What are the benefits of suicide bombers in terrorist acts?

The success of suicide bombers is relatively subjective and dependent upon the organization conducting it. For example the US would view the use of Suicide Bombers as inefficient due to the fact the US has enough resources and technical capabilities to fund weapons such as rockets and fighter jets with smart bombs. Now suicide bombings in regards to say Hamas or another low resourced (compared to rich countries like the US, Spain, France and the UK) organization might consider suicide bombings as beneficial.

Suicide bombing can be militarily efficient if the organization is incapable of delivering symmetrical warfare or even guerilla warfare. For example military leaders, when planning for a conventional attack, calculate the possible casualty losses. Military leadership might side with an unconventional suicide attack if they find casualties too high in a conventional attack.It is possible for these organizations especially lower resourced ones to engage in suicide attacks. Suicide attacks specifically determine who is going to die instead of the randomness of conventional attacks. However sometimes the choice of suicide attacks in this regard is obvious if a conventional attack would bring a hundred casualties and the same attack with suicide bombers would result in three dead.

In regards to certain organizations, suicide attacks are an effective weapon when taking a look at estimations of casualties due to low resources, poor training or fear of superior firepower from opponents. Lower resourced organizations may use suicide bombers due to the aspects of a ‘smart bomb’. Just as effective as the airborne ranger lazing a target for a smart bomb delivered from a jet. A suicide bomber has the human touch most other major weapons lack. The human aspect can make choices on when to explode or to abort if need be (though in most attacks abortion of the operation is not positively viewed due to the emotional stress expressed by all). Of course one facet of the suicide bomber is it destroys one of the individuals supporting the organization. This may seem like a disadvantage but when estimations of casualties during conventional fights it may appear advantageous. Also, individuals killed can recruit others as they see the romanticized videos of the suicide bombers last few moments before the operation. Assuming such a video is made.

There is also a very strong psychological aspect of suicide bombers. Throughout the years organizations popular in conducting suicide attacks have noticed the media focuses on such attacks. As well there is a certain sense of dread to security forces tasked with defending a region if they know their opponent has individuals who are willing to die no matter.

Another benefit of a suicide bomber is the ‘life insurance’ thought process. Some organizations are willing to insure the family a certain sum of money for the death of the bomber. In areas like Afghanistan where the average worker makes 270 a year makes for a viable solution. The money is more of a justification for it as suicide bombers can include those who are infirmed with a fatal disease, an example would be aides or even cancer. Individuals who are growing closer to death may also be willing to sacrifice themselves for the benefit of the family. The man who cannot be healed and has received a promise of his family being paid well for his death may indeed take it. In situations like this poverty and lack of technological power are weaknesses.

However this only explains benefits in regards to how the majority of the world looks at it. To get to the real motivation of suicide bombers and the organizations you would have to get down and dirty and as close as possible to them. This unfortunately is not a viable solution. The majority of suicide bombers are well…dead the entire point of the tactic. Those few that broke and did not blow themselves up can provide us a window but it is a broken window as in the end they were unwilling to sacrifice themselves. So while tactically suicide bombings are explained, the emotional and motivational reasons are sometimes clouded due to the lack of access.