http://groundviews.org/2009/02/20/the-psychopathology-of-the-ltte-suicide-bombers/ Groundviews is an award winning Sri Lankan citizen journalism initiative Sun, 12 Feb 2012 16:35:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://groundviews.org/2009/02/20/the-psychopathology-of-the-ltte-suicide-bombers/#comment-13876 robin Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:50:54 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=1117#comment-13876 @Avinandan. During the battle where the Kauravas had created the Chakravyu, or the wheel formation which Abhimanyu could only break thru....Arjuna was deliberately engaged and led away by the Samsaptakas or suicde warriors, from the scene and Abhimanyu was left with none to help him out from the formation. @Avinandan.
During the battle where the Kauravas had created the Chakravyu, or the wheel formation which Abhimanyu could only break thru….Arjuna was deliberately engaged and led away by the Samsaptakas or suicde warriors, from the scene and Abhimanyu was left with none to help him out from the formation.

]]> http://groundviews.org/2009/02/20/the-psychopathology-of-the-ltte-suicide-bombers/#comment-5016 punitham Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:32:37 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=1117#comment-5016 Making Sense of Suicide Missions, Jon Elster, Columbia University: ''More recent data reveals that poverty and illiteracy are limited as causal factors. More relevant are feelings of inferiority and resentment.'' Making Sense of Suicide Missions, Jon Elster, Columbia University: ''More recent data reveals that poverty and illiteracy are limited as causal factors. More relevant are feelings of inferiority and resentment.''

]]> http://groundviews.org/2009/02/20/the-psychopathology-of-the-ltte-suicide-bombers/#comment-5015 punitham Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:30:40 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=1117#comment-5015 Mouin Rabbani, Palestinian American Research Center: ''Without exception, the suicide bombers have lived their lives on the receiving end of a system designed to trample their rights and crush every hope of a brighter future… Confronted by a seemingly endless combination of death, destruction, restriction, harassment and humiliation, they conclude that ending life as a bomb - rather than having it ended by a bullet - endows them, even if only in their final moments, with a semblance of purpose and control previously considered out of reach." Mouin Rabbani, Palestinian American Research Center: ''Without exception, the suicide bombers have lived their lives on the receiving end of a system designed to trample their rights and crush every hope of a brighter future… Confronted by a seemingly endless combination of death, destruction, restriction, harassment and humiliation, they conclude that ending life as a bomb – rather than having it ended by a bullet – endows them, even if only in their final moments, with a semblance of purpose and control previously considered out of reach."

]]> http://groundviews.org/2009/02/20/the-psychopathology-of-the-ltte-suicide-bombers/#comment-5014 punitham Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:26:50 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=1117#comment-5014 Assaf Moghadam, Harvard Uuniversity: ''Traditionally, suicide missions have been used by organizations seeking to establish a national homeland or ward off a foreign occupier…….Most suicide bombings of the 1980s and 1990s were in response to occupation…Governmental repression gives rise to suicide terrorism in some cases—repression exists in varying degrees in Russia, Sri Lanka, and Israel.'' Assaf Moghadam, Harvard Uuniversity: ''Traditionally, suicide missions have been used by organizations seeking to establish a national homeland or ward off a foreign occupier…….Most suicide bombings of the 1980s and 1990s were in response to occupation…Governmental repression gives rise to suicide terrorism in some cases—repression exists in varying degrees in Russia, Sri Lanka, and Israel.''

]]> http://groundviews.org/2009/02/20/the-psychopathology-of-the-ltte-suicide-bombers/#comment-5013 punitham Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:10:04 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=1117#comment-5013 Scott Aran: ''Alan Krueger in his last study looked at poverty and civil liberties as two factors in suicide terrorism. He found that poverty is not an appreciable selection factor but that the lack of civil liberties is a predictor of where you'll find suicide terrorism. When you don't give these people any political space to express themselves, they become radicalized. There's this knee-jerk reaction that people who do this have to be maniacs or cowards, uneducated or miserable or in despair, and none of this seems to be true at all.'' Scott Aran: ''Alan Krueger in his last study looked at poverty and civil liberties as two factors in suicide terrorism. He found that poverty is not an appreciable selection factor but that the lack of civil liberties is a predictor of where you'll find suicide terrorism. When you don't give these people any political space to express themselves, they become radicalized. There's this knee-jerk reaction that people who do this have to be maniacs or cowards, uneducated or miserable or in despair, and none of this seems to be true at all.''

