A Frenchman who Gets it

Courtesy of the Corner, here is an interview of Algerian-born Frenchman Pierre Rehov, produced in full:

Q - What inspired you to produce "Suicide Killers," your seventh film?

A - I started working with victims of suicide attacks to make a film on PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) when I became fascinated with the personalities of those who had committed those crimes, as they were described again and again by their victims. Especially the fact that suicide bombers are all smiling one second before they blow themselves up.

Q - Why is this film especially important?

A - People don't understand the devastating culture behind this unbelievable phenomenon. My film is not politically correct because it addresses the real problem, showing the real face of Islam. It points the finger against a culture of hatred in which the uneducated are brainwashed to a level where their only solution in life becomes to kill themselves and kill others in the name of a God whose word, as transmitted by other men, has become their only certitude.

Q - What insights did you gain from making this film? What do you know that other experts do not know?

A - I came to the conclusion that we are facing a neurosis at the level of an entire civilization. Most neuroses have in common a dramatic event, generally linked to an unacceptable sexual behavior. In this case, we are talking of kids living all their lives in pure frustration, with no opportunity to experience sex, love, tenderness or even understanding from the opposite sex. The separation between men and women in Islam is absolute. So is contempt toward women, who are totally dominated by men. This leads to a situation of pure anxiety, in which normal behavior is not possible. It is no coincidence that suicide killers are mostly young men dominated subconsciously by an overwhelming libido that they not only cannot satisfy but are afraid of, as if it is the work of the devil.

Since Islam describes heaven as a place where everything on Earth will finally be allowed, and promises 72 virgins to those frustrated kids, killing others and killing themselves to reach this redemption becomes their only solution.

Q - What was it like to interview would-be suicide bombers, their families and survivors of suicide bombings?

A - It was a fascinating and a terrifying experience. You are dealing with seemingly normal people with very nice manners who have their own logic, which to a certain extent can make sense since they are so convinced that what they say is true. It is like dealing with pure craziness, like interviewing people in an asylum, since what they say, is for them, the absolute truth. I hear a mother saying "Thank God, my son is dead." Her son had became a shaheed, a martyr, which for her was a greater source of pride than if he had became an engineer, a doctor or a winner of the Nobel Prize.

This system of values works completely backwards since their interpretation of Islam worships death much more than life. You are facing people whose only dream, only achievement goal is to fulfill what they believe to be their destiny, namely to be a Shaheed or the family of a shaheed.

They don't see the innocent being killed, they only see the impure that they have to destroy.

Q - You say suicide bombers experience a moment of absolute power, beyond punishment. Is death the ultimate power?

A - Not death as an end, but death as a door opener to the after life. They are seeking the reward that God has promised them. They work for God, the ultimate authority, above all human laws. They therefore experience this single delusional second of absolute power, where nothing bad can ever happen to them, since they become God's sword.

Q - Is there a suicide bomber personality profile? Describe the psychopathology.

A - Generally kids between 15 and 25 bearing a lot of complexes, generally inferiority complexes. They must have been fed with religion. They usually have a lack of developed personality. Usually they are impressionable idealists. In the western world they would easily have become drug addicts, but not criminals. Interestingly, they are not criminals since they don't see good and evil the same way that we do. If they had been raised in an Occidental culture, they would have hated violence. But they constantly battle against their own death anxiety. The only solution to this deep-seated pathology is to be willing to die and be rewarded in the afterlife in Paradise.

Q - Are suicide bombers principally motivated by religious conviction?

A - Yes, it is their only conviction. They don't act to gain a territory or to find freedom or even dignity. They only follow Allah, the supreme judge, and what He tells them to do.

Q - Do all Muslims interpret jihad and martyrdom in the same way?

