The Banality Of Evil

A suspected insurgent asks residents for mercy after they caught him planting explosives under civilian vehicles, at a busy area in Baghdad, January 3, 2005. Insurgents killed 17 Iraqi police and National Guards on Monday in another bloody spree of ambushes, bombings and suicide attacks aimed at wrecking Iraq (news - web sites)'s January 30 national election. REUTERS/Str

Some quick observations:

• Reuters calls him an "insurgent." OK, so tell me ... why would an insurgent in a popular revloution have to bomb innocents and beg for mercy when caught by his "own" people? ... unless the insurgency itself is a media myth and the guy is just a garden variety thug/Baathist.


• Does he look formidable enough to derail the march of democracy for an entire culture? Cuz he's exactly what stands in the way, no more, no less.


• Michael Moore, we found one of your Minute Men. Care to claim him?

UPDATE: Michael Totten says much the same things, only better.