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U.S. Warplanes Ordered to Persian Gulf
Wednesday, Sep 19, 2001
By the CBC News Online Staff

ISLAMABAD
The Pentagon has ordered more than 100 warplanes to bases in the Persian Gulf area, according to a U.S. senior defence official. It is the first concrete sign of military preparations for retaliatory action.

The campaign against terrorism has been designated "Operation Infinite Justice."

Air Force air controllers will precede the arrival of the combat aircraft. They co-ordinate the refueling of fighters and bombers.

Earlier Wednesday, the United States responded to Afghanistan's requests for negotiations by saying the time now is for action, not talk. The hard line came as Muslim clerics were meeting in Kabul to decide the fate of Osama bin Laden.

The U.S. has declared bin Laden the prime suspect in the terror attacks on New York and Washington last week. The ruling Taliban in Afghanistan has asked the Muslim clerics to decide whether to surrender bin Laden or risk a counterstrike by the U.S. and NATO allies.

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer told reporters Wednesday, "The president's message to the Taliban is very simple -- it's time for action not negotiations."
(More: CBS News Source)

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