Good point Fishu. In both instances, people who believe fervently in their cause die. American soldiers (probably) belive very much in democracy, freedom of the individual, the Christian deity/other faith and so forth. Al Qaeda believe in their God.
It seems it is a matter of perspective. I was disgusted by the comments in the AC130 video thread. They were understandable from an emotional point of view but so may showed very little humanity. However, I think it is necessary to kill these terrorists any way possible, including using Big *****ing Guns. I also think it's a good idea that would be terrorists get to see what they have waiting for them, should the join the cause. Yet I refuse to get joy from their deaths.
I haven't seen the video of the ambushes on US troops. That CNN showed them was for ratings and for political reasons - disgusting.
However. We see "2 killed, 3 killed blah blah" on the media and we do not react, because it is mere numbers. War has been sanitized - and the US armed forces is doing a great job at this. It is *not* a bad thing to be reminded just how bloody, how horrible, how tragic war is. It is sad that war must be personalized in such a way before most of us realize this.
It's the same as hearing about car accidents or skydiving accidents. You think "tough **** ugh" and that's it. Then you hear about a guy you know who's now paralyzed after a botched swoop landing and it hits home. Human nature, I gather.
These videos would not shrink my respect for what the US soldiers go through in Iraq - on the contrary. The only strengthen my resolve. But, once it becomes clear the US is fighting a resistance force of ordinary Iraqis, I'd say it's time to bug out as quickly as possible. Terrorists are one thing, the entire population another.
