Suicide Attack Quotes
The dramatic expression was actually not original with bin Laden. It emerged throughout Islamic history regarding the “enemies” of the time.
If there is a group from whom a constant supply of volunteer suicide bombers is drawn, and who honestly believe that death while fighting for Islam is desirable, then deterrence will not be an effective strategy. This is a very hard reality for us to face because the vast majority of our historical experience has been with people who were moved by deterrence techniques.
After years of minority Sunni Muslim rule of Iraq, the U. S. invasion gave the majority Shiite Muslims political control. The Sunnis and Shiites have been at each others throats for centuries despite the fact that they are both Muslims. Saudi Arabia is the center of Sunni Islam and many of its religious extremists issue edicts advocating the suicide bombing of Shiite mosques and other facilities and assuring martyrdom for the suicide bombers.
Under this interpretation of Islamic law – Sharia – virtually anything regardless of how sinful or immoral under normal circumstances is morally permissible if Islam is being defended from attack. Not all Muslim theologians agree with this principle. See {589498}. There was a similar perversion of theological logic used by Christian Popes during the Crusades.
There were really no American national interests involved in the Civil War in Lebanon. A conservative like Reagan could simply withdraw while if a liberal Democrat did the same thing, he would be castigated by the right for showing weakness and inviting attacks on our diplomats, troops, and citizens all over the world. There were a few ultra conservatives who objected to Reagan’s decision and several, decades later, blamed this “weakness” as the facilitator of subsequent terrorist attacks on our embassies, and even 9-11.