For conspiracy theorists, this is quite a gem with all the happenings.
First was revealed how iraqi prisoners were tortured/humiliated, which made it possible to really damage Bush's support.
Then happened this outrageous act, which conveniently happens to also really increase support for the war and Bush.
It's a wonder if good bunch of people suddenly doesn't see torture/humiliation of iraqi prisoners under a whole new light.
Also somewhat conveniently it happens to be Al Qaeda, after they hadn't been under the spotlight for a long time in Iraq.
Attention used to be more on the other militant/terrorist groups out there.
Nobody wouldn't either believe such an outrageous act would been created by some US based goverment organization.
All in all, it's going to greatly increase support for the war & Bush and make torture/humiliation of iraqi prisoners a lesser evil than it was.
However most likely nobody will never know who really were behind it.
and before someone begins screaming bloody murder, the above 'conspiracy theory' is not really what I do think of it.
but it's always interesting after all whats happened.
Although it's not an impossible scenario, since beheading someone wouldn't be anything compared to some things which some goverments have done to drive their own benefit.
Like the very recent case where some dozen refugees were shot on purpose and then told to been terrorist - just to say to certain countries "we are serious with war on terrorism".
(I don't recall the country which did this and was revealed just recently.. hmpf)