I AWOKE TO the BBC relaying news of the multiple bombings in London, visualizing locations in a city where I grew up, Edgeware Road, Kings Cross, Aldgate, Moorgate. Then I spent the next couple of hours online and on the phone, checking on friends. I sit here worried, angry, and relieved. As far as I know everyone is safe, but I still feel sickened and rattled.

I have a sinking feeling, hoping it's not a case of "here we go again."

Already we hear this is the work of "callous cowards." Callous yes, cowards no. Smart, sophisticated, and fanatical, yes. Fundamentalist, determined, and Manichean, yes. Cowards, no.

We already hear President George W. Bush talking of bringing the "terrorists" to "justice," (having been so successful with Osama Bin Laden). The anti-capitalist protesters in Scotland will be tarred with the terrorist brush, and Prime Minister Tony Blair's attempts to rally a coalition to rein in the Americans on global warming and poverty will now fall by the wayside. More collateral damage, even before the primary targets, the civilians murdered by bombs in London, are in their graves.

"What the hell did you expect if you are going to go bombing and invading people?" snapped one English friend when I called to check up. "We have all been expecting this, and it has happened."

And that's the problem: The war genie, the terror genie, and the fundamentalist genies are all out of the bottle. The fundamentalist, reactionary, religious response to United States foreign policy and the Afghanistan blow-back manipulated by Bin Laden et al beget US invasions in the Middle East beget a jihadist training ground in Iraq – something even the CIA admits – which beget the bombings in Madrid and London. The hard men on both sides have created a pact of death.

At least in the UK there is unlikely to be a paroxysm of officially sanctioned jingoistic rage, followed by a "Let's go invade the bastards." Which bastards? Oh, any bastards will do! I have some hope that will not happen. Even with Blair in charge, I don't expect that. And loath as I am to admit it, Blair did the right thing by racing down to London and promising to come back to Scotland, emphasizing that the G8 summit should not collapse and that there must be agreements on attempting to end world poverty and climate change.

And the protesters are still right to be there, demanding a redistribution of global power and wealth and concerted action against green house emissions.

Ultimately both Blair and the anti-capitalist protesters are right. This so-called "war" on terror (war on a tactic?) will never be defeated militarily. The only thing that will end it is a massive change in US foreign policy, concerted action and redistribution of resources, and women's education and empowerment. Yes, it sounds fuzzy, but it isn't. Such activism is the only way to defeat the fundamentalist crazies here and abroad.