The poverty/terror myth

http://money.cnn.com/2007/03/13/magazines/fortune/pluggedin_murphy_terror.fortune/index.htm?section=money_email_alerts ^ | Cait Murphy,

[ventanax5]

The idea that poverty breeds terror appears obvious; how could it be otherwise? And people as different as the Archbishop of Canterbury, George Bush, Jacques Chirac and Pakistan's leader, Pervez Musharraf, have also noted a link between poverty and terrorism.

In fact, there is now robust evidence that there is no such link. That does not mean, however, that economics is irrelevant.

First, to the question of poverty. Of the 50 poorest countries in the world (see list at right) only Afghanistan (and perhaps Bangladesh and Yemen) has much experience in terrorism, global or domestic.

But surely that is the wrong way to look at things. Aren't the people who commit terrorist acts poor, even if they are from countries that are not? No. Remember, most of the 19 hijackers on 9/11 were middle-class sons of Saudi Arabia and many were well-educated. And Osama bin Laden himself is from one of the richest families in the Middle East.

[Ben Ficklin]

The Role of Foreign Aid in the War on Terror

[spikeytx86]

Poverty does not cause terrorism, but a impoverished nation full of extremely desperate and exploited people, can be easy pickings for terrorists. They can exploit their frustration and despair by pointing to "The Great Satan" as the cause of all their woes and them their saviors and protectors. Now people of all classes have been drawn to IS. Fascism just like communism, but also like communism and the cold war, the jihadists like the soviets, are exploiting the third world for their gain. We have already started to see this in the horn of Africa.

[Chode]

ol'bin hiden was a rich man before he went on jihad...

[vpintheak]

I grew up darn near dirt poor. If we didn't have a huge garden we would have gone extremely hungry a lot of times. Not a single one of us 6 children are criminals. Pure liberals BS! My parents raised us right, and that is all there is to it.

[SJackson]

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[Cindy]

ON THE NET...

Google - News - Search Term: "HUMAN BOMB"

MEMRI.org - Search Term: "Suicide (Martyrdom) Operations"

YAHOO! News - Photo Gallery: "Suicide Bomber"

GOOGLE - Search Term: "HOMICIDE BOMBERS"

"www.internet-haganah.com"

FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE.com: "THE SMILE OF THE SUICIDE KILLER" by Jamie Glazov (March 28, 2007)

SpecialOpsCreative.com: "SUICIDE KILLERS Paradise Is Hell" (Note: Includes Movie Trailer)

CBN.com: Jerusalem - "WOMEN OF TERROR: DYING TO KILL" by John Waage and Salam Eid (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Every week in Israel, authorities prevent dozens of potential suicide attacks from Palestinians. But hundreds, even thousands in the West Bank and Gaza Strip continue to volunteer to attack Israelis. And, a growing number of them are women.") (February 13, 2007)

MEMRI.org - Special Dispatch Series - No. 1455: "COLUMNIST HASSAN HAYDAR: IRAN SPREADS A 'CULTURE OF DEATH'" (February 8, 2007)

WTOP.com (AP): London - "STUDY SAYS IRAN TEXTBOOKS URGE MARTYRDOM" by Thomas Wagner, AP (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Textbooks used in Iran's schools are instilling students with hatred toward the West, especially the United States, and urging them to become "martyrs" in a global holy war against countries perceived to be enemies of Islam, a new study says. An Iranian human rights activist, Ghazal Omid, praised the findings, saying they prove hard-liners in Iran are using the books to turn children into "ticking bombs."") (February 8, 2007, 2:09 pm)

JIHAD WATCH.org (AAP): "AUSTRALIA: MUSLIM CLERIC CALLS JEWS PIGS AND URGES CHILDREN TO DIE FOR ALLAH" (January 17, 2007)

LittleGreenFootballs - Weblog: "IRAN'S SUICIDE BRIGADES" (November 24, 2006)

MEFORUM.org: "IRAN'S SUICIDE BRIGADES Terrorism Resurgent" by Ali Alfoneh, Middle East Quarterly (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The West sees suicide bombings as terrorism but, to Abbasi, they are a noble expression of Islam. So what is terrorism if not suicide bombing? To Abbasi, terrorism includes any speech and expression he deems insulting to Islam.") (Winter 2007)

WorldNetDaily.com: Jenin - "'Hi, my name is Ahmed and I want to be a suicide bomber' RECRUITED ATTACKER FOR TERROR GROUP TALKS TO WND about 'serving Allah by blasting unbelievers to hell'" by Aaron Klein (November 24, 2006) (Read More...)

