There is a growing belief in Washington that the US is determined to overthrow Afghanistan's Taliban regime.
As a result, senior US officials have begun discussing provisions for the Afghan population afterwards.
Diplomatic sources here and in the UN in New York say US officials are deeply concerned about the plight of the population and have begun informally to sound out options that would involve the US and UN collaborating in a massive humanitarian operation.
They said speculation that it could also involve the establishment of a post-Taliban UN transitional administration of the country is premature, but the idea has been touched on as officials "think aloud".
Meanwhile, at the UN, work is proceeding on another resolution, likely to be tabled at the Security Council next week, which would seek to reinforce member states' obligations to implement some 12 existing anti-terrorism conventions.
In Washington there was widespread praise from media pundits and politicians from both parties for President Bush's bravura performance in Congress on Thursday night.
The speech, watched by an estimated 79 per cent of Americans, clearly warned the Taliban that they faced the same fate as Osama bin Laden unless they complied unconditionally with US demands to hand him over with his entire organisation, close the training camps, and allow US inspections of them. A poll by the ABC found that eight in 10 Americans who heard the speech said it increased their confidence in the nation's ability to handle the crisis.
Approval of Mr Bush's work on the US response to last week's attacks held steady at an enormous 91 per cent. Sixty-three per cent prefer a broad war against terrorist groups and the nations that support them, while most of the rest do favour military action, but only against those responsible for the attacks last week.
