many commentators assume that people willing to join extremist groups are irrational, motivated only by extreme hate or abstract ideas of rewards in the afterlife. contrary to these notions, berman says that radical religious groups are rational in their selection of tactics. berman does not see a dichotomy between insurgents and terrorists. he argues that they all belong to a single category he calls "rebels", and who, according to berman, use a variety of techniques, depending on the circumstances, with suicide bombing being merely one end of the spectrum.