Lori Allen, a University of Chicago anthropology graduate student, conducted research in the West Bank under a Social Science Research Council-GSC Program fellowship and wrote an article that first appeared in Middle East Report 223 (Summer 2002). In that article she wrote that the "Average Bomber" was not driven to self destruction by dispair, all Palestinians living under 'occupation' are desperate, and that neither does poverty explain the motivation for self destruction (to which I add - 'and the murder of innocents'), rather, that a combination of faith and conviction motivates (suicide) bombers: "Religion is the factor that creates the bravery in [the suicide bomber] to be a martyr. And religion makes him (or her) highly sensitive to the issue of justice [to which I add - a perverted blind since of his/her distorted (by the Islamist's definition and teachings)] view of what constitutes justice.

After reading Lori's article, I reread the words, "Religion is the factor that creates the bravery in the bomber to be a martyr. And religion makes him highly sensitive to the issue of justice." Subsequently, the first thought that came to mind was, "That's one hell of a distortion of reality to get out of a 'religion,' and when did murder, suicide, and maiming innocent people have anything to do with God or a religion? But of course we're not talking about just any religion, where talking about Islam. And, we're in the year 2005, three years after Lori's report, so are the motives the same?

Today, for a more up to date analysis, we can look to Andrew Cochran writing at The CounterTerrorism Blog on his appearance on MSNBC's "Connected" program to discuss the 7/7 London attacks (you can see video of the segment on the linked page). One of his fellow guests was Pierre Rehov, a French filmmaker who has filmed six documentaries on the intifada by going undercover in the Palestinian areas. Pierre's upcoming film, "Suicide Killers," is based on interviews that he conducted with the families of suicide bombers and would-be bombers in an attempt to find out why they do it. It's a post that I think you'll find very interesting and informative.

Cross posted by Hyscience

Posted by: Richard@hyscience at 08:29 PM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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1 Those cursed suicide bombers are blowing things up for clearly secular-nationalist goals.

Posted by: Downing Street Memo at July 27, 2005 09:57 PM (ScqM8)

2 "Terrorists may indeed be driven by hate and resentment, but their actions are also determined by geopolitical considerations, as professor Robert Pape of the University of Chicago, among others, has pointed out. Many terrorists—and they include persons with formal educations—have reasons for carrying out their horrible deeds: “The central fact,” notes Pape, “is that overwhelmingly suicide-terrorist attacks are not driven by religion as much as they are by a clear strategic objective: to compel modern democracies to withdraw military forces from the territory that the terrorists view as their homeland” (interview in The American Conservative , July 1 . This statement, far from empathy, is an effort to explain terrorism—which we have no choice but to understand if we want to overcome it."

Posted by: Downing Street Memo at July 27, 2005 10:59 PM (ScqM8)

3 Your medication you idiot. Take your medication.

Posted by: greyrooster at July 28, 2005 06:19 AM (eVGfQ)

4 KlanRooster, Racist hog-beating prairie Rove-Bidet, medication will not help you. Only Jesus can bring you back.

Posted by: Downing Street Memo at July 28, 2005 06:30 AM (ScqM8)

5 Let me tell you a story: Once upon a time there was a devoted Muslim, He was a quiet one and never bothered anybody. He prayed 3 times a day towards Mecca, dismissed un-believers and quietly read his Quran. Until one day when an old Muslim friend returning from Afghanistan came by and told him another aspect of Islam. He said; this is how you interpret Jihad and it's something every faithful Muslim must do. Nonsense! would be the first thought that should come to mind he didn't want to kill anybody, but the devouted Muslim had thoroughly read the Quran, memorized every bit and it was all there, he had to do it.. They desire that you should disbelieve as they have disbelieved, so that you might be (all) alike; therefore take not from among them friends until they fly (their homes) in Allah's way; but if they turn back [to their homes], then seize them and kill them wherever you find them, and take not from among them a friend or a helper. Mein Quran, excerpt 004:089 Comming up next: DSM manages to get banned from Jawa report, tries to harbour secular suicide bombers and gets beheaded in reward.

Posted by: Ren at July 28, 2005 07:24 AM (a9tRx)

6 there is poverty in South America,Central America, Mexico, Africa,and yet i dont see any suicide bombers in those countries???....and also most of these countries are mostly of the Christian faith which prohibits suicide and murder....hmmmm, the Middle East and most of South ASia is what religion????oh yea, ISLAM....and MOST of it is poor, excluding Saudia Arabia and Kuawait which seem to be very well to do including its rulers....gee, ISLAM does allow murder of the infidel, and even though the Koran states that suicide is forbiden it laters says that suicide is okay if done for the glory and spread of ISLAM, so the Muslims have a thin but possible excuse for suicide/mass murder bombings and slaughters....seems to me and many others that the problem is what is taught from the Koran/ISLAM

Posted by: THANOS35 at July 28, 2005 09:44 AM (9gFP6)

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