In counterterrorism circles, the standard response to questions about the possibility of future attacks isthe terse one-liner: Not if, but when. This mantra supposedly conveys a realistic approach to the problem, but, as Joseba Zulaika argues in "Terrorism," it functions as a self-fulfilling prophecy. By distorting reality to fit their own worldview, the architects of the War on Terror prompt the behavior they seek to prevent a twisted logic that has already played out horrifically in Iraq. In short, Zulaika contends, counterterrorism has become pivotal in promoting terrorism.

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