GULF WATCH: Day 41 : A Daily Briefing Paper On Developments In The Crisis

Diplomatic Front:

President Bush addressed the nation, outlining “what is at stake--what we must do together to defend civilized values around the world.” He praised the American military and hailed the new level of cooperation between Washington and Moscow.

Japan said it may give $2 billion to the nations hit hardest by U.N. sanctions, on top of the $1 billion aid package already promised for multinational peacekeeping forces in Saudi Arabia.

Hostage Front:

Iraq promised to permit Arab-born American males to leave occupied Kuwait with American women and children. And the State Department said it has chartered two more Iraqi Airways jets to airlift up to 800 Westerners from Kuwait.

In Kuwait, four more countries--Austria, Bangladesh, Greece and Switzerland--ordered their besieged diplomats to pull out. The U.S. embassy continues to hold on. At the western border of Iraq, about 300,000 Egyptians and 70,000 Asians wait to cross into Jordan. Two Virgin Atlantic aircraft left London with supplies for the refugees. One of the planes was due to ferry refugees to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Military Front:

Iraqi military forces have stepped up activity along the country’s borders with Turkey and Syria, but there are no signs of imminent hostilities, a Pentagon spokesman said.

Defense Secretary Dick Cheney said the crisis in the Persian Gulf has sparked terrorist threats against the United States.

Trade Front:

The first of the nations to respond to Saddam Hussein’s offer of free oil, the Philippines and Namibia, said no. But Cuba and Romania have struck oil deals with Iraq, and some Eastern European countries are trying to keep up their military sales to Iraq, the State Department said.

Crisis Indicators:

* U.S. troops on the ground: 100,000

* U.S. sailors aboard ships in region: 35,000

* U.S. warships in region: 50+

* U.S. reservists to be mobilized: up to 49,703

* Iraqi troops in/near Kuwait: 265,000

* Iraqi tanks in Kuwait: 1,500

* Total Americans in Kuwait: about 1,500

* Total Americans in Iraq: about 300

* High temperature in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: 111