TIME apparently sees this as just two guys with guns, a marvelous example of a perceptual mentality at work.

The two men — an Iraqi insurgent and an American soldier — have more in common than one might expect. Both are fathers who care deeply about their children and their country. Both see their jobs as their duty. Both pray each time they head out on a new mission. "They have their way of fighting, and we have our way of fighting," says Ahmed, who fingers amber-colored prayer beads as he talks. "Everyone wants to defend his country and his honor." Says Bear: "I want my wife and family to be proud of me because what I am doing is protecting them."

And so on, and so on.

Let's just take a quick look at something:

"Under the Saddam Hussein regime, 'Ahmed' was an insider, a commando who served in the feared Fedayeen Saddam militia."

The American worked at Wal Mart.

Before the invasion of Iraq, one was in Saddam's murderous death squads. The other started out as a clerk.

Just two peas in a goddam pod, right?

It's enough to make you puke.