Study: Terrorists are motivated by Politics more than Religion

[abaris]

Other than religion or politics have you considered other motives. If you discount monetary and materialism, especially by those running the show, you may be fooling yourselves.

What about power? Having ultimate power over others is a very strong motivator for certain people. I'm not going to compare as others do, but Hitler was a millionaire. He got royalties from his books and from his picture on stamps and could have retired at any time. Saddam, also more than well off. Idi Amin, the Kims. The list could go on for several pages.

Money doesn't seem to be that much of an attraction to satisfy the real control freaks. And I certainly don't think, religion is either. It's just the tool being used. The ideology of choice, if you so wish. And every ideology is there for the grunts, not for the higher ups.

[brewer]

Other than religion or politics have you considered other motives. If you discount monetary and materialism, especially by those running the show, you may be fooling yourselves.

What about power? Having ultimate power over others is a very strong motivator for certain people. I'm not going to compare as others do, but Hitler was a millionaire. He got royalties from his books and from his picture on stamps and could have retired at any time. Saddam, also more than well off. Idi Amin, the Kims. The list could go on for several pages.

Money doesn't seem to be that much of an attraction to satisfy the real control freaks. And I certainly don't think, religion is either. It's just the tool being used. The ideology of choice, if you so wish. And every ideology is there for the grunts, not for the higher ups.

I agree. But they aren't promising the masses power. Money and material things (a better life) I believe are more of a motivator for the masses than religion, politics or power.

[abaris]

I agree. But they aren't promising the masses power. Money and material things (a better life) I believe are more of a motivator for the masses than religion, politics or power.

For the grunts, religion in it's radical form, always was and always will be the promise of paradise. For the higher ranks it always was and always will be an instrument to exercise control.

[abaris]

I just read an article about Saudi Arabia's role in the current conflicts. The article is based on warnings of the German secret service BND and argues that the Saudis with their radical interpretation of Islam have much in common with ISIS. They're mainly out to install Wahhabism as a political force in the Middlle East and to bring themself into position to fight Iranian influence. This seems to be related to the Saudi king being very ill, suffering from dementia and the aftermath os a troke. He's supposed to be out of the political picture and his nephew, the minister of defense is supposed to be the new strong man.

It's in German, but maybe some people can get something out of it.
http://orf.at/stories/2314008/2314007/