]]> http://groundviews.org/2009/02/20/the-psychopathology-of-the-ltte-suicide-bombers/#comment-5012 punitham Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:07:38 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=1117#comment-5012 Scott Atran: As a tactical weapon, it emerges when an ideologically devoted people find that they cannot possibly obtain their ends in a sort of fair fight, and when they know they're in a very weak position, and they have to use these kinds of extreme methods. You've got to talk with them. You've got to address their grievances. Scott Atran: As a tactical weapon, it emerges when an ideologically devoted people find that they cannot possibly obtain their ends in a sort of fair fight, and when they know they're in a very weak position, and they have to use these kinds of extreme methods. You've got to talk with them. You've got to address their grievances.

]]> http://groundviews.org/2009/02/20/the-psychopathology-of-the-ltte-suicide-bombers/#comment-5011 punitham Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:02:05 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=1117#comment-5011 Dying to Win, R.Pape: ''Wherever you find suicide bombings there is a common thread. It is not driven by religion, but by a clear strategic goal. What all the suicide terrorist campaigns have in common over the last 20 years is that the groups that pursue them are seeking to compel liberal democracies to withdraw military forces from territory that the terrorists view as their homeland, from Lebanon to Sri Lanka to Kashmir to the West Bank." Dying to Win, R.Pape: ''Wherever you find suicide bombings there is a common thread. It is not driven by religion, but by a clear strategic goal. What all the suicide terrorist campaigns have in common over the last 20 years is that the groups that pursue them are seeking to compel liberal democracies to withdraw military forces from territory that the terrorists view as their homeland, from Lebanon to Sri Lanka to Kashmir to the West Bank."

]]> http://groundviews.org/2009/02/20/the-psychopathology-of-the-ltte-suicide-bombers/#comment-4976 Deep Throat Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:27:54 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=1117#comment-4976 Mr Jayatilleke and Pape...the Sri Lanka information source to Prof Pape is Mr Jayatilleke himself. Now, he turns around and declares Pape's book as path breaking? How convenient and ashamedly devious.. Mr Jayatilleke and Pape…the Sri Lanka information source to Prof Pape is Mr Jayatilleke himself. Now, he turns around and declares Pape's book as path breaking? How convenient and ashamedly devious..

]]> http://groundviews.org/2009/02/20/the-psychopathology-of-the-ltte-suicide-bombers/#comment-4974 selvam Mon, 23 Feb 2009 15:59:42 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=1117#comment-4974 Why can't these suicide bombers ask one question to prabaharan. The question is "Why can't you (Prabakaran) be the suicide bomber?". Why can't these suicide bombers ask one question to prabaharan. The question is "Why can't you (Prabakaran) be the suicide bomber?".

]]> http://groundviews.org/2009/02/20/the-psychopathology-of-the-ltte-suicide-bombers/#comment-4970 Sam Mon, 23 Feb 2009 13:07:35 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=1117#comment-4970 Just wondering. Are those suicide bombers vegetarians too? Just wondering. Are those suicide bombers vegetarians too?

]]> http://groundviews.org/2009/02/20/the-psychopathology-of-the-ltte-suicide-bombers/#comment-4952 Dayan Jayatilleka Sat, 21 Feb 2009 10:00:48 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=1117#comment-4952 Crap. Sources, buddy. You show me yours I'll show you mine. I've got stuff from the Marine Corps gazette which says different. Also the testimony of the US ambassador to Havana at the time. Wanna debate? Crap. Sources, buddy. You show me yours I'll show you mine. I've got stuff from the Marine Corps gazette which says different. Also the testimony of the US ambassador to Havana at the time. Wanna debate?

]]> http://groundviews.org/2009/02/20/the-psychopathology-of-the-ltte-suicide-bombers/#comment-4951 Avinandan Sat, 21 Feb 2009 08:48:25 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=1117#comment-4951 Can you please tell me where thsuicide to Mahabharata advocates suicide warfare? I have read so many books of it and cannot recollect where any warrior deliberately commits to kill his enemy. The only close story could be that of Abhimanyu who enters a deadly battle formation knowing well he won't be able to come out without external assistance. So please do not mislead people. Can you please tell me where thsuicide to Mahabharata advocates suicide warfare? I have read so many books of it and cannot recollect where any warrior deliberately commits to kill his enemy. The only close story could be that of Abhimanyu who enters a deadly battle formation knowing well he won't be able to come out without external assistance. So please do not mislead people.

