Terrorism fails to exert political pressure on governments, as nobody in the world wants random acts of violence to take the lives of their children, or indeed themselves.

Where terrorism has succeeded is forcing Western governments to take actions that limit freedoms – but what the Osama bin Laden mentality that has gripped the radical Islamic extremes seems to not understand – is that the West was already reluctantly accepting of restrictions imposed historically (e.g. during WWII) and is better setup (especially the UK) for the police to keep watch on its citizens.

There is however an assumption that these restrictions, inspections and limitations on real freedom would be released once the terrorist threat is over. The day Osama bin Laden is caught and tried may be the token end that the voters are waiting for, but it probably means nothing; now that the Western governments have committed acts of war to try and prevent the terrorism threat. There is a growing discomfort that the acts of government are becoming the default stance and that freedom itself is being redefined to mean “freedom within limits”.

What I find truly disturbing is not the 2 million video cameras in London, or scanners that can see through my clothing, but the reaction of people to each other evident in today’s media. The judgementalism reflects a shift where distrust between people is the assumed stance and everyone is seen as a potential threat.

Our political forums are unbalanced, there is no respect for political leadership and with only more of the same on offer, a lack of imagination seems to have gripped the world in an economic cold war where bankers claim a natural right to 7 figure salaries and their actions put 5% more of the population out of employment and countless numbers of lives are damaged as foreclosures ruin the future hopes of far too many.

This we did all by ourselves, without the prodding of the insane suicide bombers. There is simply no heroics in those kind of tactics. Nor in the response to them.

A better path is the realisation of the great beauty of difference.