A - All Muslim believers believe that, ultimately, Islam will prevail on earth. They believe this is the only true religion and there is no room, in their mind, for interpretation. The main difference between moderate Muslims and extremists is that moderate Muslims don't think they will see the absolute victory of Islam during their lifetime, therefore they respect other beliefs. The extremists believe that the fulfillment of the Prophecy of Islam and ruling the entire world as described in the Koran, is for today. Each victory of Bin Laden convinces 20 million moderate Muslims to become extremists.

Q - Describe the culture that manufactures suicide bombers.

A - Oppression, lack of freedom, brain washing, organized poverty, placing God in charge of daily life, total separation between men and women, forbidding sex, giving women no power whatsoever, and placing men in charge of family honor, which is mainly connected to their women's behavior.

Q - What socio-economic forces support the perpetuation of suicide bombings?

A - Muslim charity is usually a cover for supporting terrorist organizations. But one has also to look at countries like Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Iran, which are also supporting the same organizations through different networks. The ironic thing in the case of Palestinian suicide bombers is that most of the money comes through financial support from the Occidental world, donated to a culture that utterly hates and rejects the West (mainly symbolized by Israel).

Q - Is there a financial support network for the families of the suicide bombers? If so, who is paying them and how does that affect the decision?

A - There used to be a financial incentive in the days of Saddam Hussein ($25,000 per family) and Yasser Arafat (smaller amounts), but these days are gone. It is a mistake to believe that these families would sacrifice their children for money. Although, the children themselves who are very attached to their families, might find in this financial support another reason to become suicide bombers. It is like buying a life insurance policy and then committing suicide.

Q - Why are so many suicide bombers young men?

A - As discussed above, libido is paramount. Also ego, because this is a sure way to become a hero. The shaheeds are the cowboys or the firemen of Islam. Shaheed is a positively reinforced value in this culture. And what kid has never dreamed of becoming a cowboy or a fireman?

Q - What role does the U.N. play in the terrorist equation?

A - The U.N. is in the hands of Arab countries and third world or ex-communist countries. Their hands are tied. The U.N. has condemned Israel more than any other country in the world, including the regime of Castro, Idi Amin or Kaddahfi. By behaving this way, the U.N. leaves a door open by not openly condemning terrorist organizations. In addition, through UNRWA, the U.N. is directly tied to terror organizations such as Hamas, representing 65 percent of their apparatus in the so-called Palestinian refugee camps. As a support to Arab countries, the U.N. has maintained Palestinians in camps with the hope to "return" into Israel for more than 50 years, therefore making it impossible to settle those populations, which still live in deplorable conditions. Four hundred million dollars are spent every year, mainly financed by U.S. taxes, to support 23,000 employees of UNRWA, many of whom belong to terrorist organizations (see Congressman Eric Cantor on this subject, and in my film "Hostages of Hatred").

Q - You say that a suicide bomber is a 'stupid bomb and a smart bomb' simultaneously. Explain what you mean.

A - Unlike an electronic device, a suicide killer has until the last second the capacity to change his mind. In reality, he is nothing but a platform representing interests which are not his, but he doesn't know it.

Q - How can we put an end to the madness of suicide bombings and terrorism in general?

A - Stop being politically correct and stop believing that this culture is a victim of ours. Radical Islamism today is nothing but a new form of Naziism. Nobody was trying to justify or excuse Hitler in the 1930s. We had to defeat him in order to make peace one day with the German people.

Q - Are these men traveling outside their native areas in large numbers? Based on your research, would you predict that we are beginning to see a new wave of suicide bombings outside the Middle East?

A - Every successful terror attack is considered a victory by the radical Islamists. Everywhere Islam expands there is regional conflict. Right now, there are thousands of candidates for martyrdom lining up in training camps in Bosnia, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Inside Europe, hundreds of illegal mosques are preparing the next step of brain washing to lost young men who cannot find a satisfying identity in the Occidental world. Israel is much more prepared for this than the rest of the world will ever be. Yes, there will be more suicide killings in Europe and the U.S. Sadly, this is only the beginning.

