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Air Strikes Delayed as Allies Express Doubts
Thursday, October 4, 2001
By Julian Borger in Washington
Richard Norton-Taylor & Patrick Wintour
The Guardian

Blair and US in mission to repair holes in alliance

The US defence secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, and Tony Blair embarked yesterday on emergency missions to repair holes in a shaky anti-terrorist coalition, after nervousness among key regional allies pushed back the launch of air strikes on Afghanistan.

American officials yesterday confirmed that the governments of Saudi Arabia, Oman and Uzbekistan had had last-minute doubts about allowing their territory to serve as a base for military operations aimed at Osama bin Laden, his al-Qaida terrorist group and the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The three governments, together with Pakistan, have "serious problems" about allowing the US to establish bases for special forces and military hardware on their territory, according to American officials.
(More: The Guardian News Source)
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2001

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