The book traces the U.S. response to terrorism from the days of Thomas Jefferson and the Barbary pirates up to the confrontation of George Bush and Saddam Hussein. The author explores the "terrorist trap," defined in terms of psychological, political, and social dimensions that make terrorism unlike any other conflict. He contends that terrorism can never be fully resolved since it grows out of political, economic, and social grievances. The author discusses the dynamics of terrorism, global events that contribute to violence and terrorism, and the impact of terrorism on victims. Terrorist tactics and the government response to terrorism are examined, and consideration is paid to the role of religious fanaticism, ethnic-nationalist conflicts, political and revolutionary ideologies, and criminal greed in encouraging individuals and groups to engage in terrorist acts. Finally, the author considers terrorism's link to the irreversible march of technology by noting that the challenge for the United States is to deal in a world where endless political, ethnic, and religious conflicts associated with terrorism are joined by continued technological advancements in weaponry and tactics to produce a potentially more dangerous era of terrorism. References, notes, and photographs