As British and American forces launched a second night of attacks in Afghanistan, Mr Tony Blair promised the Afghan people the allies "will not walk away" after the conflict is ended.
In his statement to the recalled House of Commons last night, the British Prime Minister moved closer to defining the removal of the Taliban regime as a specific aim of the war .
And Mr Blair appeared to prepare the British parliament and people for military action beyond that currently directed against Osama bin Laden and his terrorist network and the military installations of the Taliban regime.
Declaring the United Kingdom "in this for the long haul", Mr Blair warned: "Even when al- Qaeda is dealt with, the job is not over. The network of international terrorism is not confined to it."
Mr Blair's comment came amid conflicting reports of American intent to take military action against other countries harbouring and supporting terrorists, and specifically against Iraq.
As more RAF tanker aircraft flew from RAF Brize Norton to the conflict zone, Mr Blair combined an outspoken attack on bin Laden's "wickedness" and "murderous intent" with repeated assurance that the allies' argument was not with the Afghan people.
"They are victims of the Taliban regime," he said: "They live in poverty, repressed viciously, women denied even the most basic human rights and subject to a crude form of theocratic dictatorship that is as cruel as it is arbitrary."
He continued: "We are doing all we can to limit the effect of our action on ordinary Afghans. I repeat: we will not walk away from them, once the conflict ends, as has happened in the past. We will stand by them and help them to a better, more stable future under a broad-based government involving all the different ethnic groupings. That is our pledge to the people of Afghanistan."
Earlier yesterday Mr Blair carried the fight for the hearts and minds of Islam to Osama bin Laden - using the al-Jazeera television station to broadcast a direct message to Muslims throughout the Arab world that the allied fight against terror was not directed against them.
Before going to the Commons Mr Blair also took time to meet the British leaders of some 20 faiths. After the meeting the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey, stood "shoulder to shoulder" with Muslim and Jewish leaders insisting the war against terror should not be seen as a conflict between religions.
However Mr Yousuf Bhailok, general secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain, said his organisation had "the strongest reservations about the war at this stage".
Police confirmed contingency plans to deal with any public disorder arising from the conflict. A massive security operation tightened its grip on government buildings and defence establishments, airports and possible prestige targets for terrorist attacks, including Downing Street, Buckingham Palace and parliament.
Mr Blair assured MPs that all arrangements for the country's security had been "under scrutiny" since the events of September 11th.
"We have contingency planning in place," he said: "We are doing all we reasonably can to anticipate the nature of, and thwart, any potential reprisal. As yet there is no specific credible threat that we know of against Britain but we would be foolish to be anything other than highly vigilant."
Contacts between the UK, US and other governments were good and planning and expertise were being shared, said Mr Blair.
The Home Secretary, Mr David Blunkett, echoed that reassurance, confirming measures were being taken "not merely to protect the high-profile potential targets but to make sure that life and limb, in terms of our water, electricity and gas supplies, are secured."