Much that we reminisce the deep scar left on humanity by the unprecedented attack, the instant feeling of helplessness and vulnerability emanating from it has not really worn off; in fact, it has increased down the road. The words used by many four years ago that 'the world will never be the same again' have become truer in a more poignant manner as we live through it in real life.

Despite intensive international efforts to uproot terrorism 'at any cost,' the latter has struck deeper roots and fanned out across the world. In one word, in spite of the war against terror, or as many tend to believe because of it, the world has become more insecure than it had been immediately after 9/11.

The primacy of multilateral authority in dealing with international terrorism, especially when it amounts to preventive intervention in the affairs of a state or states, stands demolished by the supremacy asserted of a unilateralist decision-making process.

That's why, at the time of its 60th anniversary, the United Nations (UN) does stand in dire need of reform. It is the bounden duty of the comity of nations to try and reorder the existing UN system so that it is auto-responsive to the contemporary realities of international affairs. Unfortunately, faith- or ideology-based militancy, ethnic extremism, and to a large extent, state terrorism -- all these have brought the world to such a position that nothing short of an effective multilateral UN approach can salvage the world from a self-destructive course it finds itself catapulted on to. This might appear a bit wishful when the strategic interests of the only superpower are touted to be overriding the rationale for multilateralism, but that is the only option to take if we are to rid the world of explosive terrorism.