Pierre, probably because of his Algerian origin, understand what it is that the West is facing. If I get time, I intend to go over this more thoroughly, and try to expand on some thoughts within. By the way, the full interview can be found here.

A Friendly Press...

...goes a long way. The fact that the story in question is CNN's main story at the moment, surely a coincidence, right? They would do a similar thing for a right-of-center Senator, wouldn't they? Here is the screenshot for posterity:

edit: Blogger appears to be having some problems with image uploads.

Al Qaeda in Gaza?

Rusty Shackleford at the Jawa Report has some disturbing information vis-a-vis the kidnapped Fox reporters. My gut tells me that they are probably going to die. I sincerely hope I am wrong.

The "C" Word

Courtesy of Colt over at WindsofChange, here is an article from Israeli Insider. It examines the faults and cracks exposed by Israel's campaign against Hizb'allah. While the whole thing is worth reading, here is perhaps the most important part:

Some senior officers have been mentioning the C-word in private conversations. They have been saying that a coup d'etat might be the only way to prevent an outcome in Lebanon that could embolden the Arab world to join forces with Syria and Iran in an all out assault on Israel, given the fact that such a development would be spurred entirely by the Arab and Moslem world's perception of Israel's leadership as weak, craven and vacillating, and therefore ripe for intimidation.

Israel, like most Western nations, has long adhered to the concept of civilian control of the military. If members of the Israeli military are actually talking about overthrowing the government, then I imagine that things are probably worse than they seem. All of this comes out from a post by Trent Telenko, which discuses the IDF's status as a "hollow military." The comments are worth reading, because its seems that a lot of the problems are the result of incompetence and corruption inside the ranks of Israel's elites, a corruption that crosses all party lines. This has been apparent for a while now, and is perhaps one reason why Yoni is attempting to create a new Israeli political party.

Its clear that there are some serious problems with the IDF at the moment, and Israel needs to address them, and quickly. Hopefully the fact that this conflict came about when it did, and not later, gives Israel the time it needs to fix its military before Iran goes nuclear.

For the End of the World...

... its not that bad. This is one instance where I am not displeased that I am disappointed. Hopefully the Iranian regime will continue to disappoint.

Preparing for the Next War...

... and not the last. That is the advice that Yoni is presenting to the Israeli Government with his latest post. Whether or not that advice will be taken up by the Olmert government remains to be seen. Personally, based on their displayed competence thus far, the chances are slim. Whether or not the conflit between Hizb'allah and Israel heats up again, which is something I expect to be near 100% certainty, the advice is solid. Training is something that is often cut first, before other parts of the defense budget, but is actually the most critical. While flashy gadgets may look good before committee and before cameras, training is what saves lives at the end of the day, and ensures victory. This appears to be something that the Israeli's have forgotten.

The End of Days?

Tomorrow is August 22nd. That day is a day of significance for Shi'ite Islam, as this ABC news article explains:

This year, August 22 marks the holy day on the Islamic calendar that is the day of reckoning for Shiites. Some Shiite sects believe that August 22 could correspond to the end of the world. And just today, after much hype, Iran has announced that it will continue to develop its nuclear program. To followers of Iranian President Ahmadinejad, this is a well-timed affront to Israel, the United States and the world. The United Nations had given Iran until the end of the month to respond, but Ahmadinejad had made it clear to all Iranians and the world that he intended to respond on the eve of August 22.

I find it interesting, and possibly even good, that something of this nature is covered by ABC, and not treated with outright scorn in the process. Robert Spencer of JihadWatch gets some coverage later on in the piece. He is worried about the date. And so is Bernard Lewis:

In Islam, as in Judaism and Christianity, there are certain beliefs concerning the cosmic struggle at the end of time--Gog and Magog, anti-Christ, Armageddon, and for Shiite Muslims, the long awaited return of the Hidden Imam, ending in the final victory of the forces of good over evil, however these may be defined. Mr. Ahmadinejad and his followers clearly believe that this time is now, and that the terminal struggle has already begun and is indeed well advanced. It may even have a date, indicated by several references by the Iranian president to giving his final answer to the U.S. about nuclear development by Aug. 22. This was at first reported as "by the end of August," but Mr. Ahmadinejad's statement was more precise.

