For the United States, September 11 is a turning point.; For Japan and Germany it brought a sense of déjà vu. The United States’ experience with terrorism is not unique, but it is distinctive. How other states, here Japan and Germany, have dealt with terrorism may help put the events of September 11 and their aftermath into perspective. Japan and Germany were not as successful in stemming terrorism as their governments and people would have liked. An analysis of their policies sheds new light on this turn in world politics.