From a reader:

Jonah,
I’m also suffering from the same line of thought about Nick Berg, though I’m hearing on the news this morning that while the father is clearly a wingnut, the son supported the war and the FBI investigated and cleared the Moussaoui connection. But assuming that he was the Iraqi Lori Berenson, and like you, I hope he wasn’t, the implication is more perverse than the point you made: that they killed a do-gooder because he was easier to catch. I think the larger point is this: they sawed the head off someone who agreed with them because he was an American (and, likely, a Jew). What on earth would they do to the Americans who don’t agree with them?
And for my part, the father’s most troubling comment was that al-Qaeda are “probably as bad” as Bush and Rumsfeld. Not for nothing, but I’ve seen what happens to a family when a child dies and there is a great deal of anger. But when my brother died, my father didn’t take the opportunity to make political comments about the drunk driver who killed him. Didn’t do it, couldn’t have done it at the time. Grief usually subsumes politics, and in cases like this, the anger is usually directed at…oh, I don’t know…how about the guy with the knife?
Know anybody (if not yourself) who can recommend a good book on Che Guevara to an NRO- and NRODT-reading, Simpson-loving, Derbyshire-loving, commie-hating guy? I’m looking for a bio that is fair and honest, but also comes down solidly on the side of “this guy was a mass murderer and Stalinist thug.” Maybe the Corner could help? I’m trying to save a 14-year old, Che-infatuated know nothing from making an ass of himself.
Best to you and the family.