Worthless

So the two Russian airline disasters that killed 89 people were the work of terrorists. That's really not surprising. And now, an Islamic group associated with al-Qaeda (and with the slippery, slimy al-Zarqawi) is claiming responsibility. That, too, fails to surprise me.

And I shouldn't have been surprised at all when one of the clues that led investigators to conclude this was the work of terrorists was this: two Chechen women, their bodies still unclaimed by relatives.

No, I shouldn't have been surprised, knowing that suicide bombing (and flying) is standard operating procedure for the Islamo-fascists. It shouldn't surprise me that human life means nothing to them. And I know I shouldn't feel bad at all for these unclaimed women who killed themselves and dozens others.

I shouldn't, but - God help me - I do.

I have to wonder what they were promised. After all, a male 'martyr' is promised virgins and exaltation in paradise. But what would a Muslim female want with 72 virgins? The families that give up sons are promised reflected glory and monetary compensation. But what about a Muslim family that loses a daughter, especially when women mean so little in Muslim societies. Women have been described as being worth 'half a man.' Does that mean families get half the money? Half the glory?

And now, not a single relative will claim their burned and broken bodies. They were sent to kill. Human missiles - once spent, their casings left to rot. As I said before, I shouldn't feel bad. I should wish that they had died and not taken a single innocent with them. I should be angry, and I am. Just not for all the regular reasons.

As I try to wrap this up, I realize that every suicide bomber, man or woman, is a hopeless creature - full of hatred for the enemy, and hated in return - and to their comrades, their worth is only measured by the murders they commit.

Which in the end, when they've decided to be a weapon instead of a human, makes them worthless.

At least I'll keep telling myself that.