So much for progress against terrorism. Multiple blasts on the London transportation system are evidence of that. Maybe just killing civilians by the thousands - as we have done in Iraq - and destroying their cities is not the way to reduce recruits to Al Qaida. Maybe destabilizing governments - or just destroying them - is not the way to a stable world of nations.

We have squandered ourselves in Iraq. Osama hoped we would blindly lash out and we did. Instead of focusing on terrorism, Bush used our fear as a lever to go for conquering the heart of oil-producing Iraq.

We should develop stable relations with nations. We should encourage fair treatment and tolerance of all. We should set an example of this. But that would require us to give up our dominant economic position in the world. And we will not do that. And so we risk all on empire or disaster. History has only examples of disaster for those nations and countries that have attempted empire. Bush and his neocons think we can do it. If only we Americans hold steady to his vision of constant war.

This latest attack should mean that we refocus on terrorism and back out of the dead-end war in Iraq. Our war there strengthens the growth of terrorism. We are playing according to Osama's plan book. We get angry and lash out - shooting and bombing innocents everywhere. We marginalize those in the US who believe in Islam or are even Middle Eastern. And we wonder why Al Quaeda continues to thrive.

A few smart bombs on a Syrian border town will not hurt Al Queda. Nor reduce the threat of terrorism. Nor make the world safer.