The U.S. State Department began assembling a global coalition of nations to fight terrorism on Sept. 12, 2001. Nations throughout the world have provided not only military assistance, but also assistance on the political, diplomatic, economic, law enforcement and intelligence fronts. This map shows some of the countries that are contributing to the coalition and some of the ways in which they have helped.

U.S. policymakers and world leaders discuss their efforts to build a worldwide coalition to fight terrorism, and the necessity of convincing the Muslim world that this was not a fight against Islam.

The stunningly rapid fall of the Taliban forced the international diplomatic community into a race for the political process to keep up with the military victories. Here is the inside story of how Afghan factions and the international community came together to create a broad-based, multiethnic, post-Taliban government.

Within days of the Sept. 11 attacks Pakistan was singled out by the Bush administration as one of the key potential coalition allies. Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf was delivered an ultimatum: Are you with us or against us? This fact sheet from the Council on Foreign Relations addresses how Pakistan has helped the coalition since Sept. 11, what the country had to gain for its assistance, and Pakistan's prior relations with terrorists and the Taliban.

Readings on whether forming an international coalition was necessary to fight the war on terrorism and prospects for the coalition's future.