Experience is the best teacher, Paul. Face to face with a terrorist, what would you do?
The Quran forbids Muslims to commit suicide for any reason, but it aggressively advocates the k*****g of non-believers (Infidels). However, the concept of Shahhid--martyrdom in the act of k*****g Infidels is a relatively new concept in Islam.
In 1948, the Egyptian journalist and teacher, Sayyid Qutb (COO tub), paid an extended visit to America, he spent almost three years here with the purpose of trying to understand "western culture" and to see if there was any value or elements in it that, if incorporated into Muslim beliefs, could put an end to the secular government running his beloved Egypt. Qutb found nothing of value in America, rather he was appalled by such an open society, he was deeply offended by the way American women dressed, he h**ed the music, particularly jazz, the movies were grotesque, he felt that the debauchery, sexual promiscuity, and perversions were diabolical. He seethed at the brutishness of the people around him: the way they salted their watermelon and drank their tea unsweetened and watered their lawns. He found the muscular football players appalling and despaired of finding a barber who could give a proper haircut.
In 1951, Qutb returned to Egypt thoroughly disillusioned by western culture, in fact vehemently opposed to it, and began to write the foundations of a radically new Islamic philosophy. With his pen and his speeches, he became the leading theorist of violent jihad, which included martyrdom. His influence on al-Qaeda was felt through his writing, his followers and especially through his brother, Muhammad Qutb, who moved to Saudi Arabia following his release from prison in Egypt and became a professor of Islamic Studies and edited, published and promoted his brother Sayyid's work. One of Muhammad Qutb's students and later an ardent follower was Ayman Zawahiri, who went on to become a member of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad and later a mentor of Osama bin Laden. (Near the end of the Soviet/A-stan war, Zawahiri's Islamic Jihad and bin Laden's Al Qaeda merged.)
The Muslim Brotherhood was so moved by Qutb's radical and violent philosophy, that they embraced him, sought him out on many issues, and eventually Qutb joined the brotherhood, and has since been known as the godfather of the MB. The concept of martyrdom spread through countries in ME and inspired young unemployed Muslim men who were disenchanted with the lavish wealth of their rulers, particularly the Saudi Royals, the Egyptian secular leaders, and the Libyan dictators to seek a radical solution. The fundamental goal of violent jihad was to achieve "Pure Islam."
When the Soviets invaded Afghanistan, these young bored, disenfranchised Muslims answered the call in droves. Osama bin Laden was responsible for inspiring and financing these wayward young men. Pure Islam became the basis for Osama bin Laden's terrorist campaign, he hammered this into the young malleable Muslims who had joined the Mujahadeen and Al Qaeda. Many of them returned home to find they were not welcome, but the A-stan war experience had trained them well, and had thoroughly radicalized them, they were eager and ready to sacrifice themselves for the cause. Hence, the suicide attacks began. 9/11 was the seminal moment in suicidal jihad.
What I've just posted hardly begins to tell the story, but I hope you get the idea.
For me, it boils down to this, if a radical Muslim, a group or an army of them, is willing to strap on an explosive vest, or drive a truck bomb into a building full of US Marines, or float a skiff full of explosives alongside a US Navy ship, or fly a jet into a tall building to k**l themselves in an effort to slaughter as many Infidels as possible; if they place little or no value on human life and are committed to attaining the glories of martyrdom (72 virgins among other rewards) by k*****g themselves to take me, my family and friends, or my countrymen with them, then I am certainly willing to stamp an express ticket for them to sail to paradise. In other words, if they are dying to go to paradise, then why not accommodate them without all the fuss?
There can be no doubt now that the goal of Islam is world domination ("Death to America", "Death to Israel") and to achieve that goal all who stand in Islam's way must be eliminated, then
Inshallah, they must be stopped by wh**ever method, means, and munitions we have in our arsenal.
Hooyah! Git some.
Experience is the best teacher, Paul. Face to face... (