Abu-HassadHany. Paradise Now. This movie sketches the circumstances that shape the lives of two Palestinian suicide bombers, showing that they are a lot like us and that if we found ourselves in similar circumstances, we might turn out to be a lot like them. (Nominated for the 2005 Oscar for best foreign-language film.).
2.
BrymRobert J.ArajBader. “Suicide Bombing as Strategy and Interaction: The Case of the Second Intifada.”Social Forces84 (2006):1965–82. Explains suicide bombing as the outcome of structured interactions among conflicting and cooperating parties and organizations.
3.
HafezMohammed M.. “Suicide Terrorism in Iraq: A Preliminary Assessment of the Quantitative Data and Documentary Evidence.”Studies in Conflict and Terrorism29 (2006):591–619. The first systematic analysis of suicide bombing in Iraq demonstrates the strategic and retaliatory aims of the assailants.
4.
MorrisErrol. The Fog of War. Robert McNamara's extraordinarily frank assessment of his career as secretary of defense in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. This film is a profound introduction to strategic thinking and a valuable lesson on how to learn from one's mistakes. His first lesson: empathize with your enemy. (Winner of the 2003 Oscar for best documentary.).
5.
PapeRobert A.. Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism (Random House, 2005). In support of the view that suicide bombing takes place mainly for rational, strategic reasons, Pape analyzes all suicide attacks worldwide from 1980 to 2003.
6.
ReuterChristoph. My Life Is a Weapon: A Modern History of Suicide Bombing. Trans. H. Ragg-Kirkby (Princeton University Press, 2004). A succinct overview of the past 25 years of suicide attacks.