]]> http://groundviews.org/2009/02/20/the-psychopathology-of-the-ltte-suicide-bombers/#comment-4946 Rosco P Koltrane Sat, 21 Feb 2009 02:13:20 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=1117#comment-4946 Raul went on rampage after seizing power - just like another brother. Bodies everywhere. They(Fidel and Gota, I mean Raul) regretted later bumping off real and Percieved Enemies.These are 'mistakes' I guess. Don't whitewash the Castros. Do't carry on like Lee Kuaw Yew, "At least I did not kill anyone in the opposition" Only Choked their right to dissent.. Prabakarans bio will be the more telling in the right hands.. Raul went on rampage after seizing power – just like another brother.
Bodies everywhere. They(Fidel and Gota, I mean Raul) regretted later
bumping off real and Percieved Enemies.These are 'mistakes' I guess.
Don't whitewash the Castros. Do't carry on like Lee Kuaw Yew,
"At least I did not kill anyone in the opposition" Only Choked their right
to dissent..
Prabakarans bio will be the more telling in the right hands..

]]> http://groundviews.org/2009/02/20/the-psychopathology-of-the-ltte-suicide-bombers/#comment-4943 Dayan Jayatilleka Sat, 21 Feb 2009 00:06:13 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=1117#comment-4943 Call me picky, but I would have liked to have seen here, an acknowledgement of the debt to Prof Robert Pape's pathbreaking book on suicide bombers, 'Dying to Win'. The reference is conspicuous by its absence. Call me picky, but I would have liked to have seen here, an acknowledgement of the debt to Prof Robert Pape's pathbreaking book on suicide bombers, 'Dying to Win'. The reference is conspicuous by its absence.

]]> http://groundviews.org/2009/02/20/the-psychopathology-of-the-ltte-suicide-bombers/#comment-4942 Dayan Jayatilleka Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:49:55 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=1117#comment-4942 It is contemptible for anyone to distort Che Guevara and lie about him, Fidel and the Cuban revolution. This writer says :"In Guerrilla Warfare authored by Ernesto Che Guevara described suicide attacks as a path to victory which naturally boosts the morale of other rebels. In the early years of struggle Che and Fidel Castro used deadly suicide attacks against Batista’s regime." Che and Fidel never "used deadly suicide attacks aganst Batista's regime". Tommyrot. What are the sources of that information? Secondly Che never used the term suicide attacks, he used the term suicide platoons always within inverted commas, as an euphemism for daredevil reserve units which would undertake impossible tasks against enormous odds. "Within the organization of the guerrilla band, assuming that the conditions and possibilities allow, a utility platoon can be kept ready to be dispatched to the place of greatest danger. it might be christened the "suicide platoon" or something along those lines, a title which truthfully reflects its role. this 'suicide platoon' should be everywhere a battle is decided...." This is very different from Japanese kamikaze pilots or Black Tigers. Thirdly this writer does not observe any distinction between suicide attacks against military targets and suicide bombings of civilian targets ( eg Neelan Tiruchelvam). the latter is terrorism, which the Tigers have frequently resorted to. Terrorism has been denounced by Che in Guerrilla Warfare and by Fidel throughout. Neither ever resorted to it. It is contemptible for anyone to distort Che Guevara and lie about him, Fidel and the Cuban revolution. This writer says :"In Guerrilla Warfare authored by Ernesto Che Guevara described suicide attacks as a path to victory which naturally boosts the morale of other rebels. In the early years of struggle Che and Fidel Castro used deadly suicide attacks against Batista’s regime." Che and Fidel never "used deadly suicide attacks aganst Batista's regime". Tommyrot. What are the sources of that information? Secondly Che never used the term suicide attacks, he used the term suicide platoons always within inverted commas, as an euphemism for daredevil reserve units which would undertake impossible tasks against enormous odds. "Within the organization of the guerrilla band, assuming that the conditions and possibilities allow, a utility platoon can be kept ready to be dispatched to the place of greatest danger. it might be christened the "suicide platoon" or something along those lines, a title which truthfully reflects its role. this 'suicide platoon' should be everywhere a battle is decided…." This is very different from Japanese kamikaze pilots or Black Tigers. Thirdly this writer does not observe any distinction between suicide attacks against military targets and suicide bombings of civilian targets ( eg Neelan Tiruchelvam). the latter is terrorism, which the Tigers have frequently resorted to. Terrorism has been denounced by Che in Guerrilla Warfare and by Fidel throughout. Neither ever resorted to it.

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