SOME DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS ABOUT TERRORISM

The almost universal Western reaction to the terror attack on the United States has been anger, revulsion and a desire to make sure it never happens again.

U.S. President George W. Bush has declared "war on terrorism." The other 18 NATO countries, including Canada, have given at least formal blessing to this enterprise.

In Washington, government officials and politicians are emphasizing their country's steely resolve, their determination not to buckle under and their certainty that those who planned these attacks will face a stern and unforgiving retribution.

But history demonstrates two dirty little secrets about terrorism, neither of which governments are anxious to admit. The first is that terrorism is almost impossible to prevent unless its root causes are seriously and systematically addressed.

The second is that, quite often, terrorists get what they want. "We can do things that will help lessen the possibility of a terrorist attacks, but eliminate it we can't," says historian Hal Klepak, a professor of war studies at Kingston's Royal Military College. "To talk of a war against terrorism is not helpful."