President Bush yesterday continued to mull over the type and scope of the US's military response to last Tuesday's attacks as the Secretary of Defence, Mr Don Rumsfeld, made clear that more than one country has reason to fear US retaliation.
Speaking at a press conference in the Defence Department, Mr Rumsfeld refused to say if any other states other than Afghanistan had been directly implicated in the attacks but insisted that "several states are supporting these people". He made it clear the US believed it had a right, in the interest of self-defence, to take action against such states.
It also emerged last night that the US administration believes that more than four planes may have been targeted for hijacking.
Terrorists "do not live in Antarctica", but survive because there were those who harboured them. That "has to stop" and the US intends to "drain the swamp they live in" in what would be a "long and sustained campaign".
Indeed, Iraq may have justifiable reason to feel concerned that it may be targeted. CNN last night reported that US authorities have established that one of the terrorists who piloted one of the hijacked planes, Mohammed Atta, met earlier in the year with an Iraqi intelligence agent, the first evidence to potentially link Saddam Hussein directly to the attacks.
The US diplomatic counter-offensive took an enormous leap forward with the news from the Middle East of a cessation of hostilities between Israelis and Palestinians which US officials believe could lead to moderate Arab nations signing up wholeheartedly to the US's alliance against terrorism.
The Secretary of State, Mr Colin Powell, and the President face much diplomatic activity with a series of face-to-face meetings with allies in the next three days.
These involved a visit last night from France's President Jacques Chirac. Later in the week Britain's Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, Germany's Chancellor Mr Gerhard Schr÷eder, the Foreign Ministers of China and Saudi Arabia will visit.
Yesterday, among others, Mr Powell spoke to Israel's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mr Ariel Sharon and Mr Shimon Peres, as well as the Palestinian leader, Mr Yasser Arafat.
Mr Bush also spoke to the Secretary General of the UN, Mr Kofi Annan, Canada's Prime Minister, Mr Jean Chretien, and Brazil's, Mr Enrique Cardoso.
The President, who met leaders of US charities at the White House, paid warm tribute to the US spirit of giving.
One web site, sponsored by several US technology giants, announced it alone has collected almost $58 million in donations to help recovery efforts.
"Our compassion and generous citizens have led the first phase in the war on terrorism," Mr Bush said.
"They have sustained and strengthened the home front."
The President also attended a meeting of the National Security Council, his "war cabinet", to discuss the military options and also met his economic advisers.
His aides were reported to be involved in extensive discussions with Congress on possible economic stimuli that were by no means confined to tax cuts, according to his spokesman, Mr Ari Fleischer.
Times were exceptional, Mr Fleischer said, promising a "dose of both supply-side and Keynesian" measures.
New York's Mayor, Mr Rudy Giuliani, said the chance of recovering anyone alive from the wreckage of the World Trade Centre towers was "very, very small".
The total death toll is now expected to be close to 6,000.
Later, US Attorney General Mr John Ashcroft said that more than four planes may have been targeted for hijacking as part of the strikes on September 11.
"We are looking at the possibility there may have been more than four planes targeted for hijacking," Mr Ashcroft said at a press conference.
"But we are not able at this time to confirm that.
"We do believe there are associates of the hijackers that have connections to terrorist organisations that may still be in the United States."
