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Posted on 10/07/2001 8:50:59 AM PDT by SamAdams76

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld plans to brief reporters on Sunday afternoon, as the United States tilts toward an expected military response to the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and the Pentagon (news - web sites), defense officials said.

Top civilian and military officials were holding unusual early-morning meetings at the Pentagon on Sunday. Among those in the U.S. military headquarters were Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the vice chairman Peter Pace, plus the top public affairs officials.

``You can say he may brief reporters,'' one official said, speaking of Rumsfeld. Others, speaking privately, made clear Rumsfeld would appear in the Pentagon press room, perhaps as early as 2 p.m. or 3 p.m.

Rumsfeld returned early Saturday from a four-day tour of the Middle East and Central Asia to shore up regional support for an expected U.S.-led strike against the Taliban hosts of Osama bin Laden (news - web sites), accused of masterminding the blitz that killed nearly 5,600 people last month.

Another senior Pentagon official, Undersecretary Douglas Feith, cut short a Gulf Arab tour, apparently to head back to Washington, U.S. diplomats and officials in the region said.

The diplomats did not say why Feith called off a stop in the United Arab Emirates after touring the neighboring Gulf states of Kuwait on Saturday and Qatar on Sunday.

``Feith will not be coming to the UAE,'' a U.S. embassy spokesperson in Abu Dhabi said. He gave no other details.

U.S. planes have landed in southern Uzbekistan, apparently carrying the first of an estimated 1,000 U.S. troops expected to be deployed in the central Asian country, the Voice of America reported on Sunday.

VOA, citing Uzbek officials, said at least three U.S. planes arrived at an unidentified airport under terms of an agreement reached by Rumsfeld and Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov.

The Pentagon withheld comment on all operational matters.

U.S. and British aircraft carriers, more than 300 warplanes, ships armed with cruise missiles and special forces troops have gathered within striking distance of Afghanistan (news - web sites). Some 30,000 troops have also been deployed.

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