Building a coalition

World widely condemns attacks, but next step unclear

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In the days after the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, Washington was flooded with expressions of sympathy and condemnation from world leaders. The Bush administration has worked to turn these words into an international coalition against terrorism.

The war against terrorism, the White House has said, will not end quickly or easily -- nor will it be fought in one country or by military means alone. This reality has made building an international coalition against terrorism a top diplomatic priority for the White House, not only to find those responsible for the attacks but also to prevent future terrorist acts.

Dozens of nations have lost citizens in the World Trade Center disaster, a point Washington has tried to reinforce by guiding world leaders like French President Jacques Chirac and British Prime Minister Tony Blair to see "ground zero" for themselves. More

And while most world leaders have issued condemnations of terrorism, there's been less common ground as to how to combat terrorism, and how specifically to help the United States.