Symptoms of a sick society

I interrupt my regular musings and attacks on government, to highlight how a society's culture can also be a massive hinderance to their success, comfort and security. A long time ago, Western cultures developed non-violent principles whereby differences can be resolved with dialogue. Western societies also developed standards if in the end, their armies do employ violence. These boil down to the Geneva conventions, and some of the most important parts of these conventions are:

- Differentiating between civilians and military
- Having your armed forces located away from civilian areas
- Avoiding the employment of children in armed combat.

Well, I can't think of a culture that disregards these standards any more than the Palestinians. They are the pioneers of suicide bombing, the modern method of indiscriminate mass slaughter driven by religious fervor. Their latest contribution to the world is the world's first grandmother suicide bomber. These people are sick.

Fatma A-Najar, 57, becomes first grandmother suicide bomber.

Until 57-year-old Fatma Omar A-Najar blew herself up near Israel Defense Forces troops in the northern Gaza Strip on Thursday, most female suicide bombers had been single. There had also been a few married women - but the 57-year-old Najar was the first grandmother suicide bomber.

Najar, a resident of Jabalya, had nine children and over 40 grandchildren. On Thursday morning, she called her children and asked to see them. She visited those who did not come to see her, without explaining the urgency of the meeting. Her family did not know where she was going when she left her home at roughly 12:00 PM.

Her family tried to explain that there is nothing wrong with a woman, no matter how old she is, carrying out a suicide bombing. Following the suicide attack at the Erez crossing by Rim A-Riashi, who was married with two children, Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin issued a religious ruling permitting female suicide bombers.