Every night I hear the depressing news of suicide bombers murdering innocent civilians. I thought that the following could stop this practise.
A well publicised and televised debate on one question: Do suicide bombers qualify for martyrdom.
The preservation of life is a strong emotional drive. However, it can be over ridden by a higher goal: martyrdom. I thought that the defence of one's family may override this emotional drive, but it does not, for even when trying to protect your family, you still want to live.
I believe that there will be a shortage of candidates for suicide missions if the candidates themselves did not believe that they would be martyrs.
This is a world wide problem and not limited to any one group. However for simplicity I will just mention Iraq as that is the most visible.
The problem is how to get the education where it is needed. No, I do not have a solution to that. Logistically it is not possible with todays world conditions.
Just as we need to take one bite at a time to eat a whole loaf of bread we need to deal with this problem one step at a time.
I think we need to first identify who is benefiting from the continuation of suicide bombers. The people in Iraq do not seem to be. So the question is who or what is the providing source for the continuation of them?
Who is most likely to benefit from a weakened Iraq? Suicide bombers do seem to be weakening the country and keeping the people divided and suspicious of each other. It is also reducing the number of the best defenders of Iraq.
I really doubt that the US would benefit from a fallen Iraq. A strong Iraq would be in the best interest of the US. A strong country is productive and contributes to the world economy, a poor fallen country is a burden and expensive to keep contained.
So the first question is to identify who stands to gain the most from a destroyed Iraq. That is who is encouraging and backing the suicide bombers. If we can find and eliminate that problem, we will open the doors for education to enter.
I really doubt that the US would benefit from a fallen Iraq. A strong Iraq would be in the best interest of the US. A strong country is productive and contributes to the world economy, a poor fallen country is a burden and expensive to keep contained.
Agree
Im Always Right,Its Like,When Im Right,Im Right,And When Im Wrong,I Could've Been Right,So Im Still Right,'Cause I Could've Been Wrong!
Before we discuss how to stop "suicide bombings", why not discuss how to stop aerial bombardment - which in the history of modern warfare has killed many many more people than sucide bombings?
As for the muslims views on these bombings - if they are used in ONLY military operations, then i think most would accept them.
As someone earlier said, a badly armed soldier jumping under a tank and blowing it up should be praised for his heroic act - not condemned as a hell-bound manic
in some instances, this brave self-sacrifice act has saved lives
Someone said to the Prophet, "Pray to God against the idolaters and curse them." The Prophet replied, "I have been sent to show mercy and have not been sent to curse." (Muslim)
I do not believe that all suicide bombers are "young, outcasts, homeless, etc". Some (perhaps more than we think) are educated and well off.
As I attempted to explain in my article, martyrdom is an honour for Christians and Muslims. It is perhaps the most honourable way to die. I remember at the start of the war in Afghanistan that old men with WW1 vintage rifles were reportedly crossing the Pakistani border to fight in hopes of being martyred. Therefore, just as martyrdom is attractive to young, old, rich poor etc Christians, it is the same for Muslims. The article is linked below.
The issue then becomes: do suicide bombers actually qualify for martyrdom. This is not a subjective exercise in describing the offensiveness of the act. Martyrdom is an offensive act. Stephen was martyred, and it was very ugly - but an honour for him. Therefore simply describing the gruesomeness of the act will not dissuade anyone.
Suicide bombers do what they do because they BELIEVE that they will receive a martyr’s reward. An erroneous belief can only be broken when exposed to convincing truth. That truth for them must come from the Koran. The problem is: who will tell the truth to those currently being deceived?
I do not believe that all suicide bombers are "young, outcasts, homeless, etc". Some (perhaps more than we think) are educated and well off.
As I attempted to explain in my article, martyrdom is an honour for Christians and Muslims. It is perhaps the most honourable way to die. I remember at the start of the war in Afghanistan that old men with WW1 vintage rifles were reportedly crossing the Pakistani border to fight in hopes of being martyred. Therefore, just as martyrdom is attractive to young, old, rich poor etc Christians, it is the same for Muslims. The article is linked below.
The issue then becomes: do suicide bombers actually qualify for martyrdom. This is not a subjective exercise in describing the offensiveness of the act. Martyrdom is an offensive act. Stephen was martyred, and it was very ugly - but an honour for him. Therefore simply describing the gruesomeness of the act will not dissuade anyone.
Suicide bombers do what they do because they BELIEVE that they will receive a martyr’s reward. An erroneous belief can only be broken when exposed to convincing truth. That truth for them must come from the Koran. The problem is: who will tell the truth to those currently being deceived?
Regards,
Grenville
Actually you are correct in the area of highly funded international terrorist cells. I think the suicide bombers in Iraq and Israel were on my mind at the time. It is well known that Atta and the others were fairly well off and educated. Those were the "true" believers I was referring to.
The fact we also have to deal with is that war will not stop the problem either. I am a patriotic American with strong ties to the military, but if an "insurgent" straps a bomb to themselves and blows up a checkpoint with soldiers standing around it doesn't make me feel morally outraged. These people don't stand a chance in a stand up fight of it, they tried that already. What causes my moral outrage are those suicide bombers whose only target are civilians. Which of course is the primary target of suicide bomers 9 out of 10 times. You are right, nothing will stop these acts of carnage unless those who do so are told repeatedly, by their families, clergy, friends, etc that such an act is a one way ticket to Hell.
"Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not, and a sense of humor was provided to console him for what he is."
