Bush briefs U.S. lawmakers

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, SEPT. 25. As the U.S. troops in and around Afghanistan are awaiting the order to launch what is generally believed to be a quick and severe strike against select targets, the U.S. President, Mr. George W Bush, met Republican and Democratic Congressional leaders at the White House today.

Mr. Bush briefed the top law-makers not only on the U.S. response to the terror attacks, but also the other implications. The U.S. President and leading law-makers are believed to have discussed airline security and broader economic measures to get the country back on track.

With respect to the ongoing U.S. operational readiness in and around Afghanistan, the minority leader in the House of Representatives, Mr. Richard Gephardt, said after the White House breakfast meeting that the war aims were clear. ``In a way it's meeting guerrilla warfare with guerrilla warfare, but it's also meeting it with financial efforts and political efforts and diplomatic efforts,'' he said.

The Congressional delegation included Mr. Gephardt, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Dennis Hastert, the Senate Majority Leader, Mr. Tom Daschle, and the leading Republican Senator, Mr. Trent Lott. After meeting with Congressional leaders, the President is meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister, Mr. Junichiro Koizumi. Only last week, the third aircraft carrier being sent to the Persian Gulf area sailed out of its port in Japan. And according to reports from Tokyo, Mr. Koizumi would be offering his country's role and support as well in the realm of intelligence and surveillance missions.

The President has been keeping Congress informed of the decisions being taken, including the calling of reserves.

In a letter to the members of the Congress, Mr. Bush said he had ordered the deployment of ``various combat-equipped and combat support forces to a number of foreign nations in the Central and Pacific Command areas of operations''.

Military analysts say the U.S. objective is not for a full-scale invasion of Afghanistan, rather it is one of going after select targets of Osama bin Laden and his terror network. Reports say the elite forces of the U.S. and Britain have already identified the areas and are ready to launch operations.

The thinking is also that the commando units will be supported from the air in a massive fashion.

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