Suicide Terrorism Essay

1744 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Motivates Suicide bomber state of mind

Being that the rate suicide terrorism has amplified globally and has taken many lives in the process it can be seen why this issue may be of significance. Furthermore this issue is of relevance because this method of resistance kills more than any other tactic (Ashworth, Clinton, Meirowitz, and Ramsay, 1). Therefore it can be seen as to why this issue is of such important. Many have speculated as to what exactly motivates such behavior. Robert Pape defines suicide terrorist as one who is willing to sacrifice his life as well as the lives of others in hopes to coerce his opponents. Experts , including Pape, have wondered what causes an individual to take such drastic measures. Others have also proposed possible solutions to this issue. It will be seen as to what those solutions are and the possible issues that these solutions may be comprised of. Scott Atran discusses the common misconceptions that people have about suicide terrorism. Those misconceptions are that suicide attackers are all evil, homicidal psychos who are uneducated, live in poverty, and want to achieve anarchy (Atran 5). However contrary to popular belief most of these attackers are neither impoverished, uneducated, or crazy. This kind of misunderstanding hinders and impedes on any chance of finding a solution or realizing that the issue is one that is manageable (Atran 5). Deducing from all the readings it appears that the major cause of suicide terrorism is being occupied by a foreign power and the loss of identity. Though there are several causes to what may inspire someone to commit such acts the focus will be on this one. Pape states that suicide terrorism is a response the requires strategy and more often than not is employed by groups whose sole goal is t... ... middle of paper ... ...e to maintain a certain level of peace for some time. An additional viable resolution is focusing on the lack of opportunity that is available to these individuals. Even though studies have shown that the lack of education is not a strong significant commonality between suicide terrorists this does not mean they are given the opportunity to actualize their potential in the work force to that they may use their education productively. Harrison discusses identity extensively as being a strong factor in why people go to such extreme measures. If that is the case then there should be a channel where people can achieve an identity and status through other means and that is through opportunity. And opportunities such as jobs is not enough if the job does not offer rewarding returns that allow individuals to actually make a comfortable living and offer a fulfilling life.

Show More
Related

  • Simon Cottee's What Motivates Terrorists?

    268 Words  | 1 Pages

    What internally drives a terrorist’s motivation varies from subject to subject. While the average American citizen would likely be quick to point terrorists hate the western way of life and what it represents, the issue is far more complex. Simon Cottee’s article “What Motivates Terrorists?” (2015), looks at various levels of motivation. Prior definitions of terrorism looked at the defining cause as possibly psychological abnormalities within in the individual (Cottee, 2015). As studies have evolved, the focus has shifted to the environment in which the terrorist is surrounded. While certainly there is cases in which a person who is mentally unstable could be an ideal target for terrorist propaganda, the number of cases involving mental

    Read More

  • Dalton Conley You May Ask Yourself Analysis

    395 Words  | 1 Pages

    In Brym’s article he discusses what research has shown about the motivations of suicide bombers. Brym and my fellow classmate explained to me how suicide bombers may be motivated by politics, religion, or retaliatory aims (Brym, Kyra Howard). Both Brym and Howard helped me view the issue of suicide bombers in multiple

    Read More

  • Boston Marathon Bombings

    1908 Words  | 4 Pages

    Speckhard, A. (2013). The Boston Marathon Bombers: the Lethal Cocktail that Turned Troubled Youth to Terrorism. Perspectives On Terrorism, 7(3). Retrieved from http://www.terrorismanalysts.com/pt/index.php/pot/article/view/268/540

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Robert Pape's 'Dying To Win'

    1493 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Robert Pape’s Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism he investigates the three hundred and fifteen suicide terrorist attacks that have occurred from its beginning in 1980 up until 2003. By examining these attacks he explains the three logics behind suicide terrorism, the strategic, the social, and the individual logic. Pape uses Dying to Win as a tool to educate the public on suicide terrorism. He hopes people will begin to understand that it is not irrational, but requires reason and strategy. He brings to light that suicide terrorism is not directly correlated with Islamic fundamentalism, but rather political objectives, trying to put to rest many preconceived notions. By understanding the logic behind suicide terrorism people can work together to prevent it from happening in the future. After reading this book it is clear that suicide terrorism is not random, but does demand some thought in order for it to work.

    Read More

  • Irrational Terrorism Essay

    646 Words  | 2 Pages

    In today’s society the word “terrorism” has gone global. We see this term on television, in magazines and even from other people speaking of it. In their essay “Controlling Irrational Fears After 9/11”, published in 2002, Clark R. Chapman and Alan W. Harris argue that the reaction of the American officials, people and the media after the attacks of 9/11 was completely irrational due to the simple fact of fear. Chapman and Harris jump right into dismembering the irrational argument, often experienced with relationships and our personal analysis. They express how this argument came about from the terrorist being able to succeed in “achieving one major goal, which was spreading fear” among the American people (Chapman & Harris, para.1). The supporters of the irrational reaction argument state that because “Americans unwittingly cooperated with the terrorist in achieving the major goal”, the result was a widespread of disrupted lives of the Americans and if this reaction had been more rational then there would have been “less disruption in the lives of our citizens” (Chapman & Harris, para. 1).

