'Majority of suicide bombers are educated' (BARF)

www.dawn.com ^ | By Our Staff Reporter

[miltonim]

ISLAMABAD, Jan 12: Suicide bombers are not necessarily uneducated, poor and psychopaths but are as much economically well-off as their surrounding population.

These views were expressed by a leading Australia-based Pakistani sociologist, Dr Riaz Hassan, who was delivering a lecture on suicide bombers here on Wednesday.

....

Dr Hassan described some novel facts and figures he had gathered while conducting his ongoing research on suicide bombers. About 66 per cent of the Palestinian suicide bombers were high school or university graduates.

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To the surprise of many, Dr Hassan said, there had been a considerable decrease in the number of terrorist activities committed since 1990s compared to that of 1987. However, the number of suicide bombers was increasing...

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He said suicide bombing constituted only three per cent of the total terrorist activities, but caused 48 per cent of all deaths....

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Describing the results of suicide attacks, Dr Hassan said it had been successful in October 1983 when Hezbollah targeted Americans and French international peace keeping forces and compelled them to leave Lebanon. Since the second Intifada, he said, the Israelis had started redefining Palestinians from 'uneducated cruel' to 'educated cruel' after facing suicide attacks from Hamas.

Despite the success of various law enforcement organizations to reduce the number of terrorist activities, the ratio of suicide bombers, who caused more destruction due to the easy availability of modern weapons and explosives, was going up gradually.

....

[superskunk]

Good question. Honestly, I WOULD prefer to eradicate the virus in the hopes of some day reforming the degenerate. Excellent analogy, though. My compliments.

[Kornev]

Why the barf? They are well educated in the koran, and are simply following its teachings. An intelligent and studied islamic will kill themselves for allah to take out infidels. That's from the founding documents of islam.

[peyton randolph]

Honestly, I WOULD prefer to eradicate the virus in the hopes of some day reforming the degenerate.

I agree. Following this line of thinking, it is essential for the U.S. to do to Mecca what the Romans did to Carthage. If there is nothing to bow down and pray to 5 times daily, it kind of deflates the idea of Allah the Omnipotent and his 72 virgins for every homicide bomber.

[USF]

Re: The enemy is not EVERY Muslim individual. THE ENEMY IS ISLAM. THE ENEMY IS THE KORAN. THE ENEMY IS THE HADITH. THE ENEMY IS SHARIAH.

peyton, if you've ever been to an Islamic country you'll see that some of them don't have much of a choice. It's call yourself a "Muslim" or face death. Some do not choose Islam, the cult of death chooses them and they cant out run the local religious police, or deal with loosing their families, friends or careers, and being outcasts in their society.

I recommend reading "Leaving Islam" by Ibn Warraq. He has left the cult and the book is a collection of tales of the experiences that other ex-Muslim faced. Sadly, not all can be so brave or are allowed the same opportunities.

[USF]

LOL.. I agree... take out something at the heart of their delusional belief system and watch as the rest of the lies built on a house of cards begins to fall...

[superskunk]

Yep. Cut the head off the snake.

[calex59]

I don't remember anyone saying that poverty causes terrorist. What causes terrorism are people who are brainwashed to the point of fanaticism. Most of the suicide bombers are young people who have been indoctrinated from an early age. You don't see the middle aged terrorists( if there are any) going out to bomb people. Besides, your average terrorists ISN'T a suicide bomber. When is the last time you saw one of their leaders screaming Allahu Akbar and pulling a detonator cord on a vest bomb? Never. These kids are betrayed by their leaders. Islam is a violent religion, their Koran tells them to kill infidels, so they do. Infidels don't have to do anything to the muslims, they just have to exist, and they will be killed. Terrorists may be educated, but they are ignorant.

[Blue_Ridge_Mtn_Geek]

Honestly, I WOULD prefer to eradicate the virus in the hopes of some day reforming the degenerate.

I agree. Following this line of thinking, it is essential for the U.S. to do to Mecca what the Romans did to Carthage. If there is nothing to bow down and pray to 5 times daily, it kind of deflates the idea of Allah the Omnipotent and his 72 virgins for every homicide bomber.

---

The problem with this argument is that what the Romans did to Carthage, they also did to Jerusalem (and they were not the first - - the Babylonians had also done it to Jerusalem several centuries earlier). Likewise, turning Mecca into a giant radioactive glass-paved parking lot would not eliminate the location towards which prayer is directed, nor the system of ideas which drives the worshippers. If Judaism could cope with the utter destruction of its center of worship, twice, what good reason is there to assume that Islam could not?

The argument that committing an act of terror like this would win the "war on terrorism" is an almost-amusing act of self-refutation. A more likely outcome would be a further escalation of terrorist acts by all parties to the struggle. But such arguments are usually dismissed by enthusiasts for the efficacy of extreme mayhem. Perhaps many radioactive glass surfaced parking lots will have to be created before the believers in such behavior are exhausted or eliminated. Then the survivors can get on with a less self-negating approach to life.

