London

Today's bombings are deeply tragic, but they are also an important reminder that the Bush and Blair governments have taken their collective eye off the ball of stamping out terrorism. The war in Iraq has drained our finances, hurt our military capability, and distracted everyone from the threats we face at home.

Instead of being bogged down by the debacle in Iraq, we should be combing the mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan, clamping down on the radicals in southeast Asia, and investing in effective counterterrorism measures at home, rather than hassling grandmothers in airports.