I think the Viking Berserkers could pretty much be put in the category of suiciders as well as some of the Native American Dog Soldiers. I'm aware of the African Wolloff oral tradition of them, in particular one cultural hero who weighted himself with stones so the remnants of survival instincts couldn't kick in and cause him to flee. There were NVA sappers in Nam' who took themselves out. It's nothing new to the species, that's for sure. To me it's simply the ultimate rejection of unbearable circumstances, a transcendence into divine rage and rejection. The man who jumps on a hand grenade to save his buddies or the man that slaps on a C-4 vest and takes himself out in a market, both are dead, cultural heroes but I contend countless Veterans are buried all over the planet going back a few thousand years who died pretty much resolved to the fact that they were in their last engagement(s).

Suicide bombing bolsters the rank and file in the jihadist camps and it garnishes media attention and cows-down the civilian victims but it also hardens the resolve of the opponents and eventually numbs the civilian victims into a lethargy that allows life to continue on. Iraqis are still going to the markets and the Israelis kept riding the buses and eating at pizza parlors -they let the divine wind of fate carry them on, resolved that life must go on despite the presence of violent monsters. We see the same dynamic at play in inner cities where many residents don't go out at night but do so in the day time with considerable trepidation. Ontologically, it boils down to our side essentially giving our lives to save lives and their side giving their lives to take lives, each claiming righteousness in the eyes of the Creator. From a COIN perspective, the jihadist suiciders have the immediate tactical advantage but in the long run, we will win out.