Robert A. Pape
Robert A. Pape, professor of political science at the University of Chicago and author of the study Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism, explains why it is that suicide bombers do what they do: To rid their land of foreign combat forces. That’s it. Not religion. Not virgins in Heaven. Not Democracy. Not Freedom™. Not women’s rights… Occupation.
MP3 here. (15:25)
Robert A. Pape is Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago specializing in international security affairs. His publications include Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism (Random House 2005); Bombing to Win: Air Power and Coercion in War (Cornell 1996), “Why Economic Sanctions Do Not Work,” International Security (1997), “The Determinants of International Moral Action,” International Organization (1999); “The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism,” American Political Science Review (2003); and “Soft Balancing against the United States,” International Security (2005). His commentary on international security policy has appeared in The New York Times, Washington Post, New Republic, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, and Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, as well as on Nightline, ABC News, CBS News, CNN, Fox News, and National Public Radio. Before coming to Chicago in 1999, he taught international relations at Dartmouth College for five years and air power strategy for the USAF’s School of Advanced Airpower Studies for three years. He received his Ph. D. from the University of Chicago in 1988 and graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Pittsburgh in 1982. His current work focuses on the causes of suicide terrorism and the politics of unipolarity.
warren
September 28th, 2007 at 1:11 pm
great interview.
Roger Seaton
September 28th, 2007 at 1:51 pm
Charles I always enjoy your podcast here and am wondering is your regular show availble by podcast since I see nothing on it at the radio stations website.
Also could you interview Dr. David Ray Griffin, Paul Craig Roberts, Architect Richard Gage, Nafeez Ahmed or others from the 9/11 Truth Movement considering the recent anniversary and the most recent polling done? Thanks for the great work you do.
RS.
http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=1354
http://www.911blogger.com/node/11675
momo
September 28th, 2007 at 8:59 pm
it’s sad stuff. that’s what you call asymmetric warfare. they are not conceeding defeat, instead they are fihgting now ‘dirty’ – they find ways to resist and ultimately reach their goal – whatever that may be. Of course they have an ideology so that they can recruit their cannonfudder.It’s very discouraging and tough to have such an enemy (there’s a good french movie , think it’s called ALgier. about the asymetric warfare of the arab ‘terrorists’ or ‘murderers’ or ‘resistance’ vs the french rule- a text book reference for both sides as of what to expect= a war of attrition and nerves
momo
neil
September 29th, 2007 at 12:42 am
Pape is not entirely accurate. There were suicide truck-bombs deployed against Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War. The bomber, I believe, was Iranian. Khomeini’s comments certainly encouraged martyrdom as a form of religious resistance and vigilance against the Infidel – as “a prayer to God” (Dilip Hiro). 5% of suicide attacks having religious motivation, is a significant percentage! Pape seems to generalise…
Aren Haich
September 29th, 2007 at 4:56 am
Robert Pape has rendered the world a great service by writing his book DYING TO WIN.
His work becomes more noteworthy when we realize that he produced this work at the height of 9/11 hysteria, when all rational thought on the subject was under heavy assault.
Even today, 6 years later, there are politicians, who cannot open their mouths without uttering the words TERROR and TERRORISM; and yet have not read Robert Pape’s definitive work on the subject.
I suggest that antiwar.com send all White House Officials and Representatives on the Hill a copy of DYING TO WIN. Send 2 copies to idiots like Senator Lieberman for good measure.
And while you are at it send also a copy of this book to DIIS (Danish Institute for Internationale Studies). This institute is going to spend something like $2 million researching the terrorist phenomenon in Denmark.
Denmark is the little Scandinavian country which had participated in the invasion of Iraq; and now has troops in Afghanistan.
Two Danish soldiers were killed in Afghanistan just a few days ago.
Danes would benefit much from reading Robert Pape.
Iftekhar Sayeed
September 29th, 2007 at 9:00 am
The “suicide bomber” as (s)he is known was first the chosen mode of war of the Tamils of Sri Lanka.
Their objective was and has been clear: to establish a separate homeland for the beleagured Tamils in Sri Lanka.
Why should Muslim be different?
Incidentally, it is interesting to note that the “sucicide bomber” was largely a democratic creation – they operated first in democratic countries.
Consult the essay below:
http://writethis.com/z39.html
You and the Atomic Bomb (Essay) What would George Orwell have made of 9/11; or American military power and Iran’s desire for a nuclear bomb?
luzmejor
September 30th, 2007 at 7:18 am
Khomeini’s comments compare very well with those of President Bush, who wrote about the “evil-doers” (people opposed to his reign) to be identified and vanquished. The propaganda was increasing daily and was planned long before US citizens imagined.
It is obvious that his war against Oil-producing countries has been dreamed of and planned for a very long time.
Tariq M. A
July 21st, 2008 at 8:01 pm
I just saw your comments on “Antiwar”! I do agree with you, that greed/economic ambitions are main reasons behind current wars. However, history tell us that religious wars have been the most devastating, and I do believe that religion dose play a major role in this existing “3rd world war of religions. Unfortunately, we the majority ordinary civilians pay the cost.
Moreover, people of the Middle East need to change their behavior in order to influence the perception, and to build the trust in order to gain the respect. At the end we are all one kind in one planet!
Sincerely
TAM!