Nick Berg
May Khemili of Latham said, "I saw when the guy put his knife out. I just put my hand on the TV screen."
Iraqi national May Khemili watched in horror as 26-year-old Nick Berg, a contractor from Philadelphia, was beheaded in her homeland.
She said, "It is savage, it is barbaric, but it is certainly not an Islamic act."
Khemili said the murder was committed by radicals. She does admit she was horrified when she first saw her countrymen humiliated in the prisoner abuse photos released from Abu Ghraib, but she also said this retaliation by Islamic extremists is completely unjustified.
"I abhor these extremists making their appearances with announcements, with a call to the Muslims and with actions," said Khemili.
Security expert Bill Peeler said the murder of Nick Berg is having consequences outside the Arab world as well. Contractors just like Berg are being paid up to $150,000 for their services in the Middle East, but the interest is declining.
Peeler said, "A number of them are pulling out. The risks are just too high and they've decided to pull out. Since I've left, three of the people I worked with have been killed."
The murder of a U.S. civilian in Iraq is stirring emotions here at home.
Peeler was in Iraq just last month meeting with Iraqi officials ready for the hand-off of power on June 30. He said as that deadline approaches, opposition will continue to mount -- and American civilian casualties will also grow.
"The general public is turning against them much more rapidly than prior. It's difficult to give you a percentage now of people who are happy to see the Americans there," said Peeler.
Khemili said her family is happy the U.S. is committed to rebuilding their country, and they denounce the recent terror spike.
Khemili said, "Certainly this last one, this is totally barbaric. I have no tolerance for this nonsense, not now, not ever."