Debateful

I know some people really look down on this, but I don't. What are all your thoughts on this?

It's cowardly. And it's stupid. Period.

How is it cowardly? I think it must be brave to do. Think about it, you go to war. You kill people and you might survive... You do this, you don't survive, no hope there. Kamikazes Planes in Japan were honored for their bravery. And how is it stupid? Destroy a whole lot of people.

It depends entirely on the circumstances. You see, I am very much believing that a Kamikaze, a Japanese pilot who flew his plane into a ship, was an honorable individual who was giving his life for his nation in war. He was fighting against soldiers. He was killing soldiers. Now, naturally, death is a horrible thing. However, it was one soldier killing another soldier and it was war. So, I respect Kamikazes for their ability to fight the war and to honorably give their lives for what they believed to be the right cause.

Now, I do NOT believe in suicide bombings that take the lives of innocents. For example, I am very much against the Palestinian terrorist methods. Putting a bomb onto a bus and blowing it up is not honorable. Strapping a bomb to your chest and going into a mall and blowing yourself is not honorable. And it is not killing soldiers, it is killing innocent bystanders. So in that respect, I do not believe that a suicide bombing is the right thing to do nor do I consider it a just, honorable, glorious thing to do. I consider it terrorism.

Finally, no child should ever be forced into suicide bombing. They do not have the ability to say no to a parent because at a young age, they wish only to appease. Granted, some children are frustrating. However, a child is much easier to sway than an adult. So, if a suicide bombing is to take place, let it be a soldier killing soldiers and let it not be a child. Keep war on the battle field, do not bring it into the cities where innocents can die. So, with suicide bombings as they are today, I am against them.

so what if the other side was commiting horrible dishonorable mass killings of innocent people? Is it alright for the other side to do the same?
And i agree with Jacob, if the intention is to cause terror in the people by killing innocent people, then it is bad. It isn't cowardly, but nonetheless it is a wrong thing to do. But, if the target was not civilians but a certain building or a certain person that they wanted to destroy (and it so happened to kill some other people) i consider that to be honorable.

Who said suicide bombings always had to be against civilians? Or exploiting children? Suicide bombing against military targets by a adult capable of making the decision is justified, I think, if these are against military targets only.

I agree with you, Ireland. If person A is a military individual and they suicide bomb person B who is a military individual, I am perfectly fine with that. The Kamikazes of World War II Japan did that and it was alright. But, if you're going to strap a bomb to your chest and walk onto a bus of civilians and kill yourself, in my opinion, that is not tolerable.

Lets consider the preponderance of suicide bombers targets and we can see the indiscriminate nature of such an act. Suicide bombers are without honor, period.

I have basically come to the conclusion that modern Islamic terrorists are simply murderers with an excuse.

There are extremists everywhere, and these extremists will often stop at nothing to push their agenda, and that includes giving their own lives. I believe suicide bombers are extremists and I believe they don't care who they take down with them...as long as they make their point and cause pain and suffering for those who are not extremists.
Purrs,
Pookie