Britain 'ready' but didn't participate in latest strikes

LONDON -- Britain remains "totally at the ready" but did not participate in the latest strikes on Afghanistan, a defense spokeswoman said Tuesday as Prime Minister Tony Blair left for a three-day diplomatic tour to shore up support among Arab leaders for the anti-terrorism coalition.

Earlier Tuesday, before the third night of U.S. attacks began, British defense officials said the airstrikes had already caused "significant damage" to the terrorist camps of Osama bin Laden and the defenses of Afghanistan's ruling Taliban militia.

But the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a detailed damage assessment would take some time and would rely on accounts from Afghan refugees as well as on intelligence information and aerial photographs.

Blair told the British Broadcasting Corp. that the strikes had brought the multinational anti-terrorist coalition closer to achieving its goals.

"We are obviously closer to achieving our objectives, and those objectives are to target, in particular, the terrorist camps and facilities of Osama bin Laden and also the military installations of the Taliban regime," the prime minister said.

British missile-firing submarines participated in the first wave of assaults Sunday but were not involved in the attacks Monday and Tuesday, the Ministry of Defense said. A spokeswoman said the British military remained "totally at the ready" if needed.

Since the Sept. 11 terror attacks on New York and Washington, Blair has worked tirelessly to build the U.S.-led anti-terrorist coalition. Last week, he visited Pakistan, Russia and India. He has also traveled to meetings with European leaders.

On Tuesday, Blair was heading first to Geneva for talks with President Sheik Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates.

The prime minister then planned to fly to the Middle East for talks with two other leaders, his office said without giving details.