The Strategic Limits of Suicide Terrorism in Iraq

Abstract

In 2005, suicide attacks in Iraq reached an unprecedented level in the history of modern terrorism. Recent research on the topic of suicide terrorism suggests that this tactic is ‘rational’ in the sense that it fulfills a strategic purpose, that is, to expel foreign occupiers from one's homeland. While this approach may have proven viable in previous conflicts, this article argues that suicide terrorism on such a massive scale as practiced in Iraq could actually be counterproductive. The history of guerilla warfare has demonstrated that insurgencies prevail after protracted struggles, which require patience and perseverance in the face of inevitable setbacks. Massive suicide terrorism would not seem to be consistent with the general long-term strategy of guerilla warfare.