¶ … Culture of Martyrdom," David Brooks calls suicide bombing " the crack cocaine of warfare," (1). As a drug-like substance, suicide bombing is addictive and therefore "transforms the culture of those who employ it," just as drug addiction changes one's personality (Brooks 1). To prove the point, Brooks traces the use of suicide bombing historically, starting with Hizbollah. Although the Quran expressly forbids suicide, suicide bombing became associated with jihadist movements. Suicide bombing became the ultimate symbol of martyrdom, which is why it is now an ends as well as a means, according to Brooks. Brooks's argument is disturbing but valid and credible, as the author relies on a multitude of sources and logical, rather than emotionally wrought, discourse. Suicide bombing reached its hundredth monkey moment, so to speak, after Arafat walked out of the Camp David peace talks. The "psychology shifted" at this moment, because the prevailing ideology was no longer one of achieving social justice but proving one's undying dedication to a jihad, however that jihad is defined by the organization in question. With regards to Hamas, for example, the movement promoted the existentialism of Palestinian liberation as opposed to a pragmatic solution to political and economic disenfranchisement.

Interestingly, suicide bombers are not the predominantly poor and uneducated young men, as is commonly believed. Rather, suicide bombers are motivated by the same psychological factors that...

Suicide bombing reflects the organizational structures and hierarchies in terrorist movements. Specific ideologies and frameworks, delivered in the form of propaganda and brainwashing throughout the entire society, underlie the use of suicide bombing. When Brooks claims, "recruits are sometimes made to lie in empty graves, so that they can see how peaceful death will be," he does not provide any source material to substantiate the claim. However, the author does include primary source references to interviews with suicide bombers revealing the extent of the problem and the methods by which the suicide bombers are socialized.
Suicide bombing has become so thoroughly entrenched in some societies that even those who do not carry out the missions, such as friends and families of the suicide bombers, accept their brand of martyrdom. This is evident in the video recordings that Brooks refers to in the article. Brooks surmises that the culture, and all individuals who belong to it and who ascribe to some of its core beliefs, become addicted to suicide bombing even if just on a symbolic level. Brooks also claims that the drama of suicide bombing makes it like a soap opera, addictive because of its emotional intensity. Television is used to spread the ideology of suicide bombing and reinforce the core message of the supremacy of martyrdom over all things.

Brooks provides some solid solutions to…