The fallout from 9/11 has left us knee deep in three wars - Iraq, Afghanistan and an endless war on terror. When it comes to the latter, the Kerry camp pounced on President Bush's statement that 'winning' would not be possible, and the Administration promptly flip-flopped. Experts on both sides say that the President might not have missed the mark. What does winning mean? Can terrorism be controlled, or only minimized?

• Victory might mean a drop in the number of terror attacks or in death tolls inflicted; but most experts agree that there is no foreseeable end to the use of terrorist attacks to gain attention.
  
  
• Afghanistan has shown that treating terrorists like nation-states is ineffective: a friendly government has been installed in Kabul but Al- Qaeda and revived Taliban thrive in the rest of the country.

Some analysts see the Administration missing the root causes of terrorism: repressive regimes, failed states, poverty, inequality and the aftermath of colonial submission. Recent attacks in Israel, and a school takeover in Russia illustrate that terrorism certainly isn't just about the US. Without knowing what social and political conditions breed terrorist acts, can we truly hope to prevent them? Are we any safer?

As our military men and women are sacrificed and our reputation in the world wrenched, many experts say it is past time to consider other or additional approaches to combating terrorist acts.

• Restore collaborative strategies with allies and forge cooperative relations with the Muslim world.
  
  
• Support international weapons agreements, like the Chemical and Biological Weapons conventions, the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and the comprehensive Test Ban Treaty among others.
  
  
• Reduce our dependence on oil imports from repressive regimes.

What have we learned about Al Qaeda, terrorists and the Muslim world? In the effort to prevent future attacks, do our policies reflect an understanding of the causes of terrorism? Beyond consideration for WMD, has our invasion of Iraq proved wise? What are the strategies for reconstructing Iraq? Is it too late to ask for help from NATO or the UN? Can we achieve success without it? Has the ongoing "war on terrorism" been effective? Are we overextending - and over spending - our military and tax dollars in this strategy to combat terrorism? How can we alter our approach? Can we craft a defense that unites the global community? Whose fathers, brothers, mothers, sisters and children will fight this endless war?