Heaven or Hell

Japan’s Kamikaze Pilots and Contemporary Suicide Bombers: War and Terror written by Yuki Tanaka creates interesting comparisons between the actions of Kamikaze pilots and Palestinian suicide bombers.  Sadly, the use of suicide bombers is employed when the country is aware that they have insufficient military and technological know-how to suppress the opposition.  It then seems even more outrageous that the use of a man (or men) against, for example “… F-16 jet fighers, Apache helicopters, tanks, missiles and the like” (p. 299) would be anything other then futile.  But, as Anwar Ayam, the brother of a Palestinian suicide bomber says in Tanaka (2008) the purpose of the bomber missions was to paralyze the population by destroying their economy and their social life (p. 298). In neither case did the attacked country respond in such a fashion.  They retaliated and the result was devastating.

But, what is unique to Japan’s culture is that suicide, especially in the mid-twentieth century was culturally acceptable. In fact Alton Trevino in Bushido and Seppuku - The Code of the Samurai and Ritual Suicide
(http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alton_J_Trevino  <http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Alton_J_Trevino)  says that ritualistic methods (disembowelment) of suicide performed by Samurai are a point of honor not hopelessness and despair.  Additionally their Confucian heritage that stresses the group over the individual (and their Buddhist religion which does not prohibit suicide) supports the decision to end one’s life in such a fashion – especially, as in the case of the Kamikaze, when there are benefits to be gained by community. These young men can commit suicide without dishonoring their beliefs. Infact, they died on honorable death.

Conversely, Palestinian’s practice Christianity which considers suicide to be a horrible sin. In the eyes of their Church, one’s life is a property of God so that destroying it is an act against God. Therefore, their mission becomes very difficult to justify in the eyes of their God and for which they will not receive his forgiveness. In life and in death they will dwell in Hell.

Realizing the ineffectiveness of Kamikaze pilots against the Americans why do you think a militarily deficient country like Palestine would employ the same strategies against the Israelites?