Actually you are correct in the area of highly funded international terrorist cells. I think the suicide bombers in Iraq and Israel were on my mind at the time. It is well known that Atta and the others were fairly well off and educated. Those were the "true" believers I was referring to.
The fact we also have to deal with is that war will not stop the problem either. I am a patriotic American with strong ties to the military, but if an "insurgent" straps a bomb to themselves and blows up a checkpoint with soldiers standing around it doesn't make me feel morally outraged. These people don't stand a chance in a stand up fight of it, they tried that already. What causes my moral outrage are those suicide bombers whose only target are civilians. Which of course is the primary target of suicide bomers 9 out of 10 times. You are right, nothing will stop these acts of carnage unless those who do so are told repeatedly, by their families, clergy, friends, etc that such an act is a one way ticket to Hell.
__________________
So you are not against the concept of such a weapon - only its misuse?
i think that would be the opinion of most people on weapons in general - whether the weapon in question happens to be a suicide bomb vest or a cluster bomb dropped from a jet.
Actually you are correct in the area of highly funded international terrorist cells. I think the suicide bombers in Iraq and Israel were on my mind at the time. It is well known that Atta and the others were fairly well off and educated. Those were the "true" believers I was referring to.
The fact we also have to deal with is that war will not stop the problem either. I am a patriotic American with strong ties to the military, but if an "insurgent" straps a bomb to themselves and blows up a checkpoint with soldiers standing around it doesn't make me feel morally outraged. These people don't stand a chance in a stand up fight of it, they tried that already. What causes my moral outrage are those suicide bombers whose only target are civilians. Which of course is the primary target of suicide bomers 9 out of 10 times. You are right, nothing will stop these acts of carnage unless those who do so are told repeatedly, by their families, clergy, friends, etc that such an act is a one way ticket to Hell.
Interesting Analysis – Whose bombing civilians in markets in Iraq?
“One young Iraqi man told us that he was trained by the Americans as a policeman in Baghdad and he spent 70 per cent of his time learning to drive and 30 per cent in weapons training. They said to him: ‘Come back in a week.’ When he went back, they gave him a mobile phone and told him to drive into a crowded area near a mosque and phone them. He waited in the car but couldn’t get the right mobile signal. So he got out of the car to where he received a better signal. Then his car blew up.
“There was another man, trained by the Americans for the police. He too was given a mobile and told to drive to an area where there was a crowd - maybe a protest - and to call them and tell them what was happening. Again, his new mobile was not working. So he went to a landline phone and called the Americans and told them: ‘Here I am, in the place you sent me and I can tell you what’s happening here.’ And at that moment there was a big explosion in his car.”
Khadduri’s report went like this: “A few days ago, an American manned check point confiscated the driver license of a driver and told him to report to an American military camp near Baghdad airport for interrogation and in order to retrieve his license… we have forwarded your papers and license to al-Kadhimia police station for processing. …The driver did leave in a hurry, but was soon alarmed with a feeling that his car was driving as if carrying a heavy load, and he also became suspicious of a low flying helicopter that kept hovering overhead, as if trailing him. He stopped the car and inspected it carefully. He found nearly 100 kilograms of explosives hidden in the back seat and along the two back doors.
(2) On May 13, 2005, a 64 years old Iraqi farmer, Haj Haidar Abu Sijjad, took his tomato load in his pickup truck from Hilla to Baghdad, accompanied by Ali, his 11 years old grandson. They were stopped at an American check point and were asked to dismount. ….A minute later, his grandson told him that he saw one of the American soldiers putting a grey melon size object in the back among the tomato containers. “They intended it to explode in Baghdad …’.
hehe BUT they are no muslims. They dont blow them self up among market with childrens and women, al sadr do that and hamas, and the rest terrorist crew in iraq. what is your point?
Interesting Analysis – Whose bombing civilians in markets in Iraq?
“One young Iraqi man told us that he was trained by the Americans as a policeman in Baghdad and he spent 70 per cent of his time learning to drive and 30 per cent in weapons training. They said to him: ‘Come back in a week.’ When he went back, they gave him a mobile phone and told him to drive into a crowded area near a mosque and phone them. He waited in the car but couldn’t get the right mobile signal. So he got out of the car to where he received a better signal. Then his car blew up.
“There was another man, trained by the Americans for the police. He too was given a mobile and told to drive to an area where there was a crowd - maybe a protest - and to call them and tell them what was happening. Again, his new mobile was not working. So he went to a landline phone and called the Americans and told them: ‘Here I am, in the place you sent me and I can tell you what’s happening here.’ And at that moment there was a big explosion in his car.”
Khadduri’s report went like this: “A few days ago, an American manned check point confiscated the driver license of a driver and told him to report to an American military camp near Baghdad airport for interrogation and in order to retrieve his license… we have forwarded your papers and license to al-Kadhimia police station for processing. …The driver did leave in a hurry, but was soon alarmed with a feeling that his car was driving as if carrying a heavy load, and he also became suspicious of a low flying helicopter that kept hovering overhead, as if trailing him. He stopped the car and inspected it carefully. He found nearly 100 kilograms of explosives hidden in the back seat and along the two back doors.
(2) On May 13, 2005, a 64 years old Iraqi farmer, Haj Haidar Abu Sijjad, took his tomato load in his pickup truck from Hilla to Baghdad, accompanied by Ali, his 11 years old grandson. They were stopped at an American check point and were asked to dismount. ….A minute later, his grandson told him that he saw one of the American soldiers putting a grey melon size object in the back among the tomato containers. “They intended it to explode in Baghdad …’.
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