Post by: xavier fremboe on May 19, 2008, 05:38:31 AM
Current evolutionary theory states that polygamy benefits women more than men in that it's better for you to be one of Bill Gates' ten wives (10% of a bijillionaire) than the one wife of Joe Normal (100% of a thousandaire).
Quote
Quote
The problem, however, was that Black September had served its purpose. The PLO and its chairman had the recognition and acceptance they craved. Indeed, any continuation of these terrorist activities, ironically, now threatened to undermine all that had been achieved. In short, Black September was, suddenly, not a deniable asset but a potential liability. Thus, according to my host, Arafat ordered Abu Iyad "to turn Black September off." My host, who was one of Abu Iyad's most trusted deputies, was charged with devising a solution. For months both men thought of various ways to solve the Black September problem, discussing and debating what they could possibly do, short of killing all these young men, to stop them from committing further acts of terror.
Finally they hit upon an idea. Why not simply marry them off? In other words, why not find a way to give these menthe most dedicated, competent, and implacable fighters in the entire PLOa reason to live rather than to die? Having failed to come up with any viable alternatives, the two men put their plan in motion.
They traveled to Palestinian refugee camps, to PLO offices and associated organizations, and to the capitals of all Middle Eastern countries with large Palestinian communities. Systematically identifying the most attractive young Palestinian women they could find, they put before these women what they hoped would be an irresistible proposition: Your fatherland needs you. Will you accept a critical mission of the utmost importance to the Palestinian people? Will you come to Beirut, for a reason to be disclosed upon your arrival, but one decreed by no higher authority than Chairman Arafat himself? How could a true patriot refuse?
So approximately a hundred of these beautiful young women were brought to Beirut. There, in a sort of PLO version of a college mixer, boy met girl, boy fell in love with girl, boy would, it was hoped, marry girl. There was an additional incentive, designed to facilitate not just amorous connections but long-lasting relationships. The hundred or so Black Septemberists were told that if they married these women, they would be paid $3,000; given an apartment in Beirut with a gas stove, a refrigerator, and a television; and employed by the PLO in some nonviolent capacity. Any of these couples that had a baby within a year would be rewarded with an additional $5,000.
Both Abu Iyad and the future general worried that their scheme would never work. But, as the general recounted, without exception the Black Septemberists fell in love, got married, settled down, and in most cases started a family. To make sure that none ever strayed, the two men devised a test. Periodically, the former terrorists would be handed legitimate passports and asked to go to the organization's offices in Geneva or Paris or some other city on genuine nonviolent PLO business. But, the general explained, not one of them would agree to travel abroad, for fear of being arrested and losing all that they hadthat is, being deprived of their wives and children. "And so," my host told me, "that is how we shut down Black September and eliminated terrorism. It is the only successful case that I know of."
Finally they hit upon an idea. Why not simply marry them off? In other words, why not find a way to give these menthe most dedicated, competent, and implacable fighters in the entire PLOa reason to live rather than to die? Having failed to come up with any viable alternatives, the two men put their plan in motion.
They traveled to Palestinian refugee camps, to PLO offices and associated organizations, and to the capitals of all Middle Eastern countries with large Palestinian communities. Systematically identifying the most attractive young Palestinian women they could find, they put before these women what they hoped would be an irresistible proposition: Your fatherland needs you. Will you accept a critical mission of the utmost importance to the Palestinian people? Will you come to Beirut, for a reason to be disclosed upon your arrival, but one decreed by no higher authority than Chairman Arafat himself? How could a true patriot refuse?
So approximately a hundred of these beautiful young women were brought to Beirut. There, in a sort of PLO version of a college mixer, boy met girl, boy fell in love with girl, boy would, it was hoped, marry girl. There was an additional incentive, designed to facilitate not just amorous connections but long-lasting relationships. The hundred or so Black Septemberists were told that if they married these women, they would be paid $3,000; given an apartment in Beirut with a gas stove, a refrigerator, and a television; and employed by the PLO in some nonviolent capacity. Any of these couples that had a baby within a year would be rewarded with an additional $5,000.
Both Abu Iyad and the future general worried that their scheme would never work. But, as the general recounted, without exception the Black Septemberists fell in love, got married, settled down, and in most cases started a family. To make sure that none ever strayed, the two men devised a test. Periodically, the former terrorists would be handed legitimate passports and asked to go to the organization's offices in Geneva or Paris or some other city on genuine nonviolent PLO business. But, the general explained, not one of them would agree to travel abroad, for fear of being arrested and losing all that they hadthat is, being deprived of their wives and children. "And so," my host told me, "that is how we shut down Black September and eliminated terrorism. It is the only successful case that I know of."
Post by: wmenorr67 on May 19, 2008, 05:46:58 AM
Post by: MicroBalrog on May 19, 2008, 08:07:20 AM
.jpg)
Post by: Jamisjockey on May 19, 2008, 08:43:59 AM
Wmenorr:
No, you're wrong.
Post by: El Tejon on May 19, 2008, 08:52:15 AM
Post by: MicroBalrog on May 19, 2008, 08:55:07 AM
But you are right, the USMC is the most awesome fighting unit in the whole wide world.
Post by: Jamisjockey on May 19, 2008, 09:12:11 AM
JamisJokey: The picture I posted was of MAGLAN soldiers. MAGLAN is a special operations unit whose trademark is the... creative use of TOWs.
But you are right, the USMC is the most awesome fighting unit in the whole wide world.
But you are right, the USMC is the most awesome fighting unit in the whole wide world.
Now you're figuring it out.
Post by: Antibubba on May 19, 2008, 07:19:15 PM
Post by: De Selby on May 19, 2008, 09:48:51 PM
Yet they both remain in the fight, and do not seem to be short of recruits, married and unmarried.
A lack of women and children just doesn't seem to account for this; I think Robert Pape's work on suicide terrorism is much more informative and appropriate to the available data.
Post by: xavier fremboe on May 20, 2008, 05:13:28 AM
I'm not sure the analysis makes much sense-All of the senior leadership of Hizbullah and Hamas, for example, have had at least one child killed, and many of them have had multiple children and a spouse killed in the course of the Arab/Israeli conflict. As an example, Hassan Nasrallah's son was killed and his body paraded on television, and then taken back to Israel so that he could not be buried by his family. Two of one of the founding members of Hamas's sons have been killed.
Yet they both remain in the fight, and do not seem to be short of recruits, married and unmarried.
A lack of women and children just doesn't seem to account for this; I think Robert Pape's work on suicide terrorism is much more informative and appropriate to the available data.
Hmmm. Well, I don't really see the senior leadership of Hamas or Hisbullah strapping on the vest and heading to the market. From the synopsis of Pape's work that I read, it actually does apply, as the vast majority of these *s are mid-20's single males. Yet they both remain in the fight, and do not seem to be short of recruits, married and unmarried.
A lack of women and children just doesn't seem to account for this; I think Robert Pape's work on suicide terrorism is much more informative and appropriate to the available data.
From an evolutionary standpoint, if you have a wife and child you have a chip in the big game. It's better for you to stick around and contribute to the upbringing of your progeny. It raises the pricepoint where you are worth more dead than alive.