LittleGreenFootballs.com - weblog: "DEATH CULT GRANNY BLOWS UP" (November 23, 2006)

HOT AIR.com - HOT AIR TV: "SUICIDE KILLERS" (November 21, 2006)

JIHAD WATCH.org (NEW YORK DAILY NEWS): "NYPD WARNS BUSINESS OWNERS ABOUT FEMALE JIHADISTS EVADING SECURITY" (November 18, 2006)

Regarding Female Human Bombs (November 17, 2006)

YNET NEWS.com: "IRAN: 1,300 VOLUNTEER FOR SUICIDE BOMBINGS Finnish newspaper reports 1,300 Iranians sign up at suicide bombing recruitment center. Among volunteers: Doctors, lawyers and students, 30 percent are women" (Published November 5, 2006, 11:52)

MEMRI.org - Special Dispatch Series - No. 1346: "ISLAMIST WEBSITES MONITOR NO. 18 Jihad Video Encourages Suicide Bombings" (NOVEMBER 3, 2006)

WorldNetDaily.com: "SUICIDE BOMBERS FOLLOW QURAN, CONCLUDES PENTAGON BRIEFING" (September 27, 2006)

IMRA.org.il: "PMW: VIRGINS OF PARADISE - MUSIC VIDEO RETURNS TO PA TV" (September 19, 2006)

PMW.org.il - PALESTINIAN MEDIA WATCH: "VIRGINS OF PARADISE - MUSIC VIDEO RETURNS TO PA TV" by Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook (September 19, 2006)

JAMESTOWN.org - Terrorism Focus: "LONDON PLOT DRAWS ATTENTION TO POTENTIAL FEMALE SUICIDE BOMBERS" by Farhana Ali (August 22, 2006)

INTELLIGENCE-SUMMIT.blogspot.com (AKI) - Tehran: "IRAN SUICIDE BOMBERS JOINED HEZBOLLAH IN LEBANON, MILITANT SAYS" (July 21, 2006)

JIHAD WATCH.org: "IRAN'S SUICIDE BOMBERS THREATEN TO STRIKE U.S. INTERESTS" (May 26, 2006)

JIHAD WATCH.org (AKI): Tehran - "'We have brothers who are ready to sacrifice their lives for the triumph of Islam in Great Britain, France, Belgium, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and also the United States'" (May 27, 2006)

JPOST.com: "THE REGION: PALESTINIAN SUICIDE STRATEGY" by Barry Rubin (Updated July 10, 2006)

JIHAD WATCH.org (JPOST.com): "AKSA BRIGADES ANNOUNCES FEMALE SUICIDE BOMBER UNIT" (July 10, 2006)

JIHAD WATCH.org: "'PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS' IN A CULTURE OF DEATH" (July 2, 2006)

PMW.org.il - TV Archives - Video Library: "PA INDOCTRINATION OF CHILDREN TO SEEK HEROIC DEATH FOR ALLAH - SHAHADA"

MEMRI.org - Special Dispatch Series - No.1162: "ARAB INTELLECTUALS PRAISE MARTYRDOM IN DISCUSSION ON SYRIAN TV" (May 12, 2006)

MEMRITV.org - Video Clips: "INCITING CHILDREN"

MEMRITV.org - Video Clip No. 1107 - Transcript: "PALESTINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MAHMOUD AL-ZAHAR DEFENDS 'MARTYRDOM-SEEKING OPERATIONS'" (April 6, 2006)