What is the significance of Aug. 22? This year, Aug. 22 corresponds, in the Islamic calendar, to the 27th day of the month of Rajab of the year 1427. This, by tradition, is the night when many Muslims commemorate the night flight of the prophet Muhammad on the winged horse Buraq, first to "the farthest mosque," usually identified with Jerusalem, and then to heaven and back (c.f., Koran XVII.1). This might well be deemed an appropriate date for the apocalyptic ending of Israel and if necessary of the world. It is far from certain that Mr. Ahmadinejad plans any such cataclysmic events precisely for Aug. 22. But it would be wise to bear the possibility in mind.

Perhaps nothing will come of this day. However, I must admit that my sleep this night will be less sure than it has been in the past. I know to be wary of arbitrary dates, as so many have come and gone without anything happening. However, what is different about this date, about this "last day", is that isn't just something that happens, but rather occurs as a result of human actions. Its an apocalypse that is brought about by human, and not divine intervention. This is, to me at least, somewhat more worrisome. Whether my worries, however slight, are justified remains to be seen.

Craven

Charles at LGF exposes the true intent of the Cease-fire push by European states: Improving their image in the Islamic world.

Once again, we see the French in action. I don't think that there is a more selfish nation out there. There is no French word for procrastination, you know. Its because its part of their national policy, has been since the days before WWII. They keep hoping to feed others to the crocodile first, hoping that they will buy enough time for themselves to live off their Swiss bank accounts on some tropical island somewhere after having retired and left Europe to fend for itself.

Mirror on the Wall

Tigerhawk has a small exerpt from Ralph Peter's new book up on his site, concerning the various problems that are currently plaguing the Middle East, and the Islamic world in general. Worth checking out.

Iranian War Games?

Courtesy of PJM, here is a report of Iranian war games planned for later this week. Does later this week include August 22nd? Perhaps Iran is merely intending to show off some new weapon or another, or perhaps something else is planned. Either way, the fact that the Iranian military is going to be active around that date is slightly worrisome.

Determining Who Won... by Firing First

The Cease Fire that exists now between Hizb'allah and Israel is at best tentative. It may not hold for very long, and I doubt there will be too many who will be surprised if it does break. However, the timing of its end is useful to the question of who won the latest round of fighting between Israel and Hizb'allah.

I believe that the timing of the violation of the cease-fire, as well as who breaks it, will reveal just who thinks that they won the latest round.

If Hizb'allah lost, or thinks it lost, the recent fight with Israel, then it is not going to break the cease-fire in the short-term. Or rather, its going to abstain from actions which will prompt Israel to declare the cease-fire dead. After all, what does Hizb'allah hope to gain from further fighting if it thinks it lost the latest round? Nothing has really changed since the cease-fire went into place. It hasn't received substantial reinforcements or resupply. It has lost hundreds of fighters, considerable amounts of equipment, and much of its infrastructure. What advantage is there to bringing on more of the same? On the other hand, if Hizb'allah thinks that it won the war, then it might very well have an incentive to end the cease-fire sooner rather than later. That way Israel won't have the time it needs to change is operational directives, along with political leadership. If the latest exchange was seen as beneficial, then Hizb'allah probably will benefit from keeping it going.

