Terrorism's threat must be fought worldwide

A week after some of the worst terrorist bombings since Sept. 11, 2001, it is clear that al-Qaida is back in business and is as deadly as ever.

The grim confirmation came last week when a 19-member al-Qaida bombing team wreaked carnage at three compounds in Saudi Arabia. In Riyadh, the country's largest city, the terrorists set off multiple car bombings that killed at least 30 people, including eight Americans. Forty of the 194 people injured were U.S. citizens.

The terror hasn't been limited to Saudi Arabia, though. Later in the week, 14 terrorist attackers suspected of al-Qaida affiliation used a five-prong assault, including car bombs, for an attack in Morocco.

The terrorists bombed a restaurant, a hotel and three other spots in downtown Casablanca, best known in the United States as the setting for the classic movie with the same name. Sadly, Americans now have new images of Casablanca that don't include Humphrey Bogart or Ingrid Bergman.

Despite all of our country's work to wipe out Osama bin Laden's terror network, it is obvious that al-Qaida is reorganizing and setting up new bases of operations in different places.

Government officials believe the group is able to carry out planning, training and recruiting efforts for future attacks whether or not Osama bin Laden is alive.

On Tuesday, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge raised the U.S. terror threat level to "high" from "elevated." Ridge cited intelligence that the United States might be the target of a new wave of terrorism.

There is no question that the United States has accomplished a great deal in disrupting the elusive al-Qaida network, capturing several of its top leaders. That the most recent attacks took place outside the United States suggests that anti-terrorism measures here have made America a more difficult target.

But eliminating such a scattered group won't be easy, and more work remains to be done.

President Bush has promised to use more resources and team up with more governments to thwart terrorism. He's already committed to sending American troops to the southern Philippines.

The recent bombings show that this is not this country's problem alone. As terrorism spreads around the world like a cancer, other countries will be compelled to join the fight by devoting resources and troops of their own. Terrorism has truly become a worldwide plague.

After Sept. 11, some countries criticized the United States for starting a coalition that would only help its own interests. Now, the world can see that is far from true.

Secretary of State Colin Powell said terrorism is affecting "the entire civilized world." The entire civilized world now must join the fight.

A week after some of the worst terrorist bombings since Sept. 11, 2001, it is clear that al-Qaida is back in business and is as deadly as ever.

The grim confirmation came last week when a 19-member al-Qaida bombing team wreaked carnage at three compounds in Saudi Arabia. In Riyadh, the country's largest city, the terrorists set off multiple car bombings that killed at least 30 people, including eight Americans. Forty of the 194 people injured were U.S. citizens.

The terror hasn't been limited to Saudi Arabia, though. Later in the week, 14 terrorist attackers suspected of al-Qaida affiliation used a five-prong assault, including car bombs, for an attack in Morocco.

The terrorists bombed a restaurant, a hotel and three other spots in downtown Casablanca, best known in the United States as the setting for the classic movie with the same name. Sadly, Americans now have new images of Casablanca that don't include Humphrey Bogart or Ingrid Bergman.

Despite all of our country's work to wipe out Osama bin Laden's terror network, it is obvious that al-Qaida is reorganizing and setting up new bases of operations in different places.

Government officials believe the group is able to carry out planning, training and recruiting efforts for future attacks whether or not Osama bin Laden is alive.

On Tuesday, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge raised the U.S. terror threat level to "high" from "elevated." Ridge cited intelligence that the United States might be the target of a new wave of terrorism.

There is no question that the United States has accomplished a great deal in disrupting the elusive al-Qaida network, capturing several of its top leaders. That the most recent attacks took place outside the United States suggests that anti-terrorism measures here have made America a more difficult target.

But eliminating such a scattered group won't be easy, and more work remains to be done.

President Bush has promised to use more resources and team up with more governments to thwart terrorism. He's already committed to sending American troops to the southern Philippines.

The recent bombings show that this is not this country's problem alone. As terrorism spreads around the world like a cancer, other countries will be compelled to join the fight by devoting resources and troops of their own. Terrorism has truly become a worldwide plague.

After Sept. 11, some countries criticized the United States for starting a coalition that would only help its own interests. Now, the world can see that is far from true.

Secretary of State Colin Powell said terrorism is affecting "the entire civilized world." The entire civilized world now must join the fight.