HONOLULU -- The war on terrorism will be with us for a long time; honest observers admit the fight will never end. New technologies have permanently altered the balance of power between states and individuals. It is just too easy to commit terrorist acts. The rising number of incidents and the increasing scale of the violence have hardened consciences and lowered the threshold for horror.
In other words, we have to get used to the new security measures that are becoming part of daily life. For many of us, they are inconveniences; reminders of the insecurity that has crept into modern life and which add more time -- airport lines, mailing restrictions, parking restrictions -- to otherwise routine chores.
Such costs aren't too great for individuals but they add up nevertheless. And the accumulated costs -- many of which are invisible to most of us -- could have a profound impact. Antiterrorism measures can become "grit in the gears of globalization." As a result, governments have to balance the negative impact of counterterrorism policies with more aggressive development policies.