Martyrdom...

Martyrdom... is the only way in which a man can become famous without ability.

G.B. Shaw

This was never more true than today. Suicide bombers killing and taking as many people with them as possible. Families being promised support and food, money after they are gone from blowing themselves up and taking as many other innocents of their own communities with them . In many articles and pieces of literature in the United States and Canada, this practice is condemned as are these people, but we created them due to our complicity with American foreign policy which has had a direct impact on the creation of these suicide bombers. Their religious extremism is fueled by the folly of the invasion of Iraq and it now spills over into Afghanistan. It is interesting to note that in a previous existence, the Taleban did not engage in suicide bombing. Some would say they engaged in suicide combat, but it was never their miitary methodology to blow themselves up. This comes from the seeds of American Military adventures that have thrown western excess in the face of Muslims, with no plan to truly rebuild with the respect of local input in place. Many people wrongly surmised years ago that when Anwar Sadat was assasinated that the opposition to middle east peace was too much to handle. Few people understood it as an act of desperation. It was. The quiet we see in Iraq right now is not now due to the "surge" of American forces, it is the local Sunni leadership taking charge of the mess made by Al Queada. ( the locals see them as religious anarchists ).
Jesus Christ was not a Martyr because he is alive today. The tomb is empty. Our responsibility as Christians is not to rush in as many people as possible to evangelise the people of the middle east. Our responsibility is to pressure the United States to withdraw from Iraq and pour as much money, diplomacy and effort to help Palestinians out of poverty, place pressure on Israel for a true Palestinian homeland. When has any of this ever worked ? Belfast. Check it out. Arms supplies have been cut-off from the United States . Wealth from the Republic to the south is spilling over.
The economic miracle to the south is The Republic of Ireland . It is the second richest country per capita in Europe after Luxemburg. Free post-secondary education for everyone. Why do the Taleban target schools ? Because they know that it is , for good or bad, the best propoganda device in existence. It is the way out , the way of change, the creation of a new cadre of women in that country who will change it. Pour money into free education at a high level for Palestinians and many peoples of the middle east . Base your assault on education , ways out of poverty, economic support instead of billions of dollars for Military operations. These people will then not return to our shores as bombers but , consultants, immigrants, and neighbors.
I'm a dreamer ? Perhaps . Ask yourself how well the other strategy has been working...