ITS ALL YOUR FAULT

A substantial majority of Palestinians (84%) and Egyptians (80%) believed westerners to be lacking in respect for the Muslim world. In Turkey (68%), Saudi Arabia (67%) and Iran (62%) opinions were almost as strong.

Such views were mirrored in the west. Some 82% of the US population believed the Muslim world not to respect the west. In Israel 73% shared that view, according to the survey. The figure in Denmark was 69%, in Italy 70%, in Canada 67% and in Holland 55%.

I popped in for a quick suicide video this morning. This one had an interviewer asking questions for a change. The questions seemed to be concerned with peoples perceptions- particularly to do with accusations which might follow about attacking innocent people and brainwashing.

The interviewee said that people had been warned time and time again to stay away from military, government and economic targets and who is innocent anyway? Taxpayers money goes to fund war against Muslims. He also said that it was only Allah who had washed his brain.

It was filmed in front of the black flag of Islam and had the tell tale finger wagging. One of these guys is going to get off one day for not wagging their finger.

The jury'll say "He didn't wag his finger- he can't be one of them."

When people start wagging their finger you know explosives are likely to be somewhere in the vicinity eh though this video is missing the music which goes along with Iraqi versions of the same stuff.

Another thing- I have been saying time and time again that this "brainwashing" thing is a red herring. No one listens to me.

I couldn't stay long. On the train platform coming back I overheard an argument between a lesbian couple. A tough looking black girl was telling her daintier partner that she was too materialistic. Her partner countered that she always surrounded herself with "fit girls".

"But fit girls don't cost me money!" said the black girl.

C4: Martyrdom tape: jihad is 'obligation'
CNN:Airline plot suspect vows jihad in video

MARTYRDOM

This is one thing I'll never understand. Not so much the act of martyrdom, but why those who preach it get to stay alive. To me they seem like "coatholders" just the same as George Bush, the diference being of course that these guys are holding the coats of children.

THE CULT OF THE SUICIDE BOMBER UK TV Channel 4

Sometimes I think we are spoilt with TV in the UK.

An ex-CIA man who can speak Arabic and has lost friends to bombers goes to meet the families of the most celebrated suicide bombers in Palestine. He also meets ex heads of the IDF and the architect of "the wall".

I missed the first in this series and picked it up late. Incredible documentary from the guy. Surreal. He goes to a celebration of a "martyr" attended by his father, culminating in everone watching a film of the guy blowing himself up. Then they queue up to hug the father.

Hundreds of thousands of people celebrating bus bomings, kids carrying models of the buses. Everything interspersed with images of the carnage. Children shaking hands with future martyrs. IDF blowing up the families houses.

At the end the guy speaks to a typical looking Israeli. No one in particular.

"How close did he come to you?" asks the CIA man siting on a bench next to the guy.

The guy leans across him.

"This close".

The guy apparently survived Asif Hanif's martyrdom, which killed three people and wounded 60 others because the blast threw him clear.

persian students debate the program here
spiked politics here