    Read More

  • Terrorism And State Terrorism: Three Types Of Terrorism

    1459 Words  | 3 Pages

    The topic of my paper is types of terrorism. There are several types of terrorism for which to choose for my paper, state, dissident, religious, left-wing v. right-wing, and international. In this paper I have chosen state terrorism, religious terrorism, and international terrorism as the types of terrorism that I am going to discuss. I will discuss what they are in my own words and give examples of two different groups for each type that represent that type of terrorism. Then I will compare and contrast the three types of terrorism that I chose.

    Read More

  • Columbine High School Massacre Essay

    1806 Words  | 4 Pages

    On the morning of April 20, 1999, Eric Davis Harris and Dylan Bennet Klebold went into the Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, and went on a rampage killing spree leaving 12 students and 1 teacher dead and over 20 people injured before killing themselves. This crime is known as one of the most deadliest school massacres in the United States history (Pittaro).

    Read More

  • Violence and Special Needs Students

    3348 Words  | 7 Pages

    Moreover, many had conspired or attempted suicide. Many attackers felt bullied, persecuted, or injured by others prior to the attack. Most attackers had access to and had weapons prior to the attack.

    Read More

  • The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism by Pape, Bloom, and Horowitz

    1414 Words  | 3 Pages

    Pape believes that suicide terrorism is focused around democracies and occupation. After conducting his research, Pape discovered that from 1980 to 2001, records of suicide terrorism have had three main reoccurring, necessary properties: timing, nationalist goals, and target selection. Pape (2003) explains that, when it comes to timing, “nearly all suicide attacks occur in organized, coherent campaigns, not as isolated or randomly timed incidents” (347). Thus, Pape infers there is strategic reasoning behind this way of terrorizing the masses. He further states campaigns of suicide terrorism focus on gaining oversight of territory terrorists deem as their national homeland.

    Read More

  • Al-Qaeda Essay

    843 Words  | 2 Pages

    To what extent do the aims and methods of Islamic extremist groups misrepresent the teachings and practices of the Islamic faith? Al-Qaeda Al-Qaeda is a militant Islamic organisation known for terrorism. Today`s society sees them as an extremist group and very dangerous. Al-Qaeda was founded by Osama Bin Laden in the late 1980s.

    Read More

  • Emile Durkheim´s Four Forms of Suicide

    1707 Words  | 4 Pages

    Emile Durkheim studied and wrote a book about the four forms of suicide in the late 1800’s and throughout this paper, it has become conclusive that the same theories that he wrote about years back still, in fact, relate to the 21st Century. An explanation was given of each different forms of suicide which were: anomic, egoistic, fatalism, and altruism. The two theories that were given in depth were altruism and fatalism and were applied and compared to the infamous suicide bombers.

    Read More

  • Approaches in Decision Making for Foreign Policy

    2660 Words  | 6 Pages

    “Hence, one may well argue that Hitler was rational even though his actions were clearly morally reprehensible. Similarly, it is quite possible to argue that suicide terrorists are r...

    Read More

  • Suicide Case Study

    718 Words  | 2 Pages

    Altruistic suicide, happens when there is an excessive regulations by social forces. Altruism suicide is committed for the benefits for the community that included self-sacrifice. The social situations and conducts is determined by values and norms. Altruist believes obstacles and burden and try to find alternatives methods to find hope and happiness. The loss of family dynamics, economic growth and shelter cause, the persons to perform voluntary death, for specific circumstances. To help understand the process that motivates people to die for society, is parallel between suicide terrorism and honor of a person death. People who commit suicide in the means to benefit society, is shown in suicide bombers. Suicide terrorism is motivated violence that requires death of perpetrator, to innocent targets in order quantify their motivations. Strong discipline and repression are important characteristics of suicide bomber that is intrinsic to altruist theory. Suicide terrorist who motivations and beliefs and economic poverty makes them desperate for economic security. Therefore, the beliefs to believe in the rewards of The need of social approval, recognition and the interpretations of cultural is the framework of suicide terrorism acts committed by

    Read More

  • Suicide Research Paper

    621 Words  | 2 Pages

    Suicide, it's not pretty. For those of you who don't know what it is, it's the

    Read More

  • Suicide Reflection Paper

    1093 Words  | 3 Pages

    Often times when I heard the word "suicidal" I was curiously caused the person to do it. Growing up, I heard that people decided to commit suicide was because they "wanted attention, they wanted the easy way out, they were weak, they couldn't handle life, etc." Personally, I have significant people in my life that have felt like they wanted to commit suicide. So, this topic honestly is a difficult, yet, emotional one to discuss.

    Read More

More about Suicide Terrorism Essay

Open Document