I still think that the use of "war" in this context is actually attributing a status to bin Laden - that of some kind of equal to the US capable of maintaining his side in a sustained conflict - which raises him somewhat above his real capabilities. Let's call it the Insel-Peter Principle.

The man may well be able to organise another attack of some kind, but I think that unless he can obtain BNC-type weapons it is unlikely to be as spectacular as the one last Tuesday. In that respect, at least, I think he's shot his bolt. To organise something like Tuesday's atrocity (and I have no difficulty with that word here) requires peace and quiet, and above all, US complacency. He'll be struggling to get that, won't he? You can't kick over a hornet's nest and expect the hornets to say "Oh, well, never mind".


The idiot also known as Capfka ...