US finalises new Afghan strategy

[JK!]

US finalises new Afghan strategy

President Barack Obama's administration is close to announcing its new strategy for the war against the Taleban in Afghanistan, officials say.

"We're just about done," Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm Mike Mullen said.

Officials say that key objectives will be getting Pakistani help in the fight against extremism and reducing American expectations for military victory.

The White House expects to announce the new objectives for the war - which it admits is not being won - next week.

Safe havens

Officials say that the role of Pakistan is critical within the new strategy and that it must be made to realise that doing more to contain extremism is in its own interests as well as those of the international community.

President Obama is expected to explain his plans to allies when he attends a Nato summit in Europe next month.

His priorities are expected to mirror 15 goals detailed in a 20-page classified report to the White House from the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Prominent among them are eradicating Taleban and al-Qaeda safe havens in north-western Pakistan, pursuing a regional approach to reduce extremism while simultaneously boosting economic aid.

Another top priority is to ensure that the Afghan government does not collapse as a result of the Taleban insurgency - an objective officials say again can only be fulfilled by securing the co-operation of Pakistan and by substantially increasing the size of Afghanistan's security forces.

Better governance

Adm Mullen said that the review addresses "the safe haven in Pakistan, making sure that Afghanistan doesn't provide a capability in the long run or an environment in which al-Qaeda could return or the Taleban could return".

He said it was also important to ensure Afghanistan remained stable and had better governance.

The in-house review was carried out by the White House National Security Council and details objectives over the next three to five years.

Officials stress that the timeframe of the review does not mean that the US military will leave within that time.

Gen David Petraeus, head of US Central Command, and Richard Holbrooke, the US special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, met more 12 senators to discuss the war on Thursday.

Correspondents say that the meeting was part of the administration's effort to gather support for trimmed-down US objectives in Afghanistan, especially in relation to democracy and self-sufficiency.

A key premise is that the military alone cannot win the war, officials said.

But part of the strategy is also military, with the deployment of 17,000 additional troops this year in order to "buy time" for less tangible counterinsurgency tactics to take hold.

Source: BBC NEWS | World | Americas | US finalises new Afghan strategy

Can we now expect a more active campaign from the Pakistan army as opposed to setting up checkpoints and relying on the use of artillery.

 

[metalfalcon]

Lets see what obama is up to and what he really Wants from Pakistan to Tackle Afghanistan.

 

[Torpedo]

Is USA trying to fool Pakistan?

Even at this stage, US economy is way better than Pakistan. But, USA is trying to escape from Afghanistan. USA knows that Pakistan will have to fight. No matter USA is with it or not. For Pakistan, Afghanistan can't be left alone.

So, after starting this war, USA only will take care that it continues. Pakistan will take all the damage. And more importantly, USA will make this move with praising from Pakistan.

 

[Cheeta]

There is none answer or debate to a war and only fighting is the solution of it. If there is increase in troops and remote controlled planes to make peace and stability, I bet on the double deal of The United States that there will be more and more trouble and misery. There will be no peace untill a single foreign soldier stands armed in the region. It is not Arabia that first be plotted a rebellion against Ottomon Turks and then etect an Israel here.
Mr.Bush did know that to conquer the world(to make it into a new order) the first and dedicated hurdle is these Muslim fighters who opposed former communism. There was made a pretext of Terrorism which was a secret war going on between him and the guerillas. Now when it became open and occupation of key Muslim countries started that all failed not because of the opposing sloguns of the world, UN opposition or call of the Holy Pope but, the loss in logistics and the counter terror measure of the guerrillas against the terrorising policy of Mr.Bush attacking cities indiscriminately. Upto that extent Europe was more keen with Bush as there was killing of Muslims going on far away from their sight with even their miseries and cries not seen or heard.
United States failed in Iraq and Afghanistan with the bodies of his troops carried back home which made him and his nation know that even they also die or the demise is sad. Now weight of the war has been altered from middle east to Central Asia. Pakistani authorities are bribed for the most to make the best use of its force against the guerillas that cross over boundaries. It is said by them that 'yes we are killing you for the betterment of you' .Pakistan has also been pulled into a total war and is suffering as a battle ground for the country thousands of miles away. It is all continued because of the ill management of the authority of Pakistan.

 

[Strike]

Well what ever they are planning i just hope all goes well and the terrorists are defeated and hopefully peace will enter the region but it does tend to be more complicated than that

 

[Cheeta]

It is a Turkish proverb, 'the one who has not yet tasted the punch of someone else considers that of himself like a millstone'.
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