What the British Conviction Tells Us About Terrorism

The high-profile conviction of three bombers in Britain who had planned to down several trans-Atlantic airliners in the most serious attack since 9/11 has helped throw a few questions surrounding the proposed nation building mission in Afghanistan into sharp relief. Here's what we know:

1. The bomb-makers traveled to, and sought guidance from, terrorists in Pakistan. This definitely lends support to the notion that al Qaeda needs a "safe haven" if it wants to launch spectacular attacks against Western targets. Unfortunately, that safe haven presently exists in Pakistan, not Afghanistan.

2. The plot was disrupted via intercepts and police work conducted in London and Washington. The relative security of Afghanistan - its governing institutions, the security of its population, the strength of the Taliban - was irrelevant. The plot unfolded in the United Kingdom and Pakistan.

3. The attackers cited Western policies toward the Muslim word and their religious faith as the reasons for their assault. Suggesting once again that a heavily militarized presence in the Muslim world is, at a minimum, fodder for jihadist propaganda and, at worse, a catalyst to terrorism.

So the question becomes: how do any of the proposed outcomes for Afghanistan make this plot less likely to occur? What outcomes in Afghanistan prevent these British jihadists from hatching and attempting to conduct this terrorist plot?

(AP Photos)