World News 20-09-2001 US And UK Plan Ten Year War On Terror who: The US military what: Announce long term operation against terrorism where: Washington DC when: Yesterday snippet: Having reportedly rejected a `short-term fix` invasion this week, Washington and London are developing secret plans which, according to the Telegraph, "involve a completely new military and diplomatic strategy to eliminate terrorist networks around the world." Donald Rumsfeld, the American Defence Secretary, quoted in the Times today, said: "I think what you will see evolve over the next six, eight, ten, 12 months, probably over a period of years, is a coalition to help battle terrorists." British officials told the Times that military action may be secondary to "the method of hearts and minds encouraging foreign governments and people to join in the war so that terrorists would be isolated and identified." This method, they point out, was successful in the recent campaign against Yougoslavia`s Slobodan Milosevic. However, keen to maintain solidarity with the US, an MoD spokeswoman told the Express: "Our position hasn`t changed. We still stand shoulder to shoulder with America and we have offered assistance along with other allies." Meanwhile the US continued their hardline approach by deploying "100 fighters, bombers and other aircraft to move towards the Middle East last night", reports the Independent, "in the first clear sign that America is preparing to launch retaliatory strikes." Frustrated by what he sees as stalling by the Taliban, President Bush told reporters at the White House: "I would strongly urge the Taliban to turn over the al-Qa`ida organisers who hide in their country. We`re on the case. We`re gathering as much evidence as we possibly can to be able to make our case to the world. Anybody who harbours terrorists needs to fear the United States and the rest of the freedom-loving world.`` [... more]

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