[ex-snook]

Osama wanted the civilization war.

[lugsoul]

You are exactly correct. In the AQ mindset, the BEST thing that could happen would be a US overreaction to a provocation - the proverbial "nuking of Mecca" you read so often on FR. AQ wants an apocalyptic conflict between Islam and the West, and GWB will certainly give them that. The difference is that the AQ scumbags have a view of time that is more akin to the Chinese than to ours. We sit here and act like it is a great accomplishment that they haven't struck the homeland in 2+ years, but there is no reason to think they are in any hurry.