It decides that three warring factions should stay together in Bosnia. It supports a whole series of undemocratic, authoritarian regimes around the globe. And, of course, it micromanages the ugly, emotional and endless conflicts in the Middle East. Americans, who tend to be largely oblivious to the rest of the world, don't much notice what their government is doing abroad. America has, paradoxically, grown more vulnerable to terrorism as its military dominance has increased.
Terrorism is the one means for the weak to strike out against the strong.
The potential cost was high enough when it meant an airliner hijacking or tourist shooting. Now, however, terrorism means massive conventional bombing, such as of the World Trade Center, and even more destructive unconventional attacks utilizing biological, chemical and nuclear weapons. Of course, Washington can threaten massive retaliation, bomb suspected terrorist sites, and turn the United States into a police state. But that will only reduce, not eliminate, terrorism. Today's strategy of promiscuous intervention is aberrant, a product of the Cold War and America's policy of global containment of communism.