BRITISH TROOPS IN OMAN PREPARE FOR AFGHAN WAR

ABU DHABI [MENL] -- Elite British troops training in a joint exercise withOman are being prepared for deployment in Afghanistan. Gulf defense sources said the British military has used the SwiftSword-2 exercise for the training of ground troops being prepared for theU.S.-led war in Afghanistan. The sources said the troops could be sent asearly as next week for a ground war against Saudi billionaire fugitive OsamaBin Laden and the ruling Afghan Taliban faction.