Osama Bin Laden: Man or Meme? by Robert Wright ‘On Sept. 12, Colin Powell framed America’s impending military response to the previous day’s attack as part of a campaign to “go after terrorism and get it by its branch and its root.” Here is an alternative horticultural metaphor that I came across a few days ago: “Military action to destroy terror ? will be like hitting a fully mature dandelion with a golf club.” ‘ Slate