Wed Assignment 4

Almost every day we see in the news that some sort of suicide attack or IED attack has happened in one of several Middle Eastern Countries. On the American news stations, oftentimes these attacks are portrayed as random acts of violence against innocent women and children. The news paints a picture for us that these suicide bombers are religious wackos who kill themselves and others because of their religious faith. This could not be further from the truth according to researchers of suicide bombings. In Robert Pape’s 2005 article, “Blowing Up an Assumption,” Pape argues that the number one strategic goal of suicide bombers is “to compel modern democracies to withdraw military forces from territory that the terrorists consider to be their homeland.” Religion is often secondary, mainly used for recruitment and funding purposes. Pape brings up a good and valid point about the suicide missions in Iraq since the U.S. has been there, with the fact that there were no suicide missions before America entered the country as an occupying force. In the 2002 article, “Violence, Terror, and Politics as Usual,” by Charles Tilly, he argues that terror is used most often for political bargaining and profit-taking. Terror is a political strategy to increase power and gain resources for the particular movement.
Terror, such as suicide bombings, is actually used by both secular and religious groups, and in most continents. We have seen it used repeatedly in the Israel-Palestine conflict, in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and even here in the United States. Robert J. Brym in his chapter in Goodwin and Jasper states that the more a particular group is repressed, the more they may use harsher and possibly more lethal methods of protest. According to Brym, suicide bombers are not crazy and not religious nuts. It is mainly political reasons why a person will become a suicide attacker. There are also strategic reasons why a group might use suicide bombings such as opposing occupation of land by a much stronger nation. Last Brym states that another main reason why groups use suicide bombers is for retaliation. This is seen in the Israel-Palestine situation. Israel is constantly bombing and assassinating Palestinians in response to the Palestinian suicide bombers.
In my opinion, suicide bombing cannot be seen as just random, senseless violence like most Americans are led to believe. According to the authors of this week's articles and chapters, these suicide bombers use this method as a means to an end. Political and strategic reasoning are the main ideas behind suicide bombing. In a way, these groups that use suicide bombing are for the most part protesting, rather violently, occupations of territory. I do agree with Pape, Tilly, and Brym that this method, along with other terrorist methods such as kidnapping, and property bombings, are politically and strategically motivated. In a 2007 journal article by Lahiri, the author explains the use of suicide bombing by the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam against the Sri Lankan government. The suicide bombings demonstrated how far the group was willing to go for their cause, and how they created a strong sense of group cohesion. The author argues that the group’s use of suicide bombings helped mobilize internal group support. The use of suicide bombings actually helped lead to peaceful negotiations between the Tamil Tigers and the Sri Lankan government. (Lahiri 2007) In a 2006 journal article by Helmer, he discusses the tactic of suicide bombing used by Hezbollah. Before any attack, Hezbollah would identify their political goals. Each attack was meant to deal a huge blow politically and militarily to their enemies. One of the earliest goals was to kick out any foreign government, especially superpowers such as the U.S., that Hezbollah saw as enemies. The only reason Hezbollah used suicide bombers is because after careful consideration they viewed it as a practical and viable option that would work against the enemy. Most groups that initiate suicide attacks or unconventional warfare such as IED attacks are unable to face a superpower in conventional military tactics, so the tactic of suicide bombings is used. Hezbollah also used suicide bombers as a tactic to gain legitimacy, which worked. The people of Lebanon saw Hezbollah as the only group that would fight off the foreign occupiers. The suicide bombings also helped recruit members to the cause. (Helmer 2006) A 2006 article by Araj and Brym discusses how not all suicide bombings are due to political or strategic reasons. According to their study of the second Intifada in Israel, they found that 82 percent of the bombings were in reaction to something Israel did, and not to be proactive. These reactive reasons ranged from the killing of Palestinian leadership to killing of Palestinian civilians, significant Israeli political events, and significant Israeli religious events. (Araj, Brym 2006)
From the research gathered by Pape, Tilly, and the others, I think that terrorism can be seen as a form of protest. I may not agree with it, and many others may not agree with it, but I think it is clear that for the most part suicide bombings are trying to make gains politically, strategically, or as a type of protest in response to actions taken by an occupying superpower. The groups that use suicide bombings, along with other forms of terror, most often are using these methods because they feel it is the best method to gain the results they want. This is the same for any form of protest. Rallies, marches, riots, etc. are all used to get results from the powers in charge.


References

-Lahiri S. Why Suicide Bombing?: The Motives for Suicide Protest in Sri Lanka. Conference Papers -- Western Political Science Association [serial online]. 2007 Annual Meeting 2007:1-22. Available from: Academic Search Premier, Ipswich, MA. Accessed July 1, 2009.
-Brym R, Araj B. Suicide Bombing as Strategy and Interaction: The Case of the Second Intifada. Social Forces [serial online]. June 2006;84(4):1969-1986. Available from: Academic Search Premier, Ipswich, MA. Accessed July 1, 2009.
-Helmer D. Hezbollah's Employment of Suicide Bombing During the 1980s: The Theological, Political, and Operational Development of a New Tactic. Military Review [serial online]. July 2006;86(4):71-82. Available from: Academic Search Premier, Ipswich, MA. Accessed July 1, 2009.