Terrorism in the Middle East did not start with Islam. Political factions used terrorist tactics for centuries before the birth of Muhammad, and, in many ways, their actions foreshadowed the terrorist atrocities we see today. In particular, modern terrorists resemble the Sicarii, a particularly vicious group that plagued Jerusalem and Judea almost 2,000 years ago. The Sicarii (knifemen) thought of themselves as patriots, freedom fighters who would liberate Judea from the hated Romans. Jewish freedom was so important to them that they would do literally anything they thought might gain them that freedom, killing anyone that might stand in their...