Promising to "finish the job" in Afghanistan by defeating al-Qaeda and Taliban,US President Barack Obama has thrown clear hints of sending more troops to the war-torn country ahead of unveiling his new Af-Pak policy. "It is in our strategic interests,in our national security interests,to make sure that al-Qaeda and its extremist allies cannot operate effectively in those areas," Obama said. He said the US and its allies are going to degrade the militants' capabilities and ultimately dismantle and destroy their networks. Afghanistan's stability is important to that process,Obama said in response to a question during a joint press conference with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here last night. "I've also indicated that,after eight years,some of those years in which we did not have,I think,either the resources or the strategy to get the job done,it is my intention to finish the job," the President said,adding he would be announcing his new Af-Pak policy shortly. Obama has been holding Situation Room meetings on Af-Pak region with his national security team since mid-August. The last one took place on Monday on the eve of his meeting with Singh. Gen Stanley McChrystal,Commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan,has sought a substantial increase of 40,000 to 80,000 troops in Afghanistan,and a decision on the issue is likely by this weekend. "I feel very confident that when the American people hear a clear rationale for what we're doing there (in Afghanistan) and how we intend to achieve our goals,that they will be supportive," Obama said. With Singh standing by his side,Obama said: "This is important not just to the United States,but it's important to the world,and that the whole world,I think,has a core security interest in making sure that the kind of extremism and violence that you've seen emanating from this region is tackled,confronted in a serious way." Observing that this has to be done as part of the broader international community effort,he said he would be discussing these "obligations" with his global partners. "It's going to be very important to recognise that the Afghan people ultimately are going to have to provide for their own security,and so we'll be discussing that process whereby Afghan security forces are properly trained and equipped to do the job," he said. Obama has also reportedly convened a meeting of influential lawmakers from the US Congress to discuss with them the situation in Afghanistan,which was also one of the major topics of discussions between the President and Singh. "We discussed my review of our policy in Afghanistan,and I thanked Prime Minister Singh for India's substantial contributions to the Afghan people," Obama said at the press briefing. This was also reflected in the joint statement issued later. "The two leaders reiterated their shared interest in the stability,development and independence of Afghanistan and in the defeat of terrorist safe havens in Pakistan and Afghanistan," the joint statement said. President Obama appreciated India's role in reconstruction and rebuilding efforts in Afghanistan,it said. "The two leaders agreed to enhance their respective efforts in this direction," the joint statement said.
