Interesting Book on Suicide Attacks

Started reading "The Stragic Logic of Suicide Terrorism" (Yer, not an encouraging title). The reviews weren't particularly intelligent, but Pape (the author) makes an interesting argument: that suicide attacks generally emerge from nationalist causes, where there is occupation (or virtual occupation), where the majority religion of the occupying power differs from the majority religion of the occupied people. He contrasts this with normal suicides which arise out of alienation etc. He also discounts brainwashing as the cause. Unusually in this field, he recognizes that most suicide attacks are not a product of Islamic fundamentalism (Most have taken place in Sri Lanka). However, despite this recognition, the bulk of the case study section is on Al-kaeda etc.

I tend to agree, but think a) Pape is too conclusive b) I suspect his stats aren't as perfect as his language indicates c) I'd replace religion with with ethnicity in his theory