The event was staged for media attention. Terrorism is always staged by rational actors seeking recognition and attention.

Without media terrorism vanishes and becomes just another criminal act to be handled by the police and page four, along with the rest of the police reports.

Gerry Adams said it best when he said, "One bomb at Harrods (London) is worth 50 bombs in Belfast."

The problem always exists that the problems that cause popular support for the insurgents have to be answered. In northern Ireland the problem has always been employment issues in the Bogside.

In Iraq, no intensive investigation into the underlying problems have been made by this administration. No adequate exit stategy has been enunciated. We know there are religious issues--the problem is how do we bridge them?

If we can find ways to use social solutions to common problems can they transend religious differences?

Slogans are not the solutions.

Publius