the Kurds and other military foes of Islamic State inside Iraq. Islamic State’s supply of Western hostages, meanwhile, is finite.
At the same time, it has failed to tempt the West into putting boots back on the ground in Iraq – a disastrous move that would only justify its claim to be resisting a Western “crusade”. In some ways, Kassig’s execution is a mark of desperation from an organisation that no longer looks as invincible as it did only a few months ago. It has not stormed the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, and does not appear to be making much headway against the Kurds dug in around Kobani in northern Syria, either.
We share in the grief of Kassig’s family, but now is not the time to flinch in the struggle against the men who have killed him and so many others.