MEMRI.org - Special Dispatch Series - No. 1111: Palestinian Legislative Council Member 'Umm Nidal' on Saudi Iqra TV: A Muslim Mother Should Raise Her Children for Jihad Interviewer Iqra TV Director-General Critical of Arab TV Channels That Don't Support Martyrdom Operations" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The following are excerpts from an interview with Palestinian Legislative Council member "Umm Nidal" Farhat, aired on Saudi Iqra TV, on February 19, 2006. TO VIEW THIS CLIP, VISIT: http://www.memritv.org/search.asp?ACT=S9&P1=1066" (March 10, 2006)

CNS NEWS.com: "HAMAS WEBSITE ENCOURAGES KIDS TO BECOME MARTYRS" by Julie Stahl (March 8, 2006)

PMW.org.il - TV Archives - Video Library: "PA INDOCTRINATION OF CHILDREN TO SEEK HEROIC DEATH FOR ALLAH - SHAHADA"

PMW.org.il: "'ASK FOR DEATH!' The Indoctrination of Palestinian Children to Seek Death for Allah - Shahada" by Itamar Marcus, Director, Palestinian Media Watch

PMW.org.il: "A SELF-PORTRAIT OF SUICIDE TERRORISTS" by Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook (March 2, 2006)

JIHAD WATCH.org (YNETNEWS): "THE DIRECTOR OF 'PARADISE NOW' WOULD BE A SUICIDE BOMBER" (March 3, 2006)

JIHAD WATCH.org (JTA): "SUICIDE BOMBING ENDORSED IN KIDS BOOK RECOMMENDED BY CANADIAN LIBRARIES" (March 3, 2006)

JAMESTOWN.org - Terrorism Focus: "THE FOREIGN MAKEUP OF AFGHAN SUICIDE BOMBERS" by Omid Marzban (February 21, 2006) (Read More...)

MEMRI.org - Special Dispatch Series No. 1076: "RARE FOOTAGE OF SAUDI COMEDIAN & AL-MAJD TV EMPLOYEE-TURNED-SUICIDE BOMBER MUHAMMAD SHAZZAF AL-SHEHRI" (January 24, 2006)

"www.memritv.org/search.asp?ACT=S9&P1=1004"

THE COUNTERTERRORISM BLOG: "FATHER OF SUICIDE BOMBING VICTIM: GOLDEN GLOBE TO 'PARADISE LOST' LEGITIMIZES TERRORISM" (January 23, 2006)

A Discussion on FREEREPUBLIC.com regarding a REUTERS article: "SUICIDE BOMBER FILM WINS HONOUR AT GOLDEN GLOBES" (January 16, 2006)

JIHAD WATCH.org (SUNDAY MIRROR): "AL-QAEDA'S PLOT TO INFECT TROOPS WITH AIDS VIRUS" (January 9, 2006)

stepping back in time...NEW SCIENTIST.com:"SUICIDE BOMBERS MAY SPREAD DISEASE" (July 24, 2002)

EMS RESPONDER.com: "RECOGNIZING IMMINENT DANGER: CHARACTERISTICS OF A SUICIDE BOMBER" (Updated October 31, 2005)

JIHAD WATCH.org (GulfNews): "'THEY PROMISED US PARADISE THROUGH MARTYRDOM'" (December 22, 2005)

FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE.com: "SUICIDE KILLERS" by Jamie Glazov (December 12, 2005)

FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE.com: "CONVERTS TO TERROR" by Daniel Pipes (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Islamist terror organizations particularly prize converts. They know the local culture and blend in.") (December 6, 2005)

MEMRI.org - Special Dispatch Series No. 1032: "REFORMIST SAUDI AUTHOR: RELIGIOUS CASSETTES ADVOCATED JIHAD BY EMPHASIZING MARTYR'S SEXUAL REWARDS" (November 23, 2005)

FrontPageMagazine.com: "WHAT PARADISE?" by Pierre Rehov (November 16, 2005)

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "MR. SHAEED HAS A BAD DAY AT THE OFFICE" (November 1, 2005)

A discussion on FreeRepublic.com regarding The Jewish Journal article by Marc Ballon: "WHAT MAKES BOMBERS TICK IN 'PARADISE'?" (October 28, 2005)

