But the toughness and consistency of the U.S. response to the Sept. 11 attacks on U.S. soil may have given the president's speech a special resonance in parts of the world most affected by the war on terror. In the week following the speech:
Iran has asked for U.S. assistance in tracking down members of the Al Qaida who fled to Iran from Afghanistan.
Saudis vow crackdown
Saudi Arabia has moved against Islamic charities
identified by the United States as having helped Al Qaida.
Gulf and U.S. diplomatic sources said Riyad has moved to freeze the
accounts of about 15 organizations and individuals suspected of having
funneled money to Al Qaida.
On Tuesday, the kingdom warned Islamic charities that they would come
under tight supervision as part of the U.S.-led war against terrorism, Middle East Newsline reported. A
government statement said Saudi authorities would "take all possible
measures in accordance with relevant international resolutions to prevent
the use of these charity operations for any illegal purposes."
The kingdom has also acknowledged that most of those who participated in
the Islamic suicide attacks in New York and Washington were Saudi nationals.
It was the first such announcement by Saudi authorities.
Saudi officials said several charities have been placed under
restriction to ensure that they do not launder funds for Islamic insurgents.
The organizations include the International Islamic Relief Organization,
Al-Haramain Charitable Foundation and the Islamic Charitable Committee of
the World Assembly of Muslim Youth.
"Saudi Arabia, while remembering its Islamic and humanitarian role that
necessitates the continuity of charity and humanitarian work, is very keen
that funds are not misused," the statement published by the official Saudi
Press Agency said.
Israelis conclude Iran not preparing for war
Meanwhile, Israel's military intelligence has determined that Iran has not placed its
military on full alert amid the war of words between Washington and Teheran.
Intelligence sources said Iran's threats of retaliating against Israel has
not been translated into military activity.
On Tuesday, a senior Israeli intelligence officer told the Knesset
Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that Iran is not preparing for war
against Israel. The officer said Iran's warnings are meant to deter any
Western attack.
Earlier, Iranian Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani warned that Israel might
target Iran's nuclear reactor at Bushehr. Shamkhani said such an attack
would result in "unimaginable" consequences and referred to Iran's Shihab-3
intermediate-range missile arsenal.
In Washington, U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld suggested that the
United States supports the overthrow of the Islamic regime. "I think a lot
of the people of Iran would like to throw off that regime," Rumsfeld said in
a television interview. "I think that there's a lot of young people and
women in that country that feel repressed."
Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Shaul Mofaz told the Knesset committee that
Israel is ready for any Iranian attack. Mofaz said Israel has a "good level"
of defensive capabilities as well as other unspecified options. He would not
elaborate.
Mofaz said the combination of long-range missiles and nuclear weapons
development poses a strategic threat against Israel. He said Iran is also
threatening Israel from its northern border with Lebanon. The general said
Iran has provided thousands of rockets to Hizbullah, many of them with the
capability of striking Israeli cities.
Arafat admits buying weapons
Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat has
acknowledged that he bought Iranian weapons for the war against Israel.
The London-based Al Hayat daily reported on Wednesday that Arafat sent a
letter to President George Bush in which the Palestinian leader accepted
"limited responsibility" for the purchase of the Karine-A, a freighter
loaded with Iranian rockets and captured by Israel on Jan. 3 in the Red Sea.
An earlier letter by Arafat denied any involvement in the estimated $20
million procurement deal.
The newspaper said the Arafat's letter focused on the Karine-A episode
and U.S. charges that the PA ordered the weapons from Iran. In his letter,
Arafat detailed what the newspaper said was his response to the shipment.
Western diplomatic sources said Arafat's initial denial of involvement
in the Karine-A enraged Bush and sparked a review of U.S.-Palestinian
relations. Over the last 10 days, however, Egypt and Saudi Arabia have
pressed Arafat to acknowledge his involvement in Karine-A.
U.S. officials have not yet responded to the Al Hayat report. The
Karine-A episode has resulted in frequent inspections of merchant ships
heading for Lebanon and Syria, a move that has drawn protests from Damascus.
The newspaper also reported that Egypt is urging Arafat to end attacks
against Israel. Egypt said such a move would improve Arafat's relations with
the United States.
In the Gaza Strip, Palestinian gunners fired eight mortars against
Jewish settlements overnight Wednesday. It was the largest mortar attack
against Israeli positions in weeks.
The Palestinian Information Center said the gunners also fired the
Aqsa-1 and -2 missiles. The center said the attack was launched by the Al
Aqsa Martyrs Battalion, a Fatah-led organization that has led the
Palestinian war against Israel.
Israeli military sources said nobody was hurt in the Palestinian attack.
Earlier, Israeli attack helicopters destroyed a Palestinian mortar and
weapons factory outside Gaza City.
Israeli officials said the military plans to construct an $8.8 million
simulation of a Palestinian city to train soldiers in urban warfare. The
officials said the urban warfare training will have soldiers fire lasers
registered on a computer rather than live ammunition.
