European Press Review: Remembering Sept. 11

Hungary's Nepszabdsag wrote that the enemy is essentially unreachable. Al Qaeda is growing like a Hydra with many heads despite military strikes against it. Terrorism is still the greatest threat we are facing. The paper is critical of George W. Bush and argues that his strategy and tactics have contributed to the problem. In order to conquer its enemies, the paper wrote, Washington must first win back its alienated friends.

Austria's Die Presse, on the other hand, labeled as "charlatans" all those who think they can make a final judgment. The terror attacks, the paper commented, only altered the front lines after the Cold War. These are now just more confusing than the simple black-and-white of the communist era.

Britain's Daily Telegraph emphasized that the "Great Satan" is far from falling apart and instead has demonstrated exceptional courage and great decisiveness in the face of an apocalyptic threat. September 11, the paper said, was a wake up call for an entire country, whose security measures had been much too lax and it forced America and its allies to tighten anti-terror laws. The fact that no major terror attacks have occurred in the West in the last two years is evidence of how effective these measures have been.

The French daily, Le Figaro, argued that the defense of democracy is not enough to mobilize its allies. U.S. President George W. Bush has not been able to rally countries behind him. There is no neutral ground on this issue, however, the paper said, because Islamic terrorists are not only aiming at America. They have declared war against the West.