Although many governments say that they will not negotiate with terrorists, in practice they often do. And their rhetoric has prevented the systematic analysis of how to do so best. The goal should be to buttress moderates among the terrorists without strengthening hard-liners -- by promising legitimate political involvement, but only if the terrorists eschew violence and accept democratic principles.

Three new books, one by a Bush administration insider, two not, differ greatly in how they assess the costs and the benefits that the war on terrorism has had for the White House, the Constitution, and the American public.

In spite of its diffculties in Iraq, the United States was not wrong to have removed Saddam Hussein. The outcome of the Iraqi enterprise will be crucial to the course of the "war on terror." And success is still possible -- if Washington takes a page out of its Cold War playbook.