I would not watch the video of Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kasaesbeh being consumed by fire, because to do so was exactly what the Islamist barbarians who produced it wanted. They wanted not only to kill their captive in the most horrific way imaginable, but also to burn the images of his immolation into the minds of those who oppose them. Terror is their most effective weapon. The only way they can achieve victory is by frightening people into submission. Scare off those who would join an alliance to fight the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, and the Islamic State wins.

But barbarity also has a way of inspiring courage. King Abdullah II of Jordan, no stranger to combat as a former attack helicopter pilot and commander of Jordan’s special forces, has vowed a “relentless” fight against the Islamic State. If the terrorists thought they would make fellow Arabs retreat, they may be in for a rude awakening.