Kosh

Been watching "In the mind of a suicide bomber" on the History Channel tonight (that's right, with Arthur Dent).

The latest trend among palestinian suicide bombers is for them not be Hamas, but rather to proudly identify as "secular" suicide bombers.

That's right, all the dynamite, none of the virgins.

Starboy

Hmmmm, low cal martyrs.

Seeker196

I find this encouraging.

Why would a bomber want to clarify that he has secular reasons?

I think the Palestianian 'street' is beginning to see the 72 virgin guys more like we do, nuts.

Godless Dave

Instead of being infused with enough religious fervor to be willing to commit suicie, they're infused with political fervor instead. Just a healthy reminder that religions aren't the only things that exploit human gullibility to incite terrible violence.

never been there

It certainly makes more sense as an appeal to the rest of the world, even including to Israelis. "See how crappy my life is under occupation that suicide makes sense as long as I take a soldier or settler with me."

-RRH-

They are probably worried about giving Islam a bad name.

beyelzu

well,

i just dont see how you can be a secular suicide bomber with when you are fighting in a jihad, unless you are paid than you can just be a really stupid mercenary.

Sabine Grant

..

Is it the general impression that all palestinians are engaged in a religious war with Israelis? I guess coming from Europe where history seems to be described differently as in the US, some of us believe that Palestinians are mostly concerned with being able to retain territories so that they may build their nation.

I do not think Arafat is concerned about how islam can prevail rather how his people have the right to live where their ancestors lived.

Bin Ladin expressed support to the Palestinian cause because he will exploit any opportunity to rally with whomever is engaged against the Western world.... his agenda has nothing to do with the PLO's. There is common anger againts the Us from palestinians and other groups some of them being indeed motivated by a religious agenda. But I certainly would not qualify Palestinians to be engaged in a holy war against the Western world. The means some of them use to fight are indeed influenced by the fanatic aspect of islamic fundamentalism....

I am not surprised at all that some palestinians want to be recognized as " secular" as they want to see the motivation of their fighting to be recognized for what it is.... the claim to a land where their ancestors lived.

Sabine Grant

Beyelzu.... during the German occupation, members of the French Resistance used means to fight the Germans which implied the sacrifice of their own lives. Would you place their religious inclination as the reason why they fought or the fact that they were fighting an invader and opressor of their land and people?

Oxymoron

Sounds vaguely patronising, if you don't mind my saying so.

The majority of Palestinians are doing what they've done for the last few centuries: being pushed hither and thither by groups and nations who don't quite know what to do with them. Israel is not the only country who will not tolerate them: in Lebanon, they lived in squalid refugee camps; Jordan and Syria will not let them settle within their borders.

A sizeable minority of Palestinians do not recognise the right of Israel to exist, and so have pledged to destroy it. They are funded and equipped by the likes of Iraq (y'know, that country you're about to invade), Iran (y'know, that country where you ditched all those helicopters), and of course Osama bin Laden (y'know, the guy who knocked down those nice buildings). The objective of these "people" is not to retain territory; it is to kill, maim and destroy the state of Israel, and they are supported by those who view the west as "The Great Satan" and The Infidel (sic).

How romantic. You make attempted genocide sound so noble.