U.S. intelligence and the Pentagon have begun assembling
preliminary information about potential targets and militant
personnel in Libya that could be struck if President Barack
Obama ordered such action.  A senior U.S. official, who declined
to be identified because of the sensitive nature of the
information, confirmed details to CNN, noting the United States
would likely seek cooperation from Libya before launching any
military strike.  Some of the details were first reported by the
New York Times.  The stepped up effort is in response to the
September 11 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi that
killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans.
U.S. intelligence has said it believes the attack was "a
deliberate and organized terrorist assault carried out by
extremists" affiliated or sympathetic with al Qaeda.  CNN
reported previously that U.S. drones have been collecting
intelligence in eastern Libya for weeks, and that American
intelligence agencies are eavesdropping and intercepting s