I was not angry…

The New York Times reports “Some of the Army mechanics captured on Sunday after they took a wrong turn in the Iraqi town of Nasiriya were apparently executed by their captors, probably in front of townspeople, American officials charged tonight.”

I cannot describe my fury at this news so I will fall back upon the words of Shakespeare.

During the battle of Agincourt in the play Henry V the luggage boys are murdered by the French. An act which is described thusly "'tis expressly against the law of arms: 'tis as arrant a piece of knavery, mark you now, as can be offer't" A description that holds for the actions described in the NYT article.

What best describes my response to the news is the words of King Henry upon his discovery of the act

I was not angry since I came to France
Until this instant. Take a trumpet, herald;
Ride thou unto the horsemen on yon hill:
If they will fight with us, bid them come down,
Or void the field; they do offend our sight:
If they'll do neither, we will come to them,
And make them skirr away, as swift as stones
Enforced from the old Assyrian slings:
Besides, we'll cut the throats of those we have,
And not a man of them that we shall take
Shall taste our mercy. Go and tell them so.
--Henry V act 5 scene 7

If the story of the public execution of POWs is proven may the treacherous Iraqis who killed helpless POWs receive the swift justice they so richly deserve.