May 19, 2006: Islamic radicals operating in the southern Philippines have found that while the "Moro" tribesmen in the area are staunchly conservative Moslems quite willing to engage in war with the "infidel," they don't make good suicide bombers. In fact, they don't become suicide bombers at all. The Moros have a very strong warrior ethos that glorifies death in battle. But suicide isn't viewed as compatible with their warrior traditions. The way to go is to plunge into battle with the enemy, smiting him left and right until he finally gets you, not blowing yourself up in the middle of a bunch of unsuspecting innocents. As a result, Filipino Islamists have been trying to recruit suicide bombers from outside the region. Getting outsiders to do the suicide thing made more sense in Iraq, because the Iraqis have a dismal record as warriors. But most people would be surprised to hear that the notoriously fierce Moros disdain that sort of thing. This is not a unique situation. The Afghan warriors also disdain suicide, and al Qaeda has to import foreigners for that work.