AMERICA AND BRITAIN MAY GO IT ALONE IF AFGANISTAN ....... TSK

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,2001320012-2001330577,00.html

AMERICA and Britain are to share the burden of the coming military action aimed at closing down the terrorist network of Osama bin Laden and other deadly groups in Afghanistan. As the European Union last night threw its support behind President Bush's plans to defeat world terrorism, political and defence sources said it was inevitable that most of the forces thrown into the conflict would be American and British, although French special forces troops could still be used.

America drew closer to conflict with Afghanistan yesterday as President Bush rejected out of hand demands from the Taleban for proof of Osama bin Laden's involvement in last week's attacks. The White House said that there would be "no discussions and no negotiations"after Mr Bush heightened tension by raising America's own demands.

Mr Bush's spokesman declined to rule out replacing the Taleban regime in any conflict. He said that removing the Taleban was not necessarily America's goal, but might be a consequence of its war on terrorism if the regime failed to meet its demands.

Mr Bush's tough message came after the ruling Taleban refused to give in to American pressure to hand over bin Laden. "We are not ready to hand over Osama bin Laden without evidence" Mullah Abdul Salaam Zaeef, the Taleban Ambassador to Pakistan, said.

He added: "If Osama voluntarily leaves Afghanistan, he may. Otherwise we cannot force him to leave"

Mr Bush had demanded that the Taleban hand over bin Laden and senior members of his al-Qaeda terrorist organisation. If and when bin Laden is brought to justice, concluding phase one of the twin-track plan, the President wants to pursue the wider network of terrorists worldwide in phase two.

As a fourth American aircraft carrier, the USS Kitty Hawk, left Japan yesterday for an "unknown destination", but believed to be on the way to add yet more firepower to the confrontation with Afghanistan, President Putin of Russia, dismissed the idea that the world was on the brink of a large-scale war. He added that Russia was ready to assist the US campaign.

Mr Bush and Mr Blair are looking for practical action from the international coalition they have built up in their fight against terrorism. But although other countries, notably Germany, have offered to help, the difficult nature of the campaign ahead, and the inhospitable terrain on which it will be fought, means that it will almost certainly be a covert battle of the kind in which American and British special forces excel.

Britain's Parachute Regiment and possibly the Royal Marines are also expected to play a role. A team of specialist Parachute Regiment snipers, currently in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, are among those on stand-by for possible deployment.

President Chirac of France made plain on Wednesday, after talks with Mr Blair, that he was ready for a military role and his offer may be taken up.

The Prime Minister was delighted also that the German Chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, voiced a readiness to give military assistance.

European leaders gave their backing to American military action at an emergency EU summit in Brussels. The declaration will boost Mr Bush's efforts to build his international coalition. However, while pledging "total solidarity" with Washington, the leaders insisted that strikes be "targeted" and follow close consultation with the EU. Britain was said to be satisfied that the leaders' support was as strong as possible, given qualms among some states.

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