[unspun]

To be brave, one must have a grasp for what he is involved in --the danger and harm. These men decided to undergo what amounts to brainwashing (perhaps systematically) so that they believed they were simply improving their lot, dying in "Jihad."

Another example would be Jim Jones killing his followers and himself. He was not brave.

Bravery requires having a sense of reality. It is also not usually a word that would describe mass murderers, nor suicide victims.

[L,TOWM]

OK, I can deal with that.

The reality of these people being at war with us is what I believe the author was trying to convey. Part of their delusion (IMHO) is that the are "soldiers" in some kind of a justifiable war. Understand, the will to perform acts like this make for some dangerous opponnents; I think it would not serve us well to dismiss them as being a bunch rifle dropping, mass surrendering pansies like the WWII Italians.