[dennisw]

The problem with this argument is that what the Romans did to Carthage, they also did to Jerusalem (and they were not the first - - the Babylonians had also done it to Jerusalem several centuries earlier). Likewise, turning Mecca into a giant radioactive glass-paved parking lot would not eliminate the location towards which prayer is directed, 

It would vaporize the Kabba rock and make Hajj impossible. Both are very important Islamic pang symbols

nor the system of ideas which drives the worshippers. 

Would likely produce a chastened form of Islam that would stop Jihad

If Judaism could cope with the utter destruction of its center of worship, twice, 

How well did Jews cope after the destruction of the Second Temple and being dispersed? Not very well. They were always guests in other nations and subject to the whims of kings and autocrats. The Jews in France are unwelcome guests these days but know that at least they have a refuge in today's Jewish nation.

what good reason is there to assume that Islam could not?

After a Muslim nuke is set off here (USA) we will find out despite your noble protestations. Since vaporization of Mecca/Medina will be the response

[Former Dodger]

He said the western media wrongly attached suicide with Islam. In 100 AD, Jewish sect of zealots - Sicari - practised suicide in Roman occupied Judea while the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka and the Japanese in Second World War, both non-Muslims, carried out suicide attacks.

Great examples, Prof.

In 100 AD there were no explosives in the Western World, what did the "Sicari" do: throw themselves on Roman spears?

The Japanese suicide attacks, the Kamikaze, and to a certain extent the "Banzai charge", were strictly against MILITARY targets, I believe the Tamils are the same.

The aim of suicide bombers was not to die but to serve as a tool for greater goals which might be achieved by his nation after his death.

I believe tool is a typo, FOOLis what was meant.

Nation, what nation?

People around the world had started changing their viewpoints about suicide attacks since preemptive US strikes against Afghanistan and Iraq and the Israeli highhandedness in Palestine.

Yes, all nations are jealous of the great achievements of the suicide looneys and have decided to add Suicide Squad to their Special Forces. It will save money since they are cheaper to train and equip./sarcasm

WHAT AN IDIOT!

The strongest human instinct is to survive, ignoring that instinct makes you a PSYCHO - nothing less.

[American in Israel]

Suicide bombers are not necessarily uneducated, poor and psychopaths

While they may not be poor or uneducated, they are still psychopaths. They may get treasure from smarter Arabs for blowing themselves up, they may be educated in Koranic verses, but mass murder of strangers is as psychopathic as you can get.

[American in Israel]

Then they should focus their talents on engineering a decent sanitary system in their decrepit countries.

Nah, there are whole political partys that want the place to be full of shi'ite.

[R. Scott]

Education does not equate with intelligence, nor does it preclude a psychosis.

[sheik yerbouty]

Educated? They must have shi'ite for brains!

[ariamne]

"So what are the 97% non-lethal activities?

NPR?"
___________________

Hmm. Have you listened lately? It may yet prove detrimental to one's health! (blech...)

: )

[bananarepublican23]

NO KIDDING. A high school Pali education is learning about how Israel is the devil/doesn't have the right to exist/must be destroyed. Oh yeah, and that suicide bombers go to paradise.
It makes sense that the more brainwashed they are the likelier they are to go blow themselves up for the cause.
They start early. Look at this

"Talking Chick Promotes Massacre with AK-47: On a children’s program discussing the importance of trees, "Tarabisho" - the Talking Chick -- was the center of the discussion. The child moderator asked the talking chick what he would do if someone, specifically a “little boy,” were to chop down his tree. In his squeaky little voice, Tarabisho answered: "I'll fight him and make a big riot, I'll call the whole world and make a riot. I'll bring AK-47s [assault rifles] and the whole world, I'll commit a massacre in front of the house". [PA TV: Oct. 22, 2004]

[F.J. Mitchell]

The term for such, is, "educated d*mn fools".

[superskunk]

Forgive our self serving rant. I don't think any sane person really wants to see any type of nuclear exchange. I do, however, doubt that there can be any lasting peace with the Islamic world. The very nature of their faith prevents it.

The accident at Chernobel was a terrible tragedy, but it did open the Soviets' eyes to just how horrible a nuclear exchange would be. I believe it was a key component to ending the could war.

In our modern times, we are dealing with enemies who have no fear of such an exchange. In fact, I think they would welcome it. It's impossible to comprehend their thought process. I believe that it's important to secure ourselves against these ideologues, either by altering the nature of their faith or by denying them the ability to ever pose a serious threat to us again. Either task would be monumental, and I fear that neither would ultimately be effective, but we can ill afford to do nothing. In the end, it my come down to a full scale "Jihad" after all. IMO

[R. Scott]

What an insane way (to us) to raise their children.

[BayouCoyote]

Ready for battle!