What the hell is Evan talking about re: jihadis as people leaving decent jobs behind?

Is he really suggesting suicide bombers and the like do it for the money?

Yes, I realize that's only part of his argument.

But if Islamic fanatics cared about money so much, don't you think OBL would have been living like Prince Alaweed bin Talal instead of a caveman?

To the commenter that commented on this post earlier: I have no idea what happened to your comment. It was here and then it was gone.

Cripes, do people even read anymore? Evan didn't write the letter. Note the 2nd line in the quote on Evan's blog: "I know because I am a sergeant in the army on my second tour to Iraq."

The letter was from this guy: t.f. boggs

What's your agenda, Joe? It doesn't even mention suicide bombers. It has been well documented that suicide bombers are emboldened and commit themselves because they know their families will be taken care of after they are dead. Taken care of meaning given lots of cash. Even though, that is not what the letter to the NY Times says. He's talking about the many folks quitting regular work to make a living collecting the bountys on soldiers heads. Bountys paid by people with access to large cash reserves. These cash reserves are what the program the NY Times "exposed" was looking for.

Damn, my fault, I thought Evan wrote it too. I posted late and somehow missed that line. Sorry, Evan.

Chris:

Karol said that Evan wrote it.

Anyhow, the letter-writer claims, "Without money terrorism in Iraq would die," in probably the most naive analysis of the war I've ever seen.

Are you, too, so clueless as to think that money is the only important motivation for Iraqi terrorists?

Oh, and my agenda is to aggravate you. It gives me a boner to think about how angry you are.

Don't blame Karol for your screw up. You should be intellectually honest enough to actually read an article before you try to debate it, misrepresent its contents or the author's knowledge. Had you read it, you would've immediately known that it was written by a veteran of the Iraq War who is currently serving his second tour of duty there.

Is money the most important motivation? No, it is more of an enabler than a motivation. Money makes things possible. There are many fronts to this war, money trails are just one. An important front too. Regardless of how much you choose to deny it.

Angry? Nope. Amused is a better term. Amused that you think you know more than the soldiers, like Sgt. Boggs, who are over there and put their lives on the line facing these people every day.

Jeez - it's a COMMENT on a BLOG for crying out loud. Why don't both you lovely boys go back to your corners and enjoy a deep breath and sip of water.

Ari,

I take tea, my dear. ;)

So do I, oddly enough.

Green tea, though. And decaffeinated.

Yeah... I somehow didn't see decaf as being part of either diet after reading your interactions. Oh! And you know what else? Tea? Made mainly with ... water.

As Dawn might say; suck it.

Decaff? Me? No. Never.