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Can terrorism be stopped? I don't know if it can ever be completely stopped. As long as there is a group who feels sufficiently oppressed by a governmental entity, there will be terrorism.
As far as whether we as Americans - or our President - can ever eliminate the threat of terror, it depends on us. As fun and politically expedient as it is for us to say, "They hate us 'cause of our freedom," it is completely off the mark and ignores the real reason they hate us. We all know deep down the root of terrorist activity against the U.S. is based on two things: our support of Israel, and our hegemonic ways.
The problem, as I see it, is that we are unable to admit our often brutal role in overthrowing foreign governments, supporting tyrannical leaders in other countries, and demanding more of our allies than we are willing to give in return. We see the world as somehow owing us for the favors we do, even if those favors are unwanted and unhelpful. Watching one of the numerous Sunday morning talking head shows, I heard an administration official - which one escapes me - complaining that the Iraqis are not grateful enough to us for what we've done for them. He either failed to realize, or refuses to acknowedge, that possibly, just possibly, the Iraqis are not grateful because they do not see us as doing them any favors, even if they did hate Saddam Hussein.
We have deluded ourselves as a nation into believing that every action we take in foreign countries is somehow synonymous with our liberation of European cities during WW2, and we expect - if not demand - that the citizens of these countries genuflect at our benevolent actions. We kid ourselves into thinking that we know what is best for these people, even if they don't recognize it, and then we are shocked when they don't adorn their streets with rose petals at our arrival.
If we are serious about diminishing the threat of terror against us, we have to admit that just because we can enter any country we want and demand they adhere to our beliefs of freedom and business (WTO, for instance), doesn't mean that we should. And when we do, we better be ready to expect resistance.
If instead, we want to pretend that terrorists hate us because of our freedom, then we will never truly understand why they hate us. Tough talk might work great in Hollywood movies, but in reality it makes us look arrogant and ignorant, all at once. Simplifying and reducing deep-rooted hatred to an easy catchphrase will only serve to guarantee that we will always be a target.
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"I can normally tell how intelligent a man is by how stupid he thinks I am" - Cormac McCarthy, All The Pretty Horses
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