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What the U.S. Papers Say
Tuesday September 25, 2001
The Guardian

New York Times
Osama bin Laden comes from a prominent Saudi business family. A principal aim of his worldwide campaign of terror is to evict American troops from Saudi soil and end Washington's decades-long commitment to the defence of Saudi Arabia and its royal family.

Riyadh should give Washington the permission it seeks to use air bases on Saudi territory to launch and direct whatever military actions may be needed to destroy terrorist bases and training camps in Afghanistan.

By its actions, it can demonstrate to other Muslim nations that Washington is leading an international campaign against terrorism, not, as some wrongly claim, a Western battle against the Islamic world.

Chicago Tribune
It is not true that we now must live with new risks. Life has always carried risk. What's changed is that we have been reminded of risks we had chosen to ignore.

This nation has spent most of its history facing the chance of assault.

World War II imperiled this country's survival. The Cold War carried the constant threat of nuclear annihilation.

And yet through all of that, Americans functioned, prospered and refused to let enemies kidnap this nation's life, liberty or pursuit of happiness.

The comparatively carefree years since the end of the Cold War were not, in fact, as normal as we would like to pretend.

For a great part of American history, normal has meant vigilance and, in times of war, determination to prevail.
(More: The Guardian News Source)
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2001

Dan