My Life Is a Weapon: A Modern History of Suicide Bombing

by Christoph Reuter

What kind of people are suicide bombers? How do they justify their actions? In this meticulously researched and sensitively written book, journalist Christoph Reuter argues that popular views of these young men and women--as crazed fanatics or brainwashed automatons--fall short of the mark. In many cases these modern-day martyrs are well-educated young adults who turn themselves into human bombs willingly and eagerly--to exact revenge on a more powerful enemy, perceived as both unjust and oppressive. Suicide assassins are determined to make a difference, for once in their lives, no matter what the cost. As Reuter's many interviews with would-be martyrs, their trainers, friends, and relatives reveal, the bombers are motivated more by how they expect to be remembered--as heroic figures--than by religion-infused visions of a blissful life to come.

Reuter, who spent eight years researching the book, moves from the broken survivors of the childrens' suicide brigades in the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s, to the war-torn Lebanon of Hezbollah, to Israeli-occupied Palestinian land, and to regions as disparate as Sri Lanka, Chechnya, and Kurdistan. He tells a disturbing story of the modern globalization of suicide bombing--orchestrated, as his own investigations have helped to establish, by the shadowy Al Qaeda network and unintentionally enabled by wrong-headed policies of Western governments. In a final, hopeful chapter, Reuter points to today's postrevolutionary, post-Khomeini Iran, where a new social environment renounces the horrific practice in the very place where it was enthusiastically embraced just decades ago.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book, here we can find some answers concerning radicalization of university educated youth in Pakistan and Muslim world in general. Its really ridiculous to think that every suicide bomber is motivated only by 72 virgins in the Paradise. Its only a popular myth satisfying the already prejudiced mindset of western audience. The reasons are very complex, diversified and deep. it involves religious, social, political, regional, historical, tactical, and context related factors . It has nothing to do with the background of a person. Suicide bombers are just ordinary people from every background i-e Rich & poor, educated & illiterate, Muslim & Non-Muslim etc. They are not always brainwashed or forced to perform these acts. In fact it’s very difficult to just force someone to perform these acts. From a statistical point of view the suicide bomber is a random person making a choice from the limited options in a particular context forced upon him/her by the external factors to achieve some goal according to his/her world view.

[Roya]

I started reading this a while back for my EE, the most informative content in the book is his actual interviews and first person accounts. Howeverrrr, the whole underlying argument he is pushing is always going to be faulty because there is no good basis for arguing that Islam itself allows for the rise of suicide bombing, it's seems rather that radicalisation in general is a primary motivating factor. There is a clear lack of understanding of Islam.The following quote is a good example:

"Groups from Morocco to Iraq are linked together as though by invisible paths and secret passageways. Thus, injustices perpetrated in Chechnya or on the West Bank can stir up hatred within Morocco and Saudi Arabia, and unintentionally provide aid and comfort to opportunists who stoke the flames of righteous anger elsewhere."

This seems like a pretty big leap to make. Further, when writing about groups involved in suicide bombing that are not related to Islam, Reuter, for whatever reason continually attempts at connecting back to a constructed link to the religion. For example he feels the need to note that The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eel trained with the PLO in the 70s. The whole point of the PLO is that it was founded as a SECULAR organisation.

[Ietrio · Rating 1 out of 5]

Finally some valuable research on the topic from a person who has talked with all the dead suicide bombers, at least the most relevant.

[ideopreneur · Rating 5 out of 5]

The power of the powerless and the powerlessness of the powerful, My Life is a weapon, traces the history of suicide bombing. A very interesting read.

[Gonçalo Miranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Explicação incrível de todos os movimentos relevantes que usam o suicídio como arma de guerra e meio de luta ideológica e política.
Do ponto de vista das fontes, e das pessoas que nos falam no livro, sentimos que existem algumas falhas porque a opinião das pessoas é a opinião das pessoas - é carregada de sentimentos, de posições políticas, de nuances culturais e, evidentemente, de falhas. Apesar disso, a explicação profundamente detalhada do perfil do suicida resiliente é explicado em cada um dos movimentos, com detalhe histórico, contextualização geográfica e política, e abrindo espaço para os dois lados da barricada em cada conflito apresentado.

[Wilmer Berg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intressant och detaljrikt porträtt av ett hemskt fenomen. Kan rekommendera!

[david-baptiste · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is an excellent book and filled with many suprises for anyone who would like to understand the realities and motivations of suicide bombers--quite different from the way they are presented in the west--not the usual stereotypes of people brainwashed with ideas of going stairght to Paradise at all--
one thing to ask yourself in thinking about a suicide bomber is--what kind of situation must a person be in in the first place to even consider such an option?
rather than demonizing the suicide bomber, which is already a creation of those in good part that the suicide bomber ights against--if there were some understanding of their situation and an opennes to dilaogue with them--there would be a much greater hope for peace--
i think this book does a great deal in opening this possibility as a way--

[Lauren]

i've read part of this, but i really need to finish it! it's really amazing thus far.

[Maarten · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting general narrative. Unfortunately marred by factual errors as well as some interpretations where the author is on shaky ground.