'Nobody is going to live forever'

[Czar]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3899015.stm

It was an unforgettable image. A teenager standing alone at a checkpoint, explosives strapped to his chest, confused, trying to follow Israeli orders to get him to dismantle his bomb.

That afternoon, in March 2004, 15-year-old Hussam Abdo took up his own small place in the imagery of this conflict.

Since his arrest he has been in an Israeli prison.

We were let inside a high security jail in the north of the country and told to wait in a meeting room.

Minutes later, Hussam Abdo was brought in to see us.

He was wearing a brown prison uniform and handcuffs. He was tiny - he didn't even reach my shoulder.

He sat down, smiled and talked readily. A prison guard sat at the end of the room watching our conversation.

Below is a transcript of the interview:

...

just to get more insight to the conflict

 

[Doboji]

Scary Scary... religous fanatacism at it's worst...

Amazing how the grief structure in Palestinian society is in the hands of people like Al Aqsa martyr brigades.... oh I'm sorry son, you're mom was killed... well here... this suicide belt will make you feel allll better.

Think about how most grief systems in the world work... I.E. Counselors, family support, etc.

-Max

 

[Czar]

there is no grief system at all there

 

[Arsynic]

Religion...the scourge of mankind.

 

[Grakatt]

Originally posted by: Arsynic
Religion...the scourge of mankind.

Perhaps, but either it was inevitable that religion should cause so many deaths, or people would have found something else in whats name they could oppress and kill other people.

 

[maddogchen]

blows himself up so he doesn't have to go to school? yikes...

 

[Czar]

Originally posted by: maddogchen
blows himself up so he doesn't have to go to school? yikes...

and his friend was killed

 

[Gravity]

I guess when you sacrifice all your able bodied to carry bombs into the heart of your enemy, you reduce your population's brain power to fight off the insanity.

Recruting teens and pre=teens is sick and beyond sick. Part of me wonders if this might not be the natural selection process at work.

 

[Kibbo]

Two posts in one. First the counter to Gravity's:

First of all, he was a troubled kid who was having difficulties in school, hardly the creme of the crop. Your Natural Selection argument is illogical. If he is typical of suicide bombers, it would only improve the genetic stock. /End cold heartedness

Second, I find it highly offensive that you would be so insensitive towards a 15 yr old who was encouraged to sacrifice himself by others who were older and possibly more intelligent. Do you think he's some kind of dog? Scratch that, I would feel bad for a dog trained to kill itself and others. You must see this kid as a cockroach.

Overall post:

This article allowed me an insight into the perverse moral system that has weaved itself into Palestinian society. The entire strategy of Hamas has been to pull Isrealis into a position of aggression, so that it could use Israel's excesses as a justification for further terrorism. This does not divulge Israel of responsability for it's excesses, but it certainly condemns Hamas and other terror groups.

The manipulation of youths for the purposes of evil on the scale that Hamas has inflicted on the Israeli people is not only immoral, it is also cowardly. Teenagers have the capacity for rational choices and are responsible for their actions. However, they also have a tendency to undervalue danger, overvalue abstract ideals and overvalue small day-to-day anxieties. And there is evidence that this is a biological trait. Also, they often havn't had time to learn different ways of thinking than the way they currently do. In Hussam's case, the terrorist goup exploited every one of these decision-making weaknesses inherent in youth to their own evil ends. They are a blight on the nation of Palestine, yet they are hailed as heroes due to the fact that they were able to provoke Israel into commiting heinous acts against the people.

I fear that the vilolence in that region will continue until the people of Palestine will realize that their "heroes" ultimately cause more damage to society than do their oppressors.

I fear even more that I will not see that in my lifetime.

 

[Trente]

Palestinians mainly refuse to accept Israel's right to exist. they blew the peace talks over and over again. It is no surprise to me that they are able to send a 15 year old kid to his death, just to serve an idiotic and fanatic call by their religion.