Afghanistan endures second night of bombing

by Ron Fournier
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON – The United States pounded terrorist targets in Afghanistan from the air for a second night yesterday in an effort to undercut the Taliban militia sheltering Osama bin Laden. Anti-Taliban forces inside Afghanistan appeared ready to strike in concert with the American barrage.

As U.S. warplanes and naval forces unleashed assaults halfway around the world, the Bush administration raised its guard at home.

"We've learned that America is not immune from attack," President Bush said as he created an Office of Homeland Security and put former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge in charge.

The Pentagon said five long-range bombers, 10 sea-launched warplanes and 15 Tomahawk cruise missiles struck an undisclosed number of targets, including early warning radars, Taliban ground forces and military command sites. It was smaller than Sunday's opening attacks.

Feeding while firing, the U.S. operation dropped 37,000 packages of food rations on Monday – about the same number as Sunday.

U.S. officials said the military strikes, expected to continue at least another day, are designed to destroy terrorist camps and bolster opposition forces fighting the Taliban.

Bush, who meets today with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has not disclosed his plans to follow-up the airstrikes. However, U.S. officials said Bush wants to shake bin Laden and fellow terrorists from Afghan hideouts and into the hands of American or other anti-Taliban ground forces.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Bush's staunchest ally, hinted that the offensive would expand.

"In time, (the airstrikes) will be supported by other actions, again carefully targeted," Blair said. He didn't elaborate, but the British defense ministry said that ground operations were an option.

Anti-aircraft fire lit the skies over the Afghan capital of Kabul, where electricity was cut and Taliban radio told residents to close the blinds on their windows and remain indoors. A Taliban-friendly news agency said an airport and TV transmission tower were targeted and a bomb landed near a 400-bed women's hospital – reports that were not confirmed by the Pentagon.

The military campaign is aimed at punishing the Taliban for harboring bin Laden, the man accused of plotting the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington that left more than 5,500 people dead or missing.

U.S. officials lifted any doubt that they wanted the Taliban overthrown.

"The only way that the Afghan people are going to be successful in heaving the terrorist network out of their country is to be successful against ... that portion of the Taliban and the Taliban leadership that are so closely linked to the Al-Qaida," Rumsfeld said.