What Really Motivated the ‘Boston Bombers’?

I have been reading and listening to politician after politician, and pundit after pundit, say that we need to know why the 2 idiots turned radical and set those bombs off in Boston. Almost all are saying that the older brother was the principle actor and that he was brain washed into becoming a “jihadist” during his six month visit to Russia. He returned from Russia and literally dominated his brother into becoming involved.

That sounds logical, but it is too neat, too pat. It is easy to understand and fits our notions about Islamic radicals.

I don’t completely buy it. I think the real motivation was something far more basic and human. I believe that he did, indeed, become far more religious during his trip to Russia but I do not think that his real motivation for setting off the bombs was his religion. I believe he used his religious beliefs as an excuse.

Remember that they had lived in the United States for a decade and that they both had applied for citizenship. After his visit to Russia, the older brother was denied citizenship while the younger brother was granted citizenship. The reasons for his denial have not yet been explained by the State Department (I’m sure we’ll find out eventually), but it really doesn’t matter. The fact is: he was told “No, you cannot be a U.S. Citizen”.

He was already domineering and prone to physical violence. I think his real motivation for blowing up people at the Boston Marathon was revenge for being denied citizenship and he simply used his religious beliefs as a lame justification. He used it as a tool to convince his brother to help –and probably to get others to help and possibly provide other assistance (we’ll find out who else might have been involved during the investigation).

He may have waived the flag of a jihadist to make himself look like a 'Soldier for Allah'–but he was really just a mentally unbalanced, petty jerk who was out to get even for being told “No” and wanted to get his five minutes of fame. Well, he got what was coming to him, not fame but infamy. Not martyrdom but just a well deserved violent death.

So, when you hear the pundits start trying to blame America (they are even starting to try to blame things like our use of drones in the war on terrorism) –don’t buy into it. Don’t let them blame us. Don’t think of these little bastards as Islamic radicals willing to die for the cause. Think of these guys more like spoiled kids throwing a temper tantrum because somebody said “No, you can’t have your way”.

 

Live Long and Prosper... (and try to get along...)