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July 19, 2005
The Truth About Suicide Bombers
Karen and I are furiously working on our First Date blog. In a stroke of unexpected luck, Karen actually unearthed her calendar for the month we met and started dating. We have discovered that there is much that has been forgotten, and there is much that has been revealed by Karen's cryptic notations in her calendar. Thus there is much that needs to be rethought and rewritten. Often, we sit and compare memories, turning into a more gentle version of Rashomon.
In the meantime I'd like Seraphic Secret readers to read an article by Psychologist James Hamilton. This extremely important piece, The Psychology Behind Suicide Bombing recently came to my attention through my friend Jackie who linked it on her blog, The Hole. I am grateful to Jackie for bringing this first-rate mind to a wider audience.
For too long the nihilistic motives of suicide bombers and their handlers have been taken at face value, especially by the liberal media who seem not the least aware that the endlessly shifting grievances of Islamic terrorists and their western apologists have even less substance than those claimed by Germany after the treaty of Versailles. This article should be required reading for...well, everybody. Especially those who repeat the endless mantra of "finding the root causes of terrorism." And for those who claim that suicide bombers have been "driven to these acts of despeartion by the hegemony of western imperialists."
The most potent weapon against liberal defeatism is the simple truth, and in this one article truth is rampant.
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at July 19, 2005 03:17 PM
Comments
Seraphic Secret is private property, that's right, it's an extension of our home, and as such, Karen and I have instituted two Seraphic Rules and we ask commentors to act respectfully.
1. No profanity.2. No Israel bashing. We debate, we discuss, we are respectful. You know what Israel bashing is. The world is full of it. Seraphic Secret is one of the few places in the world that will not tolerate this form of anti-Semitism. That's it. Break either of these rules and you will be banned.
I never understood why these bombers were called suicide bombers and not HOMICIDE bombers. If their goal was to commit suicide they could do it in the privacy of their own home. Instead they go out to public areas and kill innocent people, in my opinion they are just collateral damage.
Posted by: Ari Z. Miller at July 19, 2005 06:38 PM
Ari: I agre with you. Homicide Bomber is a better designation. Good to hear from you. Thanks so much.
Posted by: Robert Avrech at July 19, 2005 07:47 PM
I am no political expert, but I do have an opinion...I agree with Ari, these people are pure and simple homicide bombers, murderers. It doesn't seem to have anything to do with suicide. It is about carrying out the demands of their leaders, with the promise of "paradise"; no regard for human life; and there is no negotiating with these people. They do not value human life the same way we do, only their cause. It seems to me that rather than searching for the root cause, they need to be cut off at the roots from the leadership that provides ideology, money, and training that makes it possible for homicidal bombers to exist. Just my opinion.
Posted by: Randi at July 19, 2005 08:04 PM
That's a really good article. Thanks for the link.
Posted by: Mirty at July 19, 2005 08:30 PM
Randi: Thanks so much for your comment. For someone who is "not political" you sure make a great deal of practical political sense.
Posted by: Robert Avrech at July 19, 2005 08:37 PM
You are very welcome. I hope many people see this piece and realize the implications.
Posted by: Robert Avrech at July 19, 2005 08:39 PM
Well, this is why assassinating the organizers of suicide bombings is a good idea. I don't care where you live, 18-19 year-old kids are just not capable of carrying this stuff out without a lot of political and religious indoctrination. The problem is, they're not always so easy to find. They conveniently make themselves scarce right after an attack. I think targeted assassinations is the way to go in a lot of things. I certainly would have preferred assassination Saddam to what we're doing now.
Posted by: Jake at July 20, 2005 07:52 AM
That was very interesting. Thank you.
Posted by: Jack at July 20, 2005 11:44 AM
Thanks for linking to this gentleman's website - I enjoyed reading it. Now what I would be very curious to read about is the psychology behind liberalism. I want to know how people can excuse the behavior of the terrorists and homocide bombers. How do these people reconcile this line of thinking within themselves??
Posted by: Rachel at July 20, 2005 01:05 PM
Jack: You are very welcome.
Posted by: Robert at July 20, 2005 01:50 PM
Rachel: The psychology of liberalism? It's called Cognitive Dissonance. As always, Karen and I greatly appreciate your articulate comment.
Posted by: Robert at July 20, 2005 02:12 PM