JIHAD WATCH.org (AFP): "RESEARCHERS PROBE MOTIVES OF SUICIDE BOMBERS" (October 4, 2005)

MEMRI.org - Special Dispatch Series - No. 983: "COMMANDER OF HAMAS MILITARY WING WOMEN'S UNIT: 'Our Members Yearn for Martyrdom'" (September 9, 2005)

CORRIERE.IT/english: Turin - "TURIN IMAM DEPORTED -- "HE'S DANGEROUS" Accused of praising Bin Laden. Como-based Tunisian activist also expelled." (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The ten children taking part in the ring-o'-roses protest beneath the market clock in Porta Palazzo were all wearing suicide bomber belts. The year was 1997, and that was the first time Bouriqi Bouchta, whose idea it was, attracted Italy’s attention.") (September 7, 2005)

MEMRITV.org/Transcript - Video Clip No. 838 - 8/31/2005: " 8/31/2005 Clip No. 838: "Sheik of Al-Azhar Muhammad Tantawi Explains on Al-Hurra TV When a Suicide Bomber Becomes a Martyr and When He Is Not" (TRANSCRIPT SNIPPET: "Following are excerpts from an interview with Sheik of Al-Azhar Muhammad Sayyed Tantawi, which aired on Al-Hurra TV on August 31, 2005")

MEMRI TV.org - Clip No. 843 - Transcript: "SAUDI IQRA TV RAISES MONEY FOR PALESTINIAN INTIFADA" (TRANSCRIPT SNIPPET: "Caption: The Saudi committee for support of the Al-Quds Intifada. Account number 98, a joint account in all Saudi banks.") (August 29, 2005)

FrontPageMagazine.com: "SYMPOSIUM: THROUGH THE EYES OF A SUICIDE BOMBER" by Jamie Glazov (August 12, 2005)

COUNTERTERRORISM BLOG: "INTERVIEW WITH PIERRE REHOV, DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER, ON PSYCHOLOGY BEHIND SUICIDE BOMBINGS" (July 27, 2005)

MEMRI.org - Special Dispatch Series - No. 909: "BAHRAINI AUTHOR AND JOURNALIST: THE PROPONENTS OF THE SUICIDE IDEOLOGY HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "In an article that appeared in the Saudi daily Al-Yawm, titled "The Globalization of Islamic Suicide" author and journalist Sawsan Al-Sha'er wrote that the extremist Islamist groups are taking advantage of global communications to recruit suicide bombers, and predicted the spread of the suicide bomber phenomenon to Britain as well.") (May 17, 2005)

JIHAD WATCH.org (DAWN): "MAJORITY OF SUICIDE BOMBERS ARE EDUCATED" (January 13, 2005)

FOX NEWS.com: "TICKET TO HELL" by David Asman (December 9, 2004)

MEMRI.org - MIDDLE EAST MEDIA RESEARCH INSTITUTE Special Report - No.32: "MEMRI TV Project Special Report: Arab and Iranian TV Clips in Support of Suicide Bombing" (September 1, 2004)

JIHAD WATCH.org: "RATIONAL, EDUCATED AND PROSPEROUS: JUST YOUR AVERAGE SUICIDE BOMBER" (May 15, 2004)

SAAG.org - SOUTH ASIA ANALYSIS GROUP: "SUICIDE & SUICIDAL TERRORISM" by B. Raman (March 12, 2004)

JIHAD WATCH.org (HAARETZ): "10 SUICIDE BOMBINGS FOILED OVER PASSOVER HOLIDAY" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "One of two Tanzim activists caught at the end of March told interrogators the group that sent them had planned a series of other attacks, including one with a device to which blood infected with AIDS would be attached.") (April 13, 2004)

FrontPageMagazine.com: "AFFLUENT GENOCIDE" by Robert Spencer (October 14, 2003)

NEW SCIENTIST.com: "SUICIDE BOMBERS MAY SPREAD DISEASE" (July 24, 2002)

WTVT.com - FOX13 Investigative: "JIHAD FOR KIDS" (February 4, 2002)