The fringe group leaders who promote the practice of suicide bombing make a lot of promises to those who sacrifice their lives in the name of a cause: the promise of wonderment and sexual fantasies in the afterlife (a popular carrot offered by those who can’t come up any sort of actual upside), posters lining a wall somewhere, a new kitchenette and some spending money for the family of the martyr. Leaders describe the martyrdom as the greatest of services and the greatest of honors, so a key question arises: If it’s so damn special, why are they still alive?

If death is so grand, why have terrorist organizations been following the same leaders for four decades?

(nextdraft.com)