Evil celebrates evil

My fellow MOB blogger, friend and good guy Uncle Ben from Hammerswing75 had some troubling news on Monday:

This post is going to be difficult to write. Four civilians were kidnapped in Iraq on Saturday. I haven't been able to find lots of details, but here is the general story, which is:

Norman Kember, a retired professor from Pinner, north London, was abducted with two Canadians and an American in Baghdad on Saturday. Mr Kember, a grandfather in his 70s, had traveled to Iraq last week on a peace mission.

Mr. Kember is a good friend of my parents and a longtime member of my Granny's church, Harrow Baptist. I remember seeing him a few years ago when I stopped by in England to visit my Gran. We were at the church and he came over for some conversation. "I remember when you were this tall", putting his hand down by his knees. He is an extremely nice man who went out of his way to be friendly. His wife Pat, who possesses an equally wonderful character, must be in absolute shock.

My parents have asked for my prayers. There will be many. I, in turn, am asking for yours. I hope that there will be many.

(Ben has more thoughts and updates here, here, here, and here.)

In keeping with their twisted souls, the terrorists have released video and photos of the kidnapping victims. For example, see this article from the Washington Times:

Al Jazeera television yesterday aired a video of four aid workers kidnapped over the weekend, apparently being held by a previously unknown terrorist group called the "Swords of Righteousness."

My Pet Jawa also has some video and stills and a number of links.

Last Friday I had a post about several actions where terrorist propaganda leaders were captured. I paid attention to such things for just this very reason. The propaganda they are putting out does not involve pretty 4-color brochures about how they would plant flowers in every boulevard in Iraq if elected.

No, their propaganda traffics in human suffering. It glorifies evil. It preys on the fear of terrified victims, and uses that pornographic thirst to catch the eye of similarly twisted individuals.

On Monday, Power Line pointed out a video that MEMRI posted, a video made by the terrorists who planned the recent bombing of hotels in Baghdad. It is a slick video. The joy the terrorists take in their bloody work is chilling. (The Hedgehog Blog has a frame captured from the video.)

Let's remember Ben and his request for prayers, let's remember all the kidnapping victims and their families.

But let's never lose sight of why we are in Iraq. We are there to throw terrorists and purveyors of propaganda like this to the ground and strangle the life out of them, for evil this far gone can never be reasoned with. It must be killed. It must.