thoughts on suicide bombers

Considering Tim blair's post on suicide bombers

Muhammed Khozin, younger brother of 2002 Bali bombers Amrozi and Mukhlas, provides an answer:

"Alcohol, bikinis, that kind of thing makes Muslims angry. Don’t do that when visiting a country with a Muslim majority,” he said. “I’m sorry, Australian culture makes war on morality. They come to Bali with bikinis, they make war on morality. Not physical war, morality war. Respect the culture and religion of Indonesia."

Interesting since bali is a hindu area - but nevermind...

When considering what to do about suicide bombers we should consider not how to stop a suicide bomber but how to stop the people who train and send people to be suicide bombers.
The problem with trying to understand the bomber himself is someone who is willing to blow them self up for these sorts of causes obviously isn't very bright or rational. In order to do it they must effectively have declared themselves (or been nominated if they are too stupid) to be the most expendable/stupidest person in their community.
This means even if you did everything they wanted they might still suicide bomb you because they aren't really rational actors.

Now the people who send these poor idiots to their deaths may well be a bit smarter and we can consider what it takes to discourage them instead.