Memoirs of the only serving Irish politician to have fought with the British Army’s commando unit during the Second World War are to be launched tonight.

Elite British special forces have been in action behind Iraqi lines, Britain's Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon indicated today.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell was arriving in London today for talks with Tony Blair after a major US strike at caves where Osama bin Laden was reportedly sighted.

Elite forces from Britain and the US are likely to play a crucial role in the attacks on Afghanistan - but co-ordinating them could prove difficult, military analysts said yesterday.