The Guardian has this interesting report
>US 'not attacking Afghanistan'
>
>Special report: terrorism in the US
>
>Staff and agencies Wednesday September 12, 2001
>
>A US official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said in Washington
>that the United States is not attacking Afghanistan as of 6pm (22.00 GMT)
>Tuesday.
>
>He said the fighting in Kabul appears to be rocket attacks by Afghan
>rebels opposing the ruling Taliban in response to the attack on a rebel
>general over the weekend.
Why anonymous? Perhaps it is true that they are restraining themselves at the moment. Perhaps they are embarrassed that the Afghan opposition is confusing the picture. Most likely they are indeed planning as spectacular a counter-strike as they can, and trying to control the media with a web of secrecy. Interesting isn't it that there has been no confirmation of the report from Germany that the plane that crashed near Camp David, was shot down.
Meantime Blair and the other Europeans are striving to set an international agenda in which it is the "World against Terrorism". Blair will be good at emphasising the unity of the west, but the British foreign office, like the other European governments, will above all be thinking at this moment how to limit and manage the US and take advantage of the punishment it has received for its arrogant isolationism.
Chris Burford
London