What about Israel? Well, if Israel came out behind in the recent exchange, then it will also likely abstain from further action, at least for the time being. The Israeli leadership will want to go over what went wrong, and take the time to set about fixing any problems to their strategy and tactics, as well as increase training if needed. However, if the Israeli leadership thinks that maybe things weren't going so bad as they seem, then it might be beneficial to to go after Hizb'allah again sooner rather than later. So why the short break in fighting then? I mean, if the Israeli's think that they won, why accept the cease-fire? Well, it will take a while for Hizb'allah to fully replace its loses, both men and materiale. Meanwhile, the Israeli military can go over how the fight went, and put into place changes in doctrine fairly quickly. They can also use the time to shift troops around, give the IDF soldiers time to rest, and can probably go back in before Hizb'allah manages to recover significantly, much less partially.

Of course, that is all conjecture. Once again, its entirely possible that both sides come to the conclusion that they lost. Remember, when there is no clear cut victory, perception is everything.

Round One is Over... When Does Round Two Begin?

Right now the blogosphere is debating whether or not Hizb'allah or Israel won the recent fight between them. This is the wrong debate to be having at this time. Victory has been achieved by neither side, because this fight is not over. What we are witnessing is a boxing match between Israel and Hizb'allah. Round One is now over. The cease-fire is simply the bell announcing a short break. Both are retiring to their respective corners. Any notion that the region is now at peace is simply naive. We are merely witnessing a pause between the fighting, a pause that I would wager both sides support... for the time being.

At this moment I am sure that the leaders of Hizb'allah and Israel, along with their coaches (Syria and Iran for Hizb'allah, the United States for Israel), are examining the first round to see what they did right, what they did wrong, and who came out ahead. There is no clear cut victory here, despite what some may say. Rather, both parties must compare any gains they may have made to the losses they received, and try and judge whether or not it was worth it. Remember, that this judgement is all about perception. It is entirely possible that both may come to the conclusion that they "won" this exchange, or both could think that they have lost.

How do they judge their status, and who came out ahead? Well, there are really three major areas touched by this conflict: military, economic and political. I will address the military aspect to a small degree.

Militarily, it is tough to say that Israel lost. It suffered relatively light losses among its soldiers, around a hundred or so. Hizb'allah's losses are probably at least five times that amount, if not more. Israel's military is not sufficiently degraded from the fighting, its losses, compared to the strength with which it entered the fight, are negligible. What about Hizb'allah though? A loss of five hundred or so fighters hurts that organization more than it hurts Israel. Its strength varies, from a few thousand fighters to perhaps ten thousand. There is also the loss of hardware, especially rockets and their launchers.

As for who was ahead in economic and political strength, I will resolve that later as I get the time.

What is it that "They" Said?

Something along the lines of "The Palestinians never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity." Well, they apparently didn't want to miss an opportunity, so they kidnapped a FoxNews reporter. Mary Ham, blogging at Michelle Malkin's site looks like she will keep this story up to date.

As I think on it, this is probably something done by a bunch of "freelancers", for want of a better word. These are most likely common criminals who saw a chance to get some quick and easy cash, and didn't think about the political impact this might have. I wouldn't be shocked for the reporters to be released fairly quickly, Hamas wants to avoid as much bad press as it can right now.

The Phony War

Then... and Now.

Standing One Leg Short

Anyone want to take odds on how long the "cease-fire" between Israel and Lebanon(Hizb'allah) will hold? I am pegging it at perhaps a week. Maybe 8 days.

Heart of Darkness

Grim at Blackfive looks deep into the abyss, and what stares back is terrifying.

I am going to quickly find and re-read my copy of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, as I feel it speaks to this.

Reuters... Rotten to the Core?

Courtesy of Pajamas Media, here is a link to a Reuters article about the breaking story concerning a major terror bust in England.

You just have to love how they snuck this in:

British Prime Minister Tony Blair has come under strong criticism at home and abroad for following the U.S. lead and refusing to call for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Lebanese Hizbollah guerrillas.

Biased, don't ya think?

Laugh of the Day

Courtesy of the Corner, I bring you today's guaranteed laugh creation instrument.

