George, the problem with your logic is that the use of terrorist tactics makes it less likely that the legitimate grievances of the group using those tactics will be addressed. If you try to deal with terrorist tactics by addressing the - possibly - legitimate complaints of the group using the terrorism, you have to be wary of sending the message that terrorism works. So you really have no choice but to defer addressing those issues until the terrorists - or their surviving supporters/organizers, in the case of suicide attacks - have been hunted down and punished. You have no choice, unless you want to encourage other terrorist groups.

So terrorism is worse than useless. It has an effect exactly the opposite of what the terrorists intend. Unless the victims panic completely.

I saw a quote somewhere from one of the Palestinians who were celebrating yesterday. He was saying something like, "Now the Americans will respect us, and not always side with Israel against us!" The poor stupid bastard! The effect is going to be just the opposite.

Peter.