Terrorism as practiced by Al Qaeda — and, for that matter Saddamist killers in Iraq — is 21st century information warfare. Terrorists don’t simply target London and Baghdad, they target the news media.

Al Qaeda understands that our media craves the spectacular. But don’t place all the blame on headline writers and TV producers. Like sex, violence sells, and Al Qaeda has suckered audiences by providing hideous violence.

At the moment, the truly biggest story on the planet is democratic political change in the Middle East, beginning with Iraq. It’s huge history, and a looming political disaster for tyrants and terrorists. When Western audiences decide that this is the real news of our era — and it is that — Al Qaeda will be dealt a death blow.
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Terrorists can be a very small group of people or a politically weak organization. What makes the small and anonymous appear powerful and strong? In the 21st century, intense media coverage magnifies the terrorists’ capabilities. This suggests that winning the global war against Islamist terror ultimately means accomplishing two things: denying the terrorists’ weapons of mass destruction and curbing what is currently Al Qaeda’s greatest strategic capability: media magnification and occasional media enhancement of its bombing campaigns and political theatrics.