Unsurprising Headline of the Day

U.S. - French Alliance at the U.N. Reportedly Crumbling

As bad as the US record for diplomacy goes, the French are far worse. It would be hard to find a more selfish nation on the international level than the Republique Francaise.

Its All About the Oil... No, Really!

Courtesy of Rampuple, I bring you this:

Is there a relationship between the bombing of Lebanon and the inauguration of the World's largest strategic pipeline, which will channel more than a million barrels of oil a day to Western markets?

Virtually unnoticed, the inauguration of the Ceyhan-Tblisi-Baku (BTC) oil pipeline, which links the Caspian sea to the Eastern Mediterranean, took place on the 13th of July, at the very outset of the Israeli sponsored bombings of Lebanon.

One day before the Israeli air strikes, the main partners and shareholders of the BTC pipeline project, including several heads of State and oil company executives were in attendance at the port of Ceyhan. They were then rushed off for an inauguration reception in Istanbul, hosted by Turkey's President Ahmet Necdet Sezer in the plush surroundings of the Çýraðan Palace.

It just keeps on getting better and better.

The bombing of Lebanon is part of a carefully planned and coordinated military road map. The extension of the war into Syria and Iran has already been contemplated by US and Israeli military planners. This broader military agenda is intimately related to strategic oil and oil pipelines. It is supported by the Western oil giants which control the pipeline corridors. In the context of the war on Lebanon, it seeks Israeli territorial control over the East Mediterranean coastline.

And if you are wondering, why yes, the guy who wrote this, a Canadian, is named Michel Chossudovsky, and is most certainly a conspiracy nutcase. In fact, he wrote a conspiracy book on 9/11. Expect to see more on this soon.


Oh, and by the way, he conventienly forgets that it was Hizb'allah, and not Israel, that started this. I know, I know, Quel Surprise!

All the News that is Fit To Photoshop

Courtesy of LGF, here is a picture from Reuters of Beruit "on fire".



Notice anything funky? Well Charles did. Put me in the category of those who thinks this looks like a photoshop job. I am reminded of the original Command & Conquer, in which arch-terrorist Kane used media manipulation to achieve his goals. However, Kane has to hire people to do this work for him. I suspect that Hizb'allah gets all of this for free.

Update: Ace has apparently entered the fray. And there is more at LGF as well.

What is Israel Doing?

Israel has bombed pretty much every route out of Beruit now. Why now? Why not before? What exactly are they hoping to achieve here? Taking out infrastructure like this is only useful if you exploit the opportunities it presents, and I have seen nothing to indicate this is the case yet. So what exactly do the Israelis think they are doing? What is their game plan? I am starting to think they are playing this by ear, and botching it.

Frustration

I have been trying to get a decent post together about what is happening in Lebanon and the Middle East in general, but am having serious writer's block.

Bomb Blackout

Apparently the British are enforcing a news blackout on arms shipments to Israel from the US.

Hat Tip: PJM

Deep Strike Into the Bekka Valley

A helicopter raid into the Bekka Valley by the IDF took place earlier today. Both YNet and Haaretz have info. A couple of important points to make:

1) Hizb'allah's stock of SAMs must be fairly low, otherwise Israel probably wouldn't have launched this attack. Choppers, especially transport ones, are fairly vulnerable to MANPADs, and thus Hizb'allah must have been felt to have possessed few, or had lost the few it had. No word yet on any Israeli helo losses.

2) This attack was apparently aimed to capture/kidnap a major Hizb'allah official. The fact that they aimed to capture him indicates that either Israel hoped to trade him for their kidnapped soldiers, or to pry him for information. Could be both

3) This was a high risk operation. A lot could have gone wrong, and casualties could have been high. Israel's talk about exanding the ground war doesn't seem to be bluster, they seem to have the political will to continue on and press harder.

4) This operation could also have been a quasi-training mission, as preparation/practice for the possible rescue of the two kidnapped Israeli soldiers, though I find that unlikely.