AN ONLINE PETITION to Bush has been started in Germany. It calls for “deliberativeness instead of acts of revenge,” and proclaims:

“Probably, military escalation is EXACTLY what the ones behind these terrorist acts intend to provoke. Do you want these criminals to triumph by getting trapped into their diabolic reasoning?

“We say NO!”

ANOTHER ONLINE PETITION makes the following pleas:

“We beg that the President maintain the civil liberties of all U.S. residents, protect the human rights of all people at home AND ABROAD, and guarantee that this attempted attack on the principles and freedoms of the United States will not succeed.

“We plead for a thorough investigation of the terrorist events BEFORE ANY RETALIATION.

“We call for PEACE and JUSTICE, not revenge.”