Colin Powell: Where's the Outrage on Nick Berg's Death?

From CNN:

DEAD SEA RESORT, Jordan (CNN) -- The Arab world should be showing "a higher level of outrage" over the death of an American businessman whose beheading was posted on an Islamist Web site last week, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said Sunday.

"There's no excuse for silence on this kind of murder," Powell told NBC's "Meet the Press."

"I would like to have seen a much higher level of outrage throughout the world, but especially in the Arab world, to this murder," he said.

Fine. I agree with this... up to a point.

Anyone should be outraged by what happened to Nick Berg with the facts as we know them (and those are precious few - except for the fact that he's definitely dead, executed).

I'm sure, however, the Arab world wondered about some of the "outrage over the outrage" comments here by men (and I use the term loosely) like Sen. Inhofe and "commentator" Rush Limbaugh concerning the prison abuse scandal. Several members of the Bush Administration, including Rumsfeld, might have said the abuse was wrong, but they also did all they could to distance themselves from the very men and women they lead.

Also, being outraged only goes so far. Outrage is an emotion. Actions are more important.

I won't be happy if supposed Islamic nutcases conduct more executions like Berg anymore than I'll be happy if we allow more abuse - and deaths - in Abu Ghraib and the rest of Iraq. Both sides need to confront the situations clearly and directly, and not brush away or justify/rationalize the behaviors as just the work of a few rogues.