Obama vows to 'finish' war in Afghanistan
Thursday, 3 December 2009
From Fazle Rashid
NEW YORK, Dec 02: President Barack Hossain Obama in a historic address to the cadets of the West Point military Academy, most prestigious in America, yesterday vowed to "finish the war" in Afghanistan and bring the troops back home in 2011 admitting that the United States could not afford and should not have to shoulder an open ended commitment.
In America we are passing through a time of great trial and the message that we send in the midst of these storms must be clear: that our cause is just , our resolve unwavering, the New York Times in it lead story quoted President Obama as saying.
President Obama's strategy includes among other things speedy and successful conclusion of the war by sending 30,000 additional soldiers, reverse the gains of the Talebans, protect Afghan people, increase the pressure on the Afghan government enhance its military muscle, a corruption free transparent administration and step up attacks on al-Qaeda in Pakistan, NYT in a report said.
President Obama appeared more worried about the situation in Pakistan where the ascendancy of the al-Qaeda activists was described by him as cancerous and a direct threat to the United States. The main terrorists President Obama is targeting are lodged inside Pakistan territory where he can send no troops. The US operations in Pakistan are mostly classified and conducted by the Central Intelligence Agency ( CIA ).
The anti-American sentiments are growing in Pakistan with mounting civilian casualties. The general impression among the common people in Pakistan is that the US wants to run the government and seize its nuclear arsenal. President Zardari is seen as an American stooge and in a bid to reverse this public perception the control of the nuclear arsenal has been transferred from the president to Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani.
NEW YORK, Dec 02: President Barack Hossain Obama in a historic address to the cadets of the West Point military Academy, most prestigious in America, yesterday vowed to "finish the war" in Afghanistan and bring the troops back home in 2011 admitting that the United States could not afford and should not have to shoulder an open ended commitment.
In America we are passing through a time of great trial and the message that we send in the midst of these storms must be clear: that our cause is just , our resolve unwavering, the New York Times in it lead story quoted President Obama as saying.
President Obama's strategy includes among other things speedy and successful conclusion of the war by sending 30,000 additional soldiers, reverse the gains of the Talebans, protect Afghan people, increase the pressure on the Afghan government enhance its military muscle, a corruption free transparent administration and step up attacks on al-Qaeda in Pakistan, NYT in a report said.
President Obama appeared more worried about the situation in Pakistan where the ascendancy of the al-Qaeda activists was described by him as cancerous and a direct threat to the United States. The main terrorists President Obama is targeting are lodged inside Pakistan territory where he can send no troops. The US operations in Pakistan are mostly classified and conducted by the Central Intelligence Agency ( CIA ).
The anti-American sentiments are growing in Pakistan with mounting civilian casualties. The general impression among the common people in Pakistan is that the US wants to run the government and seize its nuclear arsenal. President Zardari is seen as an American stooge and in a bid to reverse this public perception the control of the nuclear arsenal has been transferred from the president to Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani.