Nuclear Iran and 72 Virgins—Is there a connection? Avi Perry Guest Blog

Nuclear Iran and 72 Virgins—Is there a connection?

In my latest book—72 Virgins, some of the characters are members of a Jihad fraternity—a collection of Islamic fanatics, misguided by a faith-based hate, who seek martyrdom, whether it’s an individual or a collective goal. Iran is a leading force inside this mad fraternity—a point I was trying to make when writing the book. This is why Iran is so different from India, Pakistan, Israel, when it comes to the question of nuclear weapons.

It is a fact that among the official and unofficial nuclear club members none is controlled by an Islamic religious fanatic leader, whereas Iran is.

It is a fact that Islamic religious fanatics have no regard for innocent lives. They believe that Allah wants them to kill anyone who stands in the way to their version of world order. 9/11 proved that point.

It is a fact that Islamic religious fanatics take their orders directly from Allah’s earthly self appointed representatives and follow it blindly without a question.

It is a fact that Iran’s leader has already announced his intent to wipe Israel off the map. He clearly implied that he would use a nuclear bomb for the task had he had one.

There is a strong suspicion that Iran’s leaders view Israel as a requisite bus stop on the way to other Middle-Eastern countries, Europe, and beyond, in their Jihadic mission to cleanse the world from its infidels.

There is a strong suspicion that Iran may actually bring its nuclear bomb into play, or let its Islamic comrades experiment with it on real human beings. There is no analogous anxiety when it comes to other members of the nuclear club.

But what about Israel? Why does the Western World beg off pressuring the Jewish state to open its nuclear facilities to international inspections? Why is Israel given a preferential treatment on the issue?

Apparently, the West, and the US specifically, understand that Israel would not use its nuclear arsenal in battle unless it is attacked or about to be attacked with WMD first. They understand that the Israeli capability is defensive, while the Iranian aspirations are offensive. They understand that Israel is the only country in the world whose citizens rather than their government are targeted for elimination by its religious fanatic enemies. Israel is the only country in the world whose citizens are subject to a massive genocide by those aspiring to nuke it.

The North Korean government does not want to kill all of its Southern neighbor citizens. It wants to control them. India and Pakistan do not want to kill all of their enemy civilians. Their dispute is confined to territorial control. All recent wars among nuclear members and other nations amounted to wars, cold or hot, between governments over territorial or political jurisdiction. These objectives are in contradiction to the utilization of WMD.

Iran’s “wipe them off the map” call is clearly a departure from the norm. If these neurotic desperados place their hands on this WMD button, the world may actually witness mushroom clouds for the first time since Nagasaki. And that is why Iran should never be allowed to exercise the nuclear potential.

Dr. Avi Perry grew up among many of the character-types depicted in his latest book 72 Virgins, then served in the Israeli Defense Forces and gained valuable and relevant experience in military intelligence, one that breathes authenticity into the setting. He was a professor at Northwestern University, a Bell Laboratories distinguished member and manager, and a Vice President at a hi-tech company. He is the author of Fundamentals of Voice Quality Engineering in Wireless Networks, published in 2007 by Cambridge University Press.

Visit the author’s web site at www.aviperry.org.

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Behind the writing of 72 Virgins

People keep asking. “What drove you to write 72 Virgins?” Why—after a long career as a professor in the academia, followed by a hi-tech stint as a technology chief—suddenly an author—a fiction writer. What happened?

My latest novel, 72 Virgins, carries a message, a prediction. Islamic terror is about to explode in the US. It’s a fact. Imagine. Attacks were thwarted even on the day the book was released. The real question is not whether Jihad terrorists’ plots will ever cease to emerge—there is no chance of that. The question the book seeks to answer is whether the next one will be stopped before it’s too late.

I was born in Israel. I served in the Israeli military during, before and after the Six-Day-War in 1967. I lived and breathed war violence, military intelligence, spy-craft designed for terror deterrence. I understand wars, military conflicts, and faith-based hate—an Islamic trait, since I grew up in that kind of a hostile neighborhood. I have been frustrated by the naiveté of my American friends and colleagues who keep asking, whenever I take a trip to my birthplace, “aren’t you worried? Isn’t it dangerous over there?

I keep thinking to myself. “Aren’t you worried as well?” Did you forget 9/11? Did you forget the following terror and potential terror attacks on US and Western interests all over and around the world?

America needs a constant reminder. Americans must be more alert and more aware. The economy is important. The healthcare system must be fixed. But security should not be sacrificed in the process. Without security - freedom, the economy and healthcare are meaningless. And if you don’t get it, try living in Afghanistan for a week.

There has been no serious terror attack in the US since 9/11. Americans have become complacent. The political left is on the attack—their aim is distorted. They go after the CIA, the law enforcement agency in charge of protecting us. They do not ask themselves the question that I am trying to answer in 72 Virgins—how is it that there has been no terror attack on US soil since 9/11? We all know (or at least those who read or watch the news), that there have been attempts; they failed; perpetrators were caught; we are safe. No!

I grew up in Israel, and I have seen it. You can’t fight a religion driven, faith-based hate by being nice, by making sure you don’t violate rules of war, by making concessions. These are means that apply to rational opponents—not ones steered by a holy book, but rather, by a selfish interest. I was trying to clarify that concept in 72 Virgins. I was trying to craft characters, through which the reader can grasp the new reality behind the type of terror we have been witnessing in the past twenty years.

I wrote 72 Virgins because I care about America, because I have grown distressed when witnessing the mounting naiveté among those who lack the understanding of history; those who are unable to learn from it and avoid repeating past mistakes.

I was trying to explain that suicide bombers are not desperate people. They are the most selfish animals in existence. They kill innocents, believing that that criminal act is martyrdom, qualifying them for an express ticket to heaven, next to Allah’s throne, where 72 Virgins would attend to their needs.

Avi Perry

www.aviperry.org