ARAB-US RELATIONS - March 11 - Bush Urges Unity Over Next Phase Of War On Terror.

At a White House ceremony marking six months since Sept. 11, Bush urges US allies to stand behind him in "the second stage of the war on terror". (The ceremony is flanked by flags from 175 nations and diplomats from more than 150 countries). Bush pledges to offer military training and resources to any country committed to the war against terrorism. At the same time he warns that Yemen could become "another Afghanistan", adding: "America encourages and expects governments everywhere to help remove the terrorist parasites that threaten their own countries and the peace of the world". He makes no specific mention of Iraq in his speech, noting instead that Washington is involved in training local military forces for operations against Al Qaida-linked terrorists in Yemen, the Philippines and Georgia.

He says: "We will not send American troops to every battle but America will actively prepare other nations for the battles ahead". He warns that Al Qaida might try to reconstitute itself in the remote corners of the Yemen-Saudi Arabian border region. He closes his speech by saying: "May God bless our coalition" (in place of his usual 'May God bless the United States of America'). Meanwhile, Dick Cheney met British PM Tony Blair in London and warned again of a "potential marriage" between Al Qaida terrorists and states with weapons of mass destruction. He said no decisions on any military action would take place during his 10-day trip to the UK and other key allies, including Turkey and Saudi Arabia.