The ultimate axis of evil

WHAT do American soldiers in Iraq, Israelis in Palestine and Russians in Chechnya have in common?

In each case, soldiers went into battle convinced they were fighting an enemy who was not only inferior, but also represented a threat to their countries. Hatred and fear drive otherwise decent human beings to commit butchery on a scale they would normally be incapable of.

How do ordinary people reach such a state of bestiality?