"You can't tell me that suicides expect to collect. The reward is collected by their families, who are (one supposes) left without the benefit of their labor. It's a perverted kind of death benefit."

Well, they aren't merely suicide; they are also committing mass murder. And a promise to pay is a payment if it's actually delivered. And it certainly is perverted, unholy, an abomination and whatever else you would like to call it. Actually I would regard it in some way less disgusting if the families were paid more money- not because it might encourage more of these bombers, but because it demonstrate more value for a life. That these fools are being pretty cheap bombs, is probably a very special source of pleasure for Saddam.

"The bombers expect their reward from God, for combatting the ungodly Western nations. It's no accident that the groups which produce al-Qaida terrorists meet after worship is over at mosques. Twisted as may be, we ignore this point at our peril. The psychology is that of religious fanatics, not of people who are religious."

It's very sad. Fanatics/Zealots have always been a problem for those who are religious- it's the "darkside of the force":)
[Was Luke Skywalker too old to be trained??]