The United States is today taking the necessary steps for a military strike against those responsible for Tuesday's terrorist attacks in New York, Washington and Pittsburgh.
It is still not known who was responsible for the attacks but Osama bin Laden - who is in Afghanistan - is the chief suspect.
The US Congress has passed a resolution in support of a military strike and allowing President Mr George W. Bush to take whatever action necessary.
It has also been reported that the US is seeking two oil tankers to deliver fuel to a military base in the Indian Ocean.
The deliveries would be in addition to the US military's existing supplies and is the strongest indication yet of a retaliatory military strike.
The base is within striking distance of a number of Middle East and south-west Asian countries. The base was used by B52 bombers during the Gulf War in the early 1990s.
The US Defense Department has asked President Bush to authorise the activation of tens of thousands of military reserve troops for "homeland defense", officials said.
Defense Secretary Mr Donald Rumsfeld planned to activate between 30,000 and 50,000 reservists to provide "strike-alert" jet fighter protection and perform other duties at domestic military bases.
An ABC News/Washington Postpoll released today showed that nearly nine in 10 Americans approved of Mr Bush's job performance - a huge leap in the aftermath of Tuesday's terror attacks.
Nearly seven out of 10 Americans backed military action against the groups or countries responsible for the attacks, even if that meant a long war with heavy US casualties, the poll found.