US President Barack Obama says his country’s military campaigns in Afghanistan and Pakistan have been against those he labels “extremists.”
“It is in our national interest to see a Pakistan that is democratic, that is prosperous and that is stable; that we share a common enemy in the extremists that are found not only in Afghanistan, but also within Pakistan; and that we need to work through some of the tensions that have inevitably arisen after 10 years of our military presence in that region,” Obama said after his brief meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari.
Washington had previously claimed it was fighting al-Qaeda members and Taliban militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Addressing the final day of the NATO summit in Chicago, the US president said that NATO leaders have agreed on a formal withdrawal from Afghanistan by the end of 2014 “to bring our war in Afghanistan to a responsible end."
“We agreed that Afghan forces will take the lead for combat operations next year in mid-2013… And this will mark a major step toward the goal we agreed to in Lisbon; completing the transition to Afghan lead for security by the end of 2014 so that Afghans can take responsibility for their own country and so our troops can come home,” he said on Monday.
He, however, added that foreign troops will remain in the country after 2014 to support and oversee the training of Afghan forces.
“We also agreed on what NATO's relationship with Afghanistan will look like after 2014. NATO will continue to train, advise and support Afghan forces as they grow stronger,” he said.
The 25th NATO summit began on Sunday in Chicago in the United States and wrapped up on Monday.
“It is in our national interest to see a Pakistan that is democratic, that is prosperous and that is stable; that we share a common enemy in the extremists that are found not only in Afghanistan, but also within Pakistan; and that we need to work through some of the tensions that have inevitably arisen after 10 years of our military presence in that region,” Obama said after his brief meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari.
Washington had previously claimed it was fighting al-Qaeda members and Taliban militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Addressing the final day of the NATO summit in Chicago, the US president said that NATO leaders have agreed on a formal withdrawal from Afghanistan by the end of 2014 “to bring our war in Afghanistan to a responsible end."
“We agreed that Afghan forces will take the lead for combat operations next year in mid-2013… And this will mark a major step toward the goal we agreed to in Lisbon; completing the transition to Afghan lead for security by the end of 2014 so that Afghans can take responsibility for their own country and so our troops can come home,” he said on Monday.
He, however, added that foreign troops will remain in the country after 2014 to support and oversee the training of Afghan forces.
“We also agreed on what NATO's relationship with Afghanistan will look like after 2014. NATO will continue to train, advise and support Afghan forces as they grow stronger,” he said.
The 25th NATO summit began on Sunday in Chicago in the United States and wrapped up on Monday.
Source : Afghan Voice Agency (AVA), International Service
