<

U.S. Keeps Taliban Guessing; Taliban Seek Proof
Wednesday, October 03, 2001
(9:48 AM ET)
By Jack Redden & Jeff Franks / Company

Saudi King Fahd (L) welcomes Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld October 3, 2001. Rumsfeld spearheaded a campaign in Gulf Arab nations to drum up support for a war on terrorism, while in a jittery United States the Greyhound bus network was suspended after a deadly crash caused by an attack on the driver.
Photo Credit: Reuters.

In a further blow to the Taliban, opposition forces in the north of the country said they were getting new military aid from Russia and Iran and were in talks with U.S. officials.

ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON -- Reuters
The noose tightened around Afghanistan's ruling Taliban on Wednesday as the United States further forged its alliance against terrorism.

Pressure mounted as Pakistan said it had received from the United States the first batch of evidence that Washington says links prime suspect Osama bin Laden to the devastating Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington.

But the hard-line Islamic rulers of Afghanistan -- who still refuse to hand over the world's most wanted man -- appeared to have gained some breathing space with news that British Prime Minister Tony Blair was due to visit Pakistan on Friday.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is also traveling in the region to win support for military action, and it is unlikely Washington will launch any operation against bin Laden or his Taliban protectors until both the leaders have left.
(More: iWon.com News Source)
© Reuters 2001

The above photo of King Fahd greeting SoD Rumsfeld ought to dispell the sensationalized rumors that he had run out on his kingdom (but probably won't),
Dan