US President George W. Bush forewarned in declaring his war on terrorism that the fight would not be easy. 'A lengthy campaign, unlike any other we have ever seen' was how he portrayed the coming battle in an address to a joint session of the US Congress on September 20, 2001.
Mr Bush may not have known exactly what he was getting his country and its allies into, but five years on, his words ring true. Insurgencies rage in Afghanistan and Iraq, hundreds of civilians die in continuing bombings, new terrorist plots are revealed with frightening regularity, and western governments grapple with the growing phenomenon of homegrown terrorism.
In his speech, the United States leader outlined a strategy that he hoped would lead, 'in the months and years ahead', to life returning 'almost to normal'.
Security and terrorism experts contend that despite the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, and despite unprecedented inter-governmental co-operation, life is far from normal. In fact, many believe that making the world a safer place needs a far different approach.
That view is now even shared by Mr Bush's closest ally, British Prime Minister Tony Blair. During a visit to Los Angeles last month, he called for a change of strategy, involving an 'alliance of moderation' that would fight terrorism using values as much as military force.
There is good reason for a rethink. The London bombings on July 7 last year - as well as subsequent alleged plots in Britain, Australia, Canada and the US - involved Muslims born or raised in those countries.
David Wright-Neville, a senior lecturer at Australia's Monash University, said terrorists in non-western nations had often been 'homegrown', but the problem caught authorities off guard.