THE U.S. IN THE WORLD

Toronto Globe and Mail: One of the many things that changed on Sept. 11 was the idea that the United States could go it alone in the world. Since the attacks, Washington has worked hard to persuade other countries to join it in an international war on terrorism. Even old adversaries such as Russia, China and Iran were courted, and world-girdling organizations such as the United Nations, once scorned by some U.S. leaders, are getting new respect.
This is not a sign of weakness, but an acceptance of reality. Terrorism is an international problem, and it is best fought internationally. Washington realized that if it wants to win the fight, it cannot go it alone. So of necessity, U.S. leaders have looked for help in every corner. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, John Negroponte, said last week: "The United States, like all members, has the right to defend itself. But we do not feel alone in our struggle, and we are not proceeding alone." On Sunday, President George W. Bush spoke of the many countries that have offered assistance, whether it be military strength or simple acceptance of the allies' jets flying overhead.
Turn of events: This is a welcome turn of events. The United States has sometimes imagined that, in its power and glory, it could do without the rest of the world. Until last month, the administration of George W. Bush was wary of international organizations and of international campaigns. Mr. Bush turned his back on the Kyoto accord on global warming, the treaty setting up an international criminal court and a chemical and biological weapons convention.
Sept. 11 seems to have persuaded him that unilateralism will not work, at least on this issue, and that multilateralism is the way to go. Now it is up to the rest of the world to show him he was right to think so.
So far, everyone has made the right noises. World leaders from Europe to South Asia to the Far East have all pledged their support for the U.S.-led campaign against terrorism. But what those pledges really mean is still unclear. Will countries such as Syria root out the terrorists on their soil? Will France stop playing games with Iraq's Saddam Hussein and join Washington's attempt to contain or even overthrow him?
Then there is the United Nations. The UN moved with unusual speed to condemn the Sept. 11 attacks. Resolution 1368, passed by the Security Council the day after, describes the attacks as a "threat to international peace and security," language that could authorize international military action. It followed up with a unanimous resolution calling on all 189 UN nations to deny money, support and sanctuary to terrorists. The UN General Assembly, meanwhile, has been working on a treaty that would reinforce and pull together the 12 existing international antiterrorism agreements.
On the other hand, only five of those 12 have been ratified by more than 100 countries. It is up to all the holdouts to show now that they are on board. As UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan put it, "terrorism will be defeated if the international community summons the will to unite in a broad coalition, or it will not be defeated at all."
The United States has accepted that fact and asked the rest of the world to help. By responding with generosity and determination, the rest of the world can show Washington it made the right decision when it decided not to go it alone this time.
SOME VINDICATION FOR FORD
Detroit Free Press: With 271 people dead, this isn't a victory to crow about, but Ford Motor Co. can feel vindicated by federal government findings that Firestone tires, not Ford Explorers, were to blame for the auto industry's worst safety debacle in decades.
In denial: Tire maker Bridgestone/Firestone will never concede the point, but in an effort to rebuild its business, has agreed to recall another 3.5 million tires. The company says only a fifth of them may still be on the road and insists in calling it a "replacement program" -- one that happens to have been started by a high-powered prod from Uncle Sam.
The key finding released last Thursday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was that tread separation in the tires on a Ford Explorer was no more likely to lead to a crash than it would on any other SUV. Bridgestone/Firestone said any tire failures were exacerbated on Explorers because the vehicle has design flaws that make it prone to roll over. The NHTSA findings make it unlikely federal safety investigators will pursue this claim.
In Dearborn, this has to be seen as a welcome dividend on Ford's aggressive response to the tire troubles and its costly campaign to keep public confidence. Ford took the initiative earlier this year to replace 13 million Firestone tires on Ford products. In so doing, Ford was looking out for its customers, which is how a smart business looks out for itself.