- Sep 12, 2008
- 14,201
- 3,567
- 185
Folks here have been talking about the idea of terrorism being a form of revenge by the pretty much helpless. I don't buy into that. I feel the best understanding of actual terrorist can be gleaned by reading Conrad's "Secret Agent" : Terrorists are usually morons used as tools by the venial to achieve stupid ends.
Are terrorists usually poor? from what I have seen, no, they are not. Most of the 9/11 guys were from wealthy families.
Most of the Weather Underground here in the US were the same.
Alexander Ulinov, who killed the Tsar was a nobleman's son. As was his brother Vladimir, who became leader after the revolution.
How about occupation as a determinator? Well, the 9/11 guys were mostly from Saudi and Yemen. No palestinians that I can recall, but there may have been some. No occupation in Saudi.
No US occupation in the US... well if you really push it.... to inspire the Weather underground. Or Timothy McVeigh.
There used to be a website of biographies of suicide bombers in Israel. It was a heartbreaking read. Were it not for the fact they seemed so much in ernest, it would have been nasty satire. Women who chose martyrdom over marriage to someone selected by their family, people who had never had a job and were in the last stages of despair. It was obvious from reading these things that they were mostly very unhappy tools who chose martyrdom as a way of non disgraceful suicide.
Are terrorists usually poor? from what I have seen, no, they are not. Most of the 9/11 guys were from wealthy families.
Most of the Weather Underground here in the US were the same.
Alexander Ulinov, who killed the Tsar was a nobleman's son. As was his brother Vladimir, who became leader after the revolution.
How about occupation as a determinator? Well, the 9/11 guys were mostly from Saudi and Yemen. No palestinians that I can recall, but there may have been some. No occupation in Saudi.
No US occupation in the US... well if you really push it.... to inspire the Weather underground. Or Timothy McVeigh.
There used to be a website of biographies of suicide bombers in Israel. It was a heartbreaking read. Were it not for the fact they seemed so much in ernest, it would have been nasty satire. Women who chose martyrdom over marriage to someone selected by their family, people who had never had a job and were in the last stages of despair. It was obvious from reading these things that they were mostly very unhappy tools who chose martyrdom as a way of